The Executive's Vengeful Seduction / Rich Man's Revenge. Tessa Radley

      She looked startled. “Nothing,” she said, much too fast for his liking. She moistened her delicious mouth. “Er…it happened a few months after I went to Sydney. I was a passenger in a car with one of Eileen’s daughters, Lara. This drunken idiot came out of nowhere and his car hit the front passenger side and some metal buckled and cut me.”

      “Sweet Jesus!” The thought of it made him taste bile.

      All at once she was looking at him as if realizing his shock. “Damien, I’m fine,” she said gently.

      Her tone didn’t soothe him. He felt savage. Like he wanted to commit murder. “What happened to this idiot? He’d better be in jail.”

      “I don’t know. I was in hospital for a few days, then I was too busy getting back on my feet.”

      “If I’d known…” he growled, a burning sensation in his throat. “If Russell had known…”

      An uneasy look entered her eyes. “Thankfully neither of you did.” As quickly, she drew herself up, a certain coolness taking over. “And thankfully neither of you had a say in my life after that.” She paused for effect. “I just wish you didn’t have a say now.”

      The muscles at the back of his neck tensed. “You’re married to me, Gabrielle. From here on in, whatever happens, I want to know about it.”

      Her eyes flashed with cynicism. “It didn’t take long for you to start trying to control me.”

      He stared hard at her. She’d taken that the wrong way. He was concerned for her, not controlling. He wanted to make sure she’d didn’t get hurt again. God, he hated thinking about her trapped in a car. About her lying in hospital.

      His jaw clenched. But if she preferred to think the worst of his motives, then let her. He wasn’t explaining himself to anyone.

      He made a move toward the stairs. “Get your things together. We’re going back to shore.”