"If you don't do it right now," she continued, wincing as a wave washed over her leg and the salt turned mild discomfort into a stinging sensation across her right kneecap. She gritted her teeth. "If you don't fuck me right now, I'll go to the press. I'll tell them Jay Felix has to pay for sex. He buys virgin girls for sex. I'll say he's an impotent pussy who can't even get it up when a girl begs him for it. Quit screwing around and fuck me!" She shifted her knee, hoping to stop it from hurting but if anything, the stinging grew worse. She tried and failed to stifle a gasp.
His hands weren't touching her any more. She wanted to turn and look, but forced herself to focus her gaze on the horizon. Not the man behind her who probably needed both hands to undress himself and put on a condom.
"Are you sure?" Jay didn't sound sure. He sounded like he wanted out of this deal.
But Flavia was angry now, fuelled by rage at the pain in her knee and the agonising embarrassment that she was naked on a beach in front of this man and he still hadn't done what she asked. Wasn't she good enough for him? Not good enough for James, not good enough for anyone…she wouldn't be the Million Dollar Girl if she didn't do this. Instead, she'd be worthless. "Yes, I'm fucking sure," she snapped.
She felt his breath between her legs, on her…
"But baby, you're not ready. You're not…wait, are you bleeding? Is that blood?" His hand wrapped around her thigh, just above her knee. "It is! You're hurt. You are bleeding. It's all over the sand and in the water, too. The sand's red and it's…"
With no warning, a heavy weight descended on her back, forcing her down toward the water. She screamed, but the sound cut off with a gurgle as Jay pushed her face beneath the surface.
Eighteen
The sound of screaming had Xan on her feet and running for the source before her brain had processed that it wasn't coming from a bathroom. This sounded like it was coming from Pearl Beach and, yes, while it was so high pitched it did sound like a girl, experience had taught her that screaming men didn't sound much different. She burst through the last of the palms and spotted the girl – Flavia – wrestling with Jay in the shallows, still screaming hysterically.
"Get off her, you wanker!" Xan shouted, charging in to help Flavia. Together, they shoved the surprisingly unresisting arsehole off the naked girl. Jay lay on his back in the water, unconscious. Xan was impressed. Flavia must have knocked the raping bastard out before he could even take his pants off. "Are you all right?" she asked the girl.
Shivering even in the heat, Flavia crossed the beach and pulled her dress over her head to cover her nakedness before struggling into her underwear. Wide-eyed with fright, the girl didn't seem capable of saying a word.
Xan looked her over. She was soaking wet from head to toe, but it didn't look like she was badly injured. A streak of red trickled down her leg. Blood. Miss Chastity wasn't a virgin any more and it had taken a bastard like Jay to end that for her. She glared at Jay, but he was still out cold. Maybe she should just leave him on the beach to drown.
Running footsteps slowed as they hit the sand. "We saw everything from across the lagoon," Tim gasped out. "She shouted something at him and then he attacked her. Got here as fast as I could while Simmo…Simmo…" He flapped a hand in the direction of the far shore, where the Simon stood with a camera in hand. "Filmed everything." Tim sucked in another breath. "You can show the police what he did to her."
Xan nodded, thinking. "Help me get him out of the water. Bring him up the beach a bit so he doesn't drown." He deserved to, but Xan decided to leave him to the mercies of the criminal justice system instead. She'd send him to the police to sort out.
She grabbed one arm, Tim grabbed the other, and together they dragged Jay's body up to the path. Next, she pulled out her phone, then changed her mind and tapped her wristband instead. She scrolled through the options until she found the option she'd insisted IT create for the owner – his initials, JF. The alert zipped straight to Maintenance, alerting Lee to get a trolley big enough to carry Jay when he'd drunk himself into a stupor so deep he wouldn't wake up, plus enough cleaning supplies to deal with the mess he usually left behind. A quick check told her Jay was still breathing, as he always was, and for once he didn't reek of alcohol and vomit. He'd probably been washed clean in the water, that's why, Xan mused.
She rose and addressed Tim: "You and Simon, head back to the main building. Get hold of the IT guys. I want you to download whatever footage you have of this incident so we can give it to the police. Tell Seb and Cam – the IT guys – to recall the helicopter. Say it's urgent." She looked at pale-faced Flavia. "Take her with you. See if you can get her to drink a cup of tea in the staff dining room. Make sure she's okay."
Tim eyed her and the wretched rock star. "Are you sure you'll be okay with him? What if he gets violent again?"
Xan scanned the beach until she found what she wanted. Crossing to the pile of driftwood, she hefted a piece that would make a suitable club. She smacked one end into her palm. "Then I'll clout him again." She hoped Jay gave her the opportunity this time, but when he was out, he was out for hours. "I'll be fine. I've alerted Maintenance and they'll be here shortly to help me."
Tim nodded. After a polite, "Ladies first," to Flavia, he followed the girl back through the foliage to the hotel.
Xan crouched beside Jay, leaning over to delicately sniff his breath. He really didn't smell like he'd been drinking at all. Why, then, had he tried to force a girl into having sex with him? Had she panicked partway through when he hurt her – the tell-tale blood on her leg – and decided she didn't want to go through with it after all? That's what must have happened. Jay, being the entitled arsehole he was, would have made a brutish comment about how he'd paid for her, so he'd have her, and she'd had to fight him off. What had she hit him with, though? It's not like there were any rocks or driftwood clubs within reach of where they'd been struggling in the water.
If he didn't come to before the helicopter arrived, Shou would have to take him to hospital instead of the police station. The Emergency Department could check him over under the watchful eyes of Broome Police. She'd call them the moment Shou and Jay were in the air and on their way so whoever was on duty could meet them the moment Shou landed.
Bloody hell. Just what she didn't need right now. Jay had this horrible way of messing everything up – even her Easter weekend. At least this hadn't happened in front of guests. Once he was safely locked up, no one at the hotel would be in danger from the arsehole.
If he was stupid enough to try forcing himself on one girl, how many of his conquests had been bullied the same way? What if some of the hotel staff who'd left had also been raped by him? She didn't need this kind of bad press for the resort. Not now she was about to embark on a major PR campaign. She should just kill him, push him back into the water and let the waves do the work for her. It would be justice. It would…
"Ms Lane?" Lee said softly. "I brought a wheelbarrow when I saw the location of your report. Can you help me lift Mr Felix in?"
He tipped the wheelbarrow on an angle so the lip lay flush with the sand. Together, the two of them heaved, panted, struggled and swore until they'd managed to get Jay's limp body mostly into the wheelbarrow. His arms and legs hung over the sides, as usual, but the bulk of his weight was in there. It took all of their combined strength to push the barrow through the powdery sand to the paved path, where Lee could manage the load on his own. "To Villa Penguin, Ms Lane?"
Xan shook her head. "No. To the helipad this time. Better get him to hospital. I think he hit his head." There was no sign of blood or bruising, but maybe it was too early for a swelling to form. That was something the doctors could deal with. Not her problem. If he died of internal bleeding, it would be his own damn fault.
Nineteen
Jason woke with his head pounding. No, this time the pounding was outside his head – it wasn't hurting like a hangover. What the fuck had happened? What was that thumping sound?
He pried one eye open and e
xamined his surroundings. Hmm. A glass ceiling. That wasn't normal. Curved, too, and it felt like the ground was moving, lifting.
A voice he could only hear faintly over the thumping: "Broome Tower, this is Victor Hotel – "
Fuck. How'd he get in a helicopter? He was supposed to be having sex with some chick on the beach. The angry one who'd wanted it doggy-style, rough as guts, when he'd planned on taking it slowly. There'd been blood in the water from a cut on her leg and then he'd…FUCK.
"Where the fuck are you taking me? I'm not leaving this fucking island!" Jason sat up and glared at Shou.
Shou's tone didn't change from its flat calm. "Relax, Mr Felix. You've taken a blow to the head. Ms Lane called me to take you to hospital. Just lie back and I'll soon have you in the capable hands of – "
"Not that fucking matron! She wants to get her hands on my dick!" When Jason realised that described most of the Australian female population – Miss Chastity included – he added, "She wants to stick things in it. She's fucked-up kinky in a bad way. I'm not going back to her."
"Mr Felix, refasten your seatbelt, please. You need to keep it on until we're safely on the ground at Broome Airport."
Jason leaned over the seat so he could really get in the pilot's face. "I said I'm not going to any fucking hospital. Or town. Put this fucking helicopter back on my island now!"
"I can't, Mr Felix. Ms Lane said I couldn't come back until I'd handed you to…" The last few words were mumbled too low for Jason to hear them.
"Who did Xan say to hand me to? Is she good buddies with Madam Matron?" Jason demanded.
Shou swallowed. "The police, Mr Felix. She said you'd hurt a girl and they'll arrest you when we land. I just had to get you to the mainland."
"What fucking girl?"
Shou's hands shook on the stick, thought the helicopter still rose steadily. "The one I brought here earlier this afternoon. The one who thought I was going to drive her out to the middle of nowhere and dump her body in the desert, when you – "
"I didn't do anything to her! I never touched her! I fucking passed out and woke up here with you!" Jason didn't know what to do. He'd never had to deal with anything like this on his own before. That's what the band had a manager for. A manager and PR and scary Trevor the ex-Marine security guy. He needed to call someone and get them to figure this mess out. "Get me on the ground."
"Flight time to Broome is – "
"Now! Put me back on the ground now or I'm jumping out of your fucking helicopter!" Jason peered out the window at the water below. It looked deep enough to drop into, and he'd been in the swim squad back at school. Swimming back to the island would be like a couple lengths of the lagoon.
"Mr Felix, please."
"Fucking bird. Down. Now."
"Ms Lane will kill me."
I'll kill you, Jason thought, but he knew he wouldn't. Violence wasn't his style. "I'll handle the hotel manager. Now put this bird back on my helipad." When the pilot hesitated, Jason reached over him and grabbed the stick, tilting the helicopter down.
"No! We'll crash! Sit down, Mr Felix, so I can land us safely!"
Green flashed through one window as the helicopter tilted at an alarming angle before the pilot straightened them out.
Jason saw someone sprinting along the path, headed for the helipad. Probably Xan, ready to tackle him to the ground. No, she'd probably set some of the grounds or security staff on him – wouldn't want to dirty her hands with him. Fine. As soon as they were low enough, he'd jump onto the roof or something and surprise them.
They were level with the treetops now – it was now or never. Jason cracked open the door. Shou howled a protest, but Jay couldn't hear him over the noise of the blades and the wind rushing past. Just like he'd seen people do in movies, Jay wrapped his hands around the metal strut below the door and swung his body out the door, so he hung from the helicopter by his hands. Fuck, what a rush. Like skydiving only without the falling. Right. There was the roof where he played golf on top of Xan's office. A perfect landing spot. He swung his legs, wanting to get the angle just right.
On the count of three, he told himself. One, two…
The helicopter tilted again and his hand slipped, so he was only hanging on with one hand. Fuck. Couldn't hold the weight. Had to let go. Curl up into a ball, roll with the impact, hope he didn't break anything…
Jason landed in the crown of a palm tree, but the tree wasn't strong enough to take his weight, so as he grasped at anything his hands touched, the fronds were inexorably tipping him toward the ground. He wrapped his arms and legs around the trunk and held on for dear life.
A clang and a crack echoed across the island and something black whipped away into the jungle, only a few metres away from him. Jason heard the warning beeps from the open door of the helicopter, as it skewed sideways through the palm trees toward the helipad.
He slid to the ground, remembering to bend his knees to absorb the impact, before crouching low behind a tree as he waited for the helicopter to explode.
Seconds passed. Then a minute. Two. Maybe not all crashed helicopters exploded after all.
"You broke my baby and made her crash!" The shriek came from the direction the helicopter had gone in. Where a furious Shou was running from. "I'll kill you!"
Jason had had enough. He'd just been accused of a crime he didn't commit – one Xan wanted him arrested for – and he'd just survived jumping out of a helicopter before it crashed and the pilot was angry? Fuck that.
"You just tried to kidnap a fucking rock star from his home!" Jason roared, unleashing the full power of his voice over the island like it was an arena full of screaming fans. "If I want to burn your fucking helicopter and send you to prison for the rest of your fucked-up life, I will! Now shut the fuck up. Where's Xan?" He sucked in a deep breath and bellowed, "Xan Lane! Get your arse out here! I want some fucking answers!"
Twenty
The sounds of the helicopter faded as Xan turned her attention to the four men huddled around the biggest monitor in the room. "Yep, you can see it clearly," Simon said, pointing. "Right here." A girl's voice, shouting indistinctly, then screaming a few seconds later. A pause, then more screaming. "He made her take her clothes off, get down in the water, and when she shouted at him to stop, he shoved her down and forced himself on her. Shit. That's…messed up."
Not as messed up as seeing them struggling firsthand, Xan thought. "Show me," she demanded, and the men parted to allow her to see the screen. It was pretty much as they'd described it. They'd been filming a slow panorama across the lagoon, but when they heard shouting, the camera zeroed in on the couple, just in time for some grainy footage of Jay landing on top of Flavia.
"Can you do anything with the sound so we can hear what she shouted?" Xan asked.
The men all looked at each other, then Tim frowned. "I can think of a couple of software programs that might be able to help. Do you have an internet connection here?"
Cam and Seb almost fell over themselves to assure him there was and opened a web browser on the big screen for him.
Xan waited impatiently for a few minutes while nothing happened before she said, "How long will this take?"
Tim shrugged. "Once it downloads, anything from a few minutes to a few hours, depending on how much cleanup is required for the audio. No way to tell until we start."
Xan help up her phone. "Right. You keep working on it, then. Call me when you have something." Speaking of making calls, she needed to phone Broome Police Station to make sure they were ready to greet Jay when he landed. But she could do that in the comfort of her office, or even her flat, instead of here.
Office, she decided, striding down the corridor to the foyer. She'd left her computer on and she may as well shut everything down properly, seeing as she had no intention of doing any further work after she knocked off. In about another fifteen minutes. She dialled the number as she closed her email.
"Broom Police Station, Constable Nelson speaking."
&n
bsp; "Hi, Naomi. It's Xan, over at Romance Island Resort."
Xan could almost hear Naomi smiling into the phone. "Have you killed him yet? That up-himself celebrity who lost his licence on the Labour Day weekend? Or has he flown home and out of your hair?"
Jay had lost his licence, huh? That might explain why he'd stayed at the resort so much instead of picking up fangirls at the pubs in town.
"Funny you should mention him. There's been…an incident here at the hotel. I'm trying to find out more, but he invited a guest to stay with him, which is fine, but today one of our staff found them wrestling and the girl knocked him unconscious."
Naomi whistled. "Did you buy the girl a beer? Ask her what it felt like?"
Xan winced. "Not really. She's not saying much. I think she's still in shock. Look, like I said, we're still trying to work out what happened, but at the moment, we suspect rape. One of the cameras at the resort caught some of the incident and we've got our IT guys trying to clean up the footage to see what actually happened. He's still unconscious, so I got a couple of the guys to carry him into the helicopter. Shou's on his way to the airport with him now. He definitely assaulted the girl – nearly drowned her, in fact. I had to pull him off her. Will that be enough for you to charge him when he arrives?"
"I told him I'd arrest him on sight if he showed his face in town again, so sure. When did you say he left the island?"
Xan checked her watch. "Maybe ten, fifteen minutes ago? Plenty of time for you to beat him to the airport."
"I'll need to take witness statements. How long is the victim staying at the resort?"
Xan choked out a laugh. "I think she'll want to be on the next ride out, to be honest, but I can – "
The Rock Star's Virginity (Romance Island Resort #3) Page 8