Playing His Dangerous Game (5 page)

Cursing under his breath, Royce pressed the accelerator flat to the floor. The large 4WD leapt forward like a giant predator, gobbling up the grey ribbon of road beneath its tyres.

Thoughts whirred through his head at lightning speed.

Possibilities. Probabilities.

He assessed them all and came up with a strategy to counter each one.

Mixed in amongst all the analysing was a good dose of blinding fury. Not co-operating was one thing, but an outright attempt to evade him was quite another—and completely unacceptable.

The stunt Shara had just pulled reaffirmed his opinion of her.

Her actions were thoughtless and selfish, and he wouldn’t put up with such spoilt, self-absorbed behaviour—a fact that he’d make quite clear when he caught up with her.

S
HARA
glanced in the rear vision mirror again. The black sedan was right behind her. It was close enough that she could see Steve’s angry face framed by the front windscreen.

‘What am I going to do?’ she whispered.

Thoughts swirled through her head, but no obvious solution presented itself.

She glanced in the mirror again and did a double take.

Surely that was—?

But it couldn’t be.

Could it …?

A big dark 4WD she hadn’t noticed before was racing down the road behind them.

She’d seen it before. Just last night.

Royce!

Royce was coming to rescue her.

Relief washed through her in waves.

She didn’t care how he’d found her. All she cared about was the fact that he had.

‘Thank you, God!’ she whispered. ‘Thank you.’

What she needed now was a strategy. No more going off half-cocked and landing in even deeper trouble. She needed to think … and then she needed to act sensibly.

She could brake. That was one option. Royce would catch up to her even faster. But what would Steve do?

At the moment he appeared content to sit on her tail rather than actually
do
anything. It was an intimidation tactic that was typical of Steve.

But if she slowed would he ram her with his car?

She doubted it.

This was a busy road. There was enough traffic to deter him from doing anything rash that could be witnessed and used against him. Unlike her, Steve thought before he acted.

Her other option was to pull over to the side of the road. That would force Steve either to stop or keep on going. If her car doors were locked and Royce was hot on their tail she couldn’t get into too much trouble, surely?

Deciding the latter was the better option, Shara glanced in her side mirror and waited for a break in the traffic. Then, without indicating, she swung hard on the wheel and with a screech of tyres pulled over on the side of the road.

The blast of car horns that hit her eardrums suggested Steve had followed suit, but she waited until she’d brought her car to a halt before having a proper look.

Steve was right behind her.

He was getting out of his car.

Shara started to shake. Her hands grew sweaty. Her heart thumped.

The sight of her ex-husband was enough to make her feel sick and anxious. It was a feeling she remembered all too well. It dominated her consciousness, blotting everything else out.

With a squeal of tyres another vehicle screeched to a halt beside her. A quick glance showed her it was the big 4WD.

Royce.

He ignored the fact that he was blocking one lane of traffic and jumped from his vehicle.

Her relief was so strong that Shara fumbled for the door latch and did the same.

Royce looked so big and solid. So reassuringly safe.

Without thinking, she flung herself at him. ‘Boy, am I glad to see you!’

Strong arms closed around her.

Shara was aware of heat and the smell of warm male skin. She was also aware of the strength and power barely contained in the muscled lines of his body.

Cocooned against Royce’s chest, Shara felt safe and secure.

She also felt something else.

A ripple of desire.

It was the first time she’d admitted, even to herself, that that was what the curling sensation in her belly she experienced every time she looked at him was all about.

Now she had no choice but to acknowledge it.

It packed quite a punch.

Enough to make her push away from him.

She was just over-reacting to their close proximity and to the adrenalin pumping through her system.

That was all.

It was nothing personal.

If she told herself that often enough she might even believe it.

Royce clasped her wrists and pulled her hands down from around his neck before she could completely disengage herself.

‘Stay there,’ he said, dragging her behind him so that he stood between her and Steve.

Nothing more was said.

Not a single word.

The air was filled with menace. Filled so completely that it raised the hairs on her arms and the back of her neck.

She could feel Royce’s body braced for action, but it wasn’t needed. She heard the scuffle of footsteps, the slamming of a car door, and then the screech of tyres as the black sedan
raced off, leaving behind a trail of exhaust smoke and the smell of burning rubber.

As soon as Steve had disappeared Royce turned, a heavy frown on his face. Gripping the tops of her arms, he gave her a brief hard shake before putting his face next to hers. ‘You little fool. Sneaking off like that was stupid and reckless. What on earth were you thinking?’

Shara blinked, her heart leaping into the back of her throat.

Royce was angry.

Very angry.

Steve had looked at her the same way many times.

Now, as then, she shrank in on herself—both physically and mentally. Her shoulders hunched, her muscles contracted, her breath shortened.

The grey, smoke-filled fog of fear closed around her like a shroud. Suffocating. Deadening. Numbing.

‘I … I’m s … sorry,’ she stammered. Inside she cringed at how apologetic she sounded. She hadn’t heard that particular tone of voice come out of her mouth since she’d been with Steve. ‘I wasn’t thinking.’

Shame washed through her.

She didn’t want to revert to the woman she’d been when she’d been with Steve.

The reasons for staying in an abusive relationship were many and varied, and had nothing to do with the victim’s character or strength of will.

It had taken Shara a long time to come to terms with why
she’d
stayed with Steve.

One reason was that she hadn’t wanted to admit that marrying Steve had been a mistake. Her father had been against the marriage. He’d told her she was rushing into things. She hadn’t wanted to admit that he’d been right.

But the driving force—the thing that had compelled her to stay—was fear.

Crippling, disabling fear.

Steve’s threats had quite literally paralysed her into inaction for a long time.

She’d been terrified he’d become more violent if she tried to leave.

Terrified that he’d come after her.

And those fears had proved to be justified, because that was exactly what he’d done.

She dragged in a breath, and then another. Slowly her heartbeat began to return to normal. Her fear began to recede. The smoky fog was washed away.

And her power of thought began to return.

She didn’t want to be that frightened woman any more.

She
wouldn’t
be that woman any more.

She’d come a long way since then. The last thing she wanted to do was backtrack.

OK, so her marriage to Steve had conditioned her to respond negatively to certain things.

But she could rise above it.

She could
un
-learn it.

Somehow.

Starting now.

Royce stared at Shara. Saw the fear in her eyes and realised
he
was responsible. Heard the stammer in her voice and knew that he was answerable for that too.

Immediately his heart stilled.

He was a fool.

A stupid, thoughtless fool.

He’d scared the poor girl half out of her wits. As if she hadn’t already been scared enough.

Taking a deep breath, he relaxed his hold on the tops of her arms and adopted a calm expression. His hands soothed gently up and down. ‘It’s OK, Shara. I’m sorry I yelled at you.’

She didn’t look at him. She was staring downwards.

‘I wasn’t thinking,’ Royce continued. ‘I didn’t mean to frighten you.’

She was shaking, her breathing coming in short gasps.

‘That’s it.’ Royce deliberately kept his voice low and even. ‘Take some deep breaths. In and out.’

Gradually she stopped shaking.

‘That’s it. You’re almost there,’ Royce encouraged.

Finally, Shara lifted her head. ‘Let me go!’

Royce immediately did as she asked. In fact he went one better. He took a couple of paces backwards. His behaviour had obviously made her feel threatened. Giving her some space would help put her at her ease.

It was important Shara felt safe with him—not just because it would be easier for him to do his job, but because he was not a man who got his kicks out of frightening women. He’d leave that kind of behaviour to the likes of Brady.

‘That’s it,’ he said, relieved to see that her breathing was becoming calmer and deeper. ‘You’re going to be all right.’

Shara dragged in another calming breath and glared at him. ‘All right? I doubt very much if I’m going to be
all right
if you’re going to go on creating situations like this one.’

He pointed a finger at his chest. ‘You think
I
created this situation?’ he asked incredulously.

‘I certainly do.’

‘And just how do you figure this is my fault?’

She tossed her hair over her shoulder. ‘You deliberately provoked Steve on the phone earlier.’

‘And how did I do that?’

‘You told him you were a friend of mine, and—’

Royce nodded. ‘I did. What’s wrong with that?’

‘Apart from the fact that it’s a complete and utter lie, you mean?’

He nodded. ‘Apart from that.’

‘What you don’t know is that Steve is insanely jealous—to
the point of being completely paranoid.’ His paranoia had become so bad that she’d had to walk on eggshells all the time. ‘All I had to do was talk to a man and Steve thought we were having an affair. And if a guy so much as looked at me Steve was ready to beat him to a pulp.’

‘And how am I supposed to know that when you refused point-blank to discuss it with me?’ he flung at her, but without his earlier aggression.

Shara tossed her head. ‘I didn’t want to discuss it any more than I wanted you interfering. But it’s too late for that. You’ve already stuck your oar in and muddied the water.’ She dragged in a breath. ‘Telling him that we’re friends has probably given him completely the wrong idea.’

Again, Royce nodded. ‘If it’s any consolation, you’re right. He accused us of sleeping together.’

Shara gasped, lifting her hands to her cheeks. ‘Oh, no! That’s terrible. Just terrible.’

‘Why is it terrible?’

‘Are you mad?’ she gasped. ‘Haven’t you listened to a word I’ve said?’

He shook his head. ‘No, I’m not mad. I’m perfectly sane. And, yes, I’ve listened to everything you’ve told me.’

‘Then surely it’s obvious why I’m so upset?’ Her mouth twisted. ‘Steve won’t like the idea of me being with someone else, that’s why! Even if it isn’t true.’

Royce had an odd look on his face. ‘OK. Let’s leave that for a moment. You were about to add something else a minute ago when I interrupted you. What was it?’

Shara frowned. ‘You threatened him. How on earth do you think
that
will help the situation?’

‘If he has any sense he’ll listen to my advice and forget about you, and the situation will be over.’

She barked out a harsh laugh. ‘And if he doesn’t—and I’m betting he won’t—you’ll have just made him angry.’

‘So?’

So.

One word. Two letters. Simple.

Only it wasn’t simple.

Royce had used the word in the context of
So what?
a term normally given in answer to an unimportant or irrelevant statement, indicating indifference on the part of the speaker.

Well, that was all well and good for Royce.

But he hadn’t lived in her world.

If he had he’d know that there was nothing indifferent about making Steve angry. If anything, the exact opposite was true—which was precisely why she was so concerned.

Shara wrapped her arms around herself, chilled to the bone.

‘It doesn’t pay to make him angry,’ she whispered.

His expression shifted. It was a subtle thing. It was as if all the muscles in his face had hardened. ‘What happens when you make him angry?’

Shara shook her head, tremors making their way up and down her spine. ‘He retaliates.’

‘He hit you?’

Shara hugged herself even more tightly. ‘Once.’ She paused for a heartbeat. ‘But there are other ways of making someone suffer.’

Although she didn’t think it was possible, his face hardened even more.

‘I know there are,’ he said grimly. ‘I’m sorry you had to go through that.’

Shara wasn’t sure whether it was the unexpected sympathy or the memories that got to her, but suddenly tears were stinging the backs of her eyes and clogging her throat.

Royce muttered a curse under his breath, pulled her against his chest and wrapped his arms around her.

And suddenly a few tears became a flood.

A flood she couldn’t seem to stop.

Her arms slid around his waist as she buried her nose against his chest and cried for all she was worth.

Royce spoke softly to her. She didn’t hear a single word. Not one. But the sound of his voice and the rumble in his chest when he spoke was soothing.

Finally she pulled back with a loud sniff. She stared at his shirt and the large patch of damp fabric in the middle. ‘Sorry about that. I’ve made your shirt all wet.’

‘Don’t worry about it. It will dry.’ He looked around. Cars were whizzing by them. ‘Let’s get out of here.’

She nodded.

But neither of them moved.

They stood staring at each other.

The atmosphere changed. Deepened.

His head began to descend towards hers. Of its own volition her mouth lifted.

And then, suddenly, they were more than a foot apart.

Shara wasn’t sure who moved first. Royce or her. Either way, it didn’t matter.

Didn’t matter because what had almost happened shouldn’t have happened.

Royce cleared his throat. ‘We need to talk—but not on the side of a road.’

She sniffed again. ‘There’s nothing to talk about.’

Not about the near-miss kiss. Not about her crying jag. Or anything else for that matter. Her position hadn’t changed. Just because Royce had rescued her from a potentially sticky situation it didn’t mean she’d changed her mind. She still didn’t want him interfering.