Read Online Immortal Heat (The Guardians of Dacia Book 1) by Loni Lynne - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Loni Lynne
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of a young lady, she'd filled out a bit. Her shoulders were broader, her figure rounder and toned. Even her hair appeared to hold more body and waves. What had Nonni done to her?
"So what do you do when you're not rescuing damsels in distress?"
"Maybe this is what I do." Draylon knew the best thing to do was keep things light and ease her into the transition she would be making.
Marilyn rolled her eyes and sighed. "Great. And here I thought I was special."
He smiled. "I'm the head of a pharmaceutical company."
"In other words, you're a drug dealer?" She backed away from him. "That's just fantastic. I feel so much safer now."
He loved seeing her riled. Something told him she wasn't one to get her dander up much. She had an all accepting side to her that as adorable as it was, sometimes made a person weak. The spark and humor in her eyes, the stand-offishness, Draylon wanted to see how far he could go but didn't want to frighten her. "All legal, I assure you. My company specializes in research and development."
"Sounds like Livedel, the company my mother works for."
"My company is a part of Livedel. We merged many years ago."
"Eskardel Pharmaceuticals?"
"You know of it?"
"Um, yeah…I'm an employee at Livedel. I deal with sales and support for all divisions."
"I thought you were a student of history?"
"I've been an intern since I was sixteen, while going to school. When I came home for semester break, I became a full-time employee. But I was supposed to be on sabbatical while finishing my degree here in Romania. Mom wasn't happy with me leaving, or studying History for that matter. She wants me to take over her position at Livedel some day." She sighed.
"Not something you want to do, I take it?"
"No. I can't see myself behind a desk, giving orders. I'm not strong enough to do that. I guess I never got that gene from my mother."
"Strength is not just hereditary. Sometimes it comes from the issues we face, what hardships we're dealt."
Marilyn shrugged. "I suppose."
An uncomfortable topic for her? He could change it. "So you know Rick Delvante, too."
"Only that I know he owns Livedel. I've never met him. I don't think many people have."
Draylon shook his head. "No, he keeps to himself for the most part. He's the one who sent me to keep you safe. Somehow he knew you were in danger being here in Europe."
"So that's who started all of this?"
He was delighted to know this young woman knew who Rick Delvante was. Not many young ladies he'd known kept up with international business—no matter how influential the business might be.
"We've been friends for awhile. He asked me to look after you and here I am."
"I'll bet Mom had something to do with it. She didn't want me to come to Romania. She all but forbade me to come here. After my father left her and went missing here in Romania, Mr. Delvante kind of took us under his wing in a way."
"Your father's missing? Who was your father?"
"Richard Reddlin. He was a Romanian archeologist. He'd gone on an expedition into the Hoia Forest to do some research and never returned. The authorities never found his remains," she relayed. "I never got to met him. He went missing before I was born. Still, I think my mother hasn't found closure since losing him."
Draylon's jaw tightened. Romanian archeologist, Hoia Forest, too coincidental or too easy putting two and two together? The Hoia Forest was where Dacia was located. If this Richard Reddlin had gotten too close to Dacia, it was a good bet the man was never heard from again. Rick would have some explaining to do when he called his friend later. Too damn coincidental to have been an accident. What had Rick done with Richard Reddlin?
#
Marilyn didn't remember the trip to Nonni's being so far the other night. But then they had driven some of it, well kind of in a demolition derby sort of way. Still, she followed Draylon through the afternoon shadows, taking back roads and occasionally seeing farmers pulling their wagons of
"So what do you do when you're not rescuing damsels in distress?"
"Maybe this is what I do." Draylon knew the best thing to do was keep things light and ease her into the transition she would be making.
Marilyn rolled her eyes and sighed. "Great. And here I thought I was special."
He smiled. "I'm the head of a pharmaceutical company."
"In other words, you're a drug dealer?" She backed away from him. "That's just fantastic. I feel so much safer now."
He loved seeing her riled. Something told him she wasn't one to get her dander up much. She had an all accepting side to her that as adorable as it was, sometimes made a person weak. The spark and humor in her eyes, the stand-offishness, Draylon wanted to see how far he could go but didn't want to frighten her. "All legal, I assure you. My company specializes in research and development."
"Sounds like Livedel, the company my mother works for."
"My company is a part of Livedel. We merged many years ago."
"Eskardel Pharmaceuticals?"
"You know of it?"
"Um, yeah…I'm an employee at Livedel. I deal with sales and support for all divisions."
"I thought you were a student of history?"
"I've been an intern since I was sixteen, while going to school. When I came home for semester break, I became a full-time employee. But I was supposed to be on sabbatical while finishing my degree here in Romania. Mom wasn't happy with me leaving, or studying History for that matter. She wants me to take over her position at Livedel some day." She sighed.
"Not something you want to do, I take it?"
"No. I can't see myself behind a desk, giving orders. I'm not strong enough to do that. I guess I never got that gene from my mother."
"Strength is not just hereditary. Sometimes it comes from the issues we face, what hardships we're dealt."
Marilyn shrugged. "I suppose."
An uncomfortable topic for her? He could change it. "So you know Rick Delvante, too."
"Only that I know he owns Livedel. I've never met him. I don't think many people have."
Draylon shook his head. "No, he keeps to himself for the most part. He's the one who sent me to keep you safe. Somehow he knew you were in danger being here in Europe."
"So that's who started all of this?"
He was delighted to know this young woman knew who Rick Delvante was. Not many young ladies he'd known kept up with international business—no matter how influential the business might be.
"We've been friends for awhile. He asked me to look after you and here I am."
"I'll bet Mom had something to do with it. She didn't want me to come to Romania. She all but forbade me to come here. After my father left her and went missing here in Romania, Mr. Delvante kind of took us under his wing in a way."
"Your father's missing? Who was your father?"
"Richard Reddlin. He was a Romanian archeologist. He'd gone on an expedition into the Hoia Forest to do some research and never returned. The authorities never found his remains," she relayed. "I never got to met him. He went missing before I was born. Still, I think my mother hasn't found closure since losing him."
Draylon's jaw tightened. Romanian archeologist, Hoia Forest, too coincidental or too easy putting two and two together? The Hoia Forest was where Dacia was located. If this Richard Reddlin had gotten too close to Dacia, it was a good bet the man was never heard from again. Rick would have some explaining to do when he called his friend later. Too damn coincidental to have been an accident. What had Rick done with Richard Reddlin?
#
Marilyn didn't remember the trip to Nonni's being so far the other night. But then they had driven some of it, well kind of in a demolition derby sort of way. Still, she followed Draylon through the afternoon shadows, taking back roads and occasionally seeing farmers pulling their wagons of
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