âNow, if youâll excuse meââ
âNot yet.â
The soft demand froze her in place. In that moment she registered that Constantine wasnât just angry, he was furious.
She had seen him furious only once beforeâthe day they had broken upâbut on that occasion he had been icily cool and detached. The fact that his formidable control had finally slipped and he was clearly in danger of losing his temper ratcheted the tension up several notches.
A heady sense of anticipation gripped her. She had the feeling that for the first time she was going to see the real Constantine and not the controlled tycoon who had a calculator in place of a heart.
His gaze dropped to her mouth and she was suddenly unbearably aware that he intended to kiss her.
Dear Reader,
The idea for THE PEARL HOUSE miniseries had its beginnings with strong-willed Sienna Ambrosi, on a mission to keep the familyâs luxury Sydney-based pearl business afloat. Pretty and resourceful, with a focused, perfectionist streak, she is just the kind of character I like; she never gives up. Already walking a financial tightrope, Sienna gets hit by a serious reversal by the name of Constantine Atraeus.
The Atraeus and Ambrosi families have a history, and so did Sienna and Constantine, until debt terminated their previous engagement.
Itâs kind of ironic, then, that debt should bring them back together, although useful would be the term that Constantine would use. Underneath his ruthless exterior, heâs a nice guy with a sense of humor, and he has never forgotten Sienna. He had been trying to figure out an excuse to see her again when out of the blue her company literally dropped into his hands.
Now, if only sheâd just see him, instead of his bottom line â¦
Fiona
With a wolf-cold gaze, Constantine Atraeus scanned the mourners attending Roberto Ambrosiâs funeral, restlessly seeking ⦠and finding.
With her long blond hair and dark eyes, elegantly curved body and rich-list style, Robertoâs daughter Sienna stood out like an exotic bird among ravens.
His jaw compressing at the unmistakable evidence of her tears, Constantine shook off an unwilling surge of compassion. And memories. No matter how innocent Sienna looked, he couldnât allow himself to forget that his ex-fiancée was the new CEO of her familyâs failing pearl empire. She was first and foremost an Ambrosi. Descended from a once wealthy family, the Ambrosis were noted for two things: their luminous good looks and their focus on the bottom line.
In this case, his bottom line.
âTell me youâre not going after her now.â
Constantineâs brother Lucas, still jet-lagged from a long-haul flight from Rome to Sydney, levered himself out of the Audi Constantine had used to pick up both of his brothers from the airport.
In the Sydney office for two days of meetings, Lucas was dressed for business, although heâd long since abandoned the jacket and tie. Zane, who was already out of the car and examining the funeral crowd, was dressed in black jeans and a black shirt, a pair of dark glasses making him look even more remote.
Lucas was edgily good-looking, so much so that the media dogged him unmercifully. Zane, who was technically their half brother, and who had spent time on the streets of L.A. as a teenager before their father had found him, simply looked dangerous. The outer packaging aside, Constantine was confident that when it came to protecting his familyâs assets both of his brothers were sharks.
Constantine shrugged into the jacket heâd draped over the back of the driverâs seat as he watched Sienna accept condolences, his frustration edged by a surge of emotion that had nothing to do with temper.
Grimly, he considered that the physical attraction that had drawn him away from The Atraeus Groupâs head office on Medinos, when his legal counsel could have handled the formalities, was clouding his judgment.
No, that wasnât it. Two years ago Constantine had finally learned to separate sexual desire from business. He was no longer desperate.
This time if and when Sienna Ambrosi came to his bed, it would be on his terms, not hers.
âIâm not here to put flowers on Robertoâs grave.â
âOr allow her to grieve. Ever heard of tomorrow?â Lucas shrugged into his jacket and slammed the door of the Audi.
Constantine winced at Lucasâs treatment of the expensive car. Lucas hadnât been old enough to remember the bad old days when the Atraeus family had been so poor they hadnât been able to afford a car, but Constantine could. His fatherâs discovery of a rich gold mine on the Mediterranean island of Medinos hadnât altered any of his childhood memories. He would never forget what it had felt like to have nothing. âWhen it comes to the Ambrosi family, tomorrow will be too late.â Resignation laced his tone as he eyed the press gathering like vultures at a feast. âBesides, it looks like the story has already been leaked. Bad timing or not, I want answers.â