The Roman’s Revenge. Caroline Storer

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СКАЧАТЬ of Pompeii which were used to convey their goods to Rome. And if there was no money coming into the Drusii coffers it would mean they were at risk of failing to meet the 100,000 denarii threshold that Senators were obliged to have in order to keep their seats in the Senate.

      And because Senators were barred from trading in commerce, such as shipping, the Drusii wealth had been their land. And apart from a small farm near the port of Brundisium, Metellus knew that most of their land holdings had been lost when Vesuvius had erupted.

      Metellus’s mouth tightened, as he wondered if the eruption had contributed to Livia’s father’s sudden decline in health. It would seem to be the logical answer.

      It would also explain why Flavius had been so active in recent months, taking over most of his father’s business affairs. Business affairs that had included borrowing vast sums of money from merchants and the moneylenders of Rome.

      It was obvious they had fallen on hard times since the eruption. Metellus also knew Flavius, in an attempt to swell the family’s coffers, had taken to gambling. Unfortunately for him, he wasn’t very good at it, and he wondered if Livia knew of this latest development as she sat there in her tattered silk gown? He very much doubted it.

      So, to answer the question she had thrown at him. He hadn’t rescued her for a monetary reward. He had in fact rescued her for two reasons.

      The first reason was easy enough to answer. Revenge.

      Metellus’s jaw tightened as he remembered the exact moment he’d found out who she was, when the captain, two days into the voyage, had told him Livia was the daughter of Senator Augustus Drusus. Metellus had taken that bit of news like a blow to the stomach, so much so he’d had to restrain himself from barging into her cabin and demanding if the captain spoke the truth.

      Instead, he had held back his shock and anger, and had thought long and hard about how he could use Livia to exact revenge against her father. Livia’s father, who, through his lies and innuendo’s had spread rumours throughout Rome which had implicated Metellus’s father in a conspiracy to murder Nero. That his father was innocent was immaterial. The damage had been done. The Emperor Nero, already on the verge of madness, had believed outright the information provided by a high ranking Senator. Metellus’s father, a low ranking merchant – albeit a rich one – had no chance of pleading his innocence. Within two days of his arrest, he had been tried, found guilty of treason, and executed.

      And now, fifteen years later it was as if the gods had handed him the very tool for his revenge on a golden platter. Here, on an uninhabited island, he had at his mercy the daughter of his sworn enemy.

      Metellus’s mouth twisted as he contemplated the second reason for rescuing Livia. In short, he’d rescued her because he wanted her. He had from the first moment he’d laid eyes on her, and the desire for revenge had battled with his desire to possess her body.

      Sexual hunger kicked him in the gut with the force of a wild horse. He wanted her with a primitive force which refused to go away. She was pure temptation with her wide hazel eyes, her full mouth that begged to be kissed, and a body made for his enjoyment.

       He should feel hatred for her, but instead he felt desire.

      Angry with himself for allowing his emotions to rule his head, he cursed under his breath. He needed to be stronger, fight the feelings he felt for Livia, feelings which were threatening to overtake his rational thoughts. He hadn’t come this far to allow it all to filter through his fingers like a handful of sand. Livia Drusus was the daughter of his sworn enemy, and therefore fair game in his planned revenge.

      Metellus sighed, his eyes staring out at the expanse of blue sea in front of him. There was just one major flaw in his so called plan for revenge. He had no idea whatsoever how it was going to happen. He just knew it had to…

      It was the reason he’d been feeling so unsettled ever since he’d found out who she was. And it had been the excuse he had used to persuade himself to burst into her cabin and on the night of the storm and rescue her.

      He hadn’t wanted her to die; he’d wanted her to survive so she could be the conduit in perusing his plans for revenge against her family. But as the storm had raged around them, his plans for revenge had been suspended. Because it had then become a matter of survival – pure and simple. Life or death.

      And the gods had decreed they should live. They had been given a second change, and he’d vowed to himself he would leave this island, and return to Rome, and fulfil his desire for revenge against the Drusii. And nothing was going to stop him…

      “We are going to have to leave here soon.”

      Livia looked away from the tranquil scene in front of her, and turned to where Metellus stood behind her. It had been several hours since she’d last seen him, and she had been sitting on her makeshift bed watching the ebb and flow of the waves as they lapped along the shoreline. Lifting her eyes to meet his, she saw he was watching her with hooded eyes once again, his face giving nothing away.

      “Why? Aren’t we safe here?” She kept her voice neutral, not wanting to inflame his, or her anger, again.

      Metellus’s mouth thinned, “We are safe yes, but we have virtually no food supplies left, not to mention we are in danger of running out of water.”

      It was obvious she had managed to say the wrong thing again, and she felt hot colour steal over her face, “But how can you be sure there is food and water anywhere else on this island?”

      “I can’t. But it is a gamble we have to take if we are to survive.”

      When she said nothing more he carried on, “We will break camp in the morning.” He then walked over to one of the wooden chests, and took out some black twisted strips.

      “Here,” he said, handing over one of the strips. “Eat.”

      Livia took what he handed to her, a frown of confusion on her face, for some reason loathe to take the offensive looking substance off him. Wrinkling her nose she asked, “What is it?”

      “Salted meat.”

      Her face screwed up with displeasure, but before she could say anything more Metellus bit out, “I realise that it is not what you are used too. But we are not at one of your father’s elaborate banquets now. You haven’t eaten for days. So do you eat it, or do I have to force it down your throat?”

      Livia bristled at his sarcastic tone, and her small jaw clamped shut. Reaching out her hand she snatched the salted beef out of his hand, biting a small piece off, her mouth twisting at the sour taste of it, but she refused to look away from him, her eyes defiant. His, she noticed, were still unreadable as he watched her.

      “When you’ve finished, you will need to sleep, as we will be leaving early in the morning.”

      Effecting a mocking salute at him, she retorted, “Yes sir!”

      Livia realised she’d gone one step too far, when he strode across to her and grabbed her hand, pulling her upwards so she fell against him. Hard. He then sat down on one of the barrels, and Livia couldn’t stop the yelp of surprise as she tumbled full length onto his lap, instantly aware of her softness colliding with the hardness of his body.

      “This is no joke, Livia,” he snapped. “This is survival, yours and mine. If you don’t want to live, СКАЧАТЬ