The Dark Library Read Online Free Page B

for that. I don't
know any males who would have turned away from a sight like that.
Perhaps the pope would have, or a gay man. No one else.”
    “I-I need to leave now,” she said
shakily.
    “Yes, I rather suspected that was your
intent. I won't have it. I've already waited long enough to get
that library in shape and I'm not putting it off for another month
or two just because you're gotten all girlishly embarrassed that
I've accidentally seen your naughty bits.”
    Hannah felt a sudden ferocious anger. How
dare he make light of what had happened!? The filthy pervert!
Staring at her like that!
    Her anger spun her around, her hand coming
up, finger stabbing at him.
    “Now you're mad at me for not immediately
ducking away the moment I saw your lovely body,” he said, “for
doing what was natural for me to do even as you did what was
natural for you to do. I was told you were a very grounded young
women with an intelligent head on your shoulders. So stop crying
about spilled milk that's already been cleared away and let's
discuss your role here.”
    “I-I...I have no role! I'm leaving!”
    “Walking home are you?”
    She stared at him stupidly.
    “There's no train before tomorrow, and what's
more Patrick has taken the car, so you aren't leaving, not unless
you intend to walk.”
    She jerked her head away. “Please go away!”
she begged between clenched teeth.
    “No. It's my home and no one can order me
about in it. Besides, hair of the dog that bit you, girl.”
    He grabbed her wrist as he turned away,
jerking her along with him effortlessly before she could even think
to struggle. He wasn't a tall man, not like the men in her dreams.
He wasn't even broad of shoulder or chest. But he was deceptively
strong, and simply flung her into a stuffed chair where she landed
with an indignant squawk of surprise.
    “You're horribly ashamed and can hardly bear
to look at me,” he said, waving his hand dismissively. “Yes, yes,
yes. Well, the more you see me, the weaker that will get. Put it
behind you like a good girl and we can get on with work.”
    The colossal arrogance of the man took her
breath away, almost distracting her from her humiliation!
    “You – !”
    “Oh do be quiet,” he said. “Don't tell me
about how indignant you are at me. I'm Lord bloody Carling” he
said, raising his voice. “I'm an arrogant, conceited, obnoxious
bastard! Everyone says so and it's bloody true! Including all the
women I've run through as though they were yesterday's socks. No
one can stand me! Well, too damned bad for them!”
    Hannah's eyes narrowed, shame giving way to
anger.
    “Now let's look at your options, Miss Quinn.
I have no intention of forcibly confining you here or standing over
you with a whip to make you organize my library. But you will do so
regardless. Breaking the contract I've already signed with your
employer will get you fired. What's more, if I have to tell them
why you refuse to work here, well, let me suggest you won't be
getting a very good recommendation from them.”
    She colored again, furiously, jerking her
eyes down.
    “So, rather than you running back home to go
on the dole because some horrible man saw you masturbating, why not
act like a grown-up and get on with your bloody job?!”
    “You are a bastard!' she hissed.
    “Too bloody right I am! But I can afford to
be. You see this place? It was a tumbling ruin up until a few years
ago when I bought it. And how did I buy it? My father gave me a
title and precious little else. I went to university, and I started
up an electronics company, and I worked twenty hours a day and made
myself a millionaire, and then a multimillionaire I'm worth a
bloody fortune now and I have five thousand odd people working for
me. I have a right to my arrogance, Miss Quinn,” he snapped.
    He smoothed his face and examined her. “I had
planned to offer to double your salary, by the way, if that's any
consideration.”
    She stared at him in disbelief. “You want