Page 7 of Return of the Outback Billionaire

And she might not be afraid of him, but she was afraid of what could happen to a man with too much pent-up desire and not nearly enough self-control. They lost their minds and let fantasy rule. They saw only what they wanted to.

And then Judah loosened his hold and stepped back, and suddenly she could breathe again, even if her hands were too clammy and her body too hot.

‘My father sold you land in the last year of his life. Yes or no?’

‘Yes.’ She’d been dreading this part of the conversation. ‘It’s complicated. The money didn’t always go directly to him. Sometimes I paid bills for him instead.’

‘You mean gambling debts.’

‘I didn’t ask. But, yes, probably.’

‘I want that land back. Whatever you paid, I’ll pay it. More, if that’s what you want.’

‘No, you don’t understand.’

‘Double the price you paid. I want it back.’

‘Judah, you don’t understand. It’s not for sale. You can—’

‘Everyone, if I may have your attention.’ His voice rang out across the ballroom, stopping music and movement and turning all eyes towards them. His arm at her waist was a band of steel, keeping her in place, but why? What was he doing?

‘First, I’d like to welcome you all here tonight. I appreciate the time and trouble so many of you have taken to get here. Welcome to Jeddah Creek station. I hope you find the hospitality and the connections you make here tonight to your liking.’

A waiter approached them with a tray full of drinks and he took one and passed it to her before collecting another for himself. ‘Secondly, I’d like to introduce one particular woman to you all. A woman whose name you will have no doubt heard in connection with mine even if you haven’t met her personally. A woman of rare compassion and resilience. Someone who has seen the darkest actions mankind has to offer and yet somehow manages to retain her sanity and goodness.’

He couldn’t possibly be talking about her.

‘Someone who inspired me to look outward rather than in, at a time when all I could see were concrete walls and prison bars. A pioneering soul, with a vision for merging two great farming families and two iconic properties to allow for more conservation projects and forward management of the land we hold so dear. Ladies and gentlemen, please raise your glasses to Bridie Starr.’ He smiled down at her, all shark. ‘My future wife.’

Say what, now?

Wife? What wife? Had he lost his mind while in prison? A little bit of insanity to accompany that very impressive, very fine physique?

‘Smile,’ he ordered softly, as the guests applauded, and showed her how to do it. ‘People will take one look at you and think we’re not serious.’ He touched the rim of his glass to hers. Just that little bit lower than the rim of her glass, to be precise, and wasn’t that supposed to indicate some measure of respect? ‘To us.’

‘What us?’ she hissed behind the cover of golden bubbles. ‘What exactly do you think you’re doing?’

‘Getting my land back.’

‘By marrying me?’ She laughed. She couldn’t help it. She was still laughing as she lifted the glass to her lips and proceeded to drain it. Moments later a waiter had whisked it away and they were dancing again, her mind a whirl and her body following along behind. ‘Can you be any more insulting?’

‘You refused to sell. What did you think I would do?’

‘Oh, I don’t know. You could have waited two more seconds and listened to what I had to say. You could have easily done that, but no, straight to blackmail and coercion and marriage? Are you nuts?’ She stepped in close, super aware of all the people beginning to move around them as she raised her lips to his ear. ‘The only reason I bought the land in the first place was because I didn’t want your father selling it to anyone else. I kept it safe from harm so I could return it to you, because I owe you.’ She took a deep breath and let the true depth of her anger show. ‘I was two seconds away from giving it to you. You utter idiot.’

CHAPTER TWO

IF JUDAH HAD learned anything in lockup it was to never back down, even if you had just picked the wrong fight. That mindset had got him through more than seven years of prison politics alive and relatively unscathed. Whether it would get him through the rest of this dance remained to be seen.

‘We don’t have to stay engaged for long,’ he tried, and she trod on his toe with the point of a scissor-tipped stiletto. ‘Ow.’

‘You’re absolutely right.’ Her eyes glowed like cognac. ‘Five minutes should do it.’

But he couldn’t break their engagement five minutes after announcing it. He had a reputation to protect. Status that relied on money, hype and his willingness to kill to protect the innocent. Foolishness could never be part of that mix. ‘One month, and I’ll make it worth your while. Diamonds. A carat a day.’

‘And now he thinks I can be bought...’

Everyone has a price.

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