by Leah Murray
`Open your mouth.’
He grinned, winced at the sudden pain and she shook her head, lifted the corner of his lip and bent down.
`It’s okay, nothing chipped, no puncture. You won’t need any stitches. Got any salt?’
He frowned. `Yes, in the kitchen, why?’
`Just sit tight,’ she said, leaving the room and he sighed, lifted his finger to touch the cut, more annoyed than pained.
She returned with a glass of what he could only assume was salt water.
`Here, rinse.’
`No way, that will bloody burn.’
`Rinse,’ she repeated and he frowned, in a way amused and rather turned on by the professional manner but mostly pissed off at being told what to do.
`It’s a damn split lip. I’ll survive.’
`Rinse. If you don’t you’re likely to end up with a major infection and that won’t be pretty. Better yet, if you don’t rinse I simply won’t kiss you anymore. You might be contagious.’
His frown deepened. Wondering how she’d managed to sober up in such a short space of time, he grabbed the damn water and went into the bathroom, rinsing his mouth out and clenching his jaw against the sting.
She smiled when he came back out.
`See, all better now.’
He shook his head, decided there were both advantages and disadvantages to messing around with bossy women and covered her mouth with his, somehow not feeling the pain.
…
Bitch! She’d changed the damn locks. He looked at his watch. Two am. She still wasn’t home. Probably out with that asshole.
Fine, she’d crossed a damn line this time. No more Mr Nice guy. He stubbed out his cigarette, got back in the car and dialed the number.
`Yeah?’
`It’s time to get things started. The date’s been moved forward. You’re going in tomorrow’
`But ...’
`Just do it’
He hung up, lit another cigarette and inhaled deeply, settling down to wait.
CHAPTER 9
WILL PULLED UP OUTSIDE THE house and leaned over, shaking Jo gently to wake her. She opened her eyes, smiled faintly and muffled a yawn then sat up straight in shock.
`What the hell are we doing at your place?’
He looked up at the house. `Oh damn. I must’ve missed the turn.’
She turned to glare at him and he knew she hadn’t bought it so he didn’t comment further. Instead he got out, hunching against the rain, and went round to open her door.
She simply sat there, glaring at him, and he felt a rush of impatience.
`Look, I’ve just worked a fourteen-hour day, I’m tired and irritated as hell and I’m not driving you a block down the road for some damn line you’ve decided to draw in the sand. Now either you get out or I’ll do the job for you.’
She sat still so he reached in, slid one hand beneath her legs and the other around her back and hoisted her out the car, surprised at her strength as she struggled, kicking out at him, narrowly missing his groin.
He sighed, set her back on her feet and stepped back, catching her wrist as she went to slap him.
`Like I said, I’m tired and pissed off. Don’t push it. I’m not trying to bloody seduce you. There are two spare beds and there’s mine. Take your pick. Right now I’m getting out the rain and you probably want to too. Your shirt’s see-through,’ he said, grinning as she looked down, blanched in horror and covered herself with her hand, running up to the verandah.
He watched her move and shook his head, knowing there’d be hell to pay for this.
But he wasn’t going to leave her alone in that house.
Not after he’d seen the same wagon parked on the corner of her road for the last three nights running, the driver giving himself away by the orange-red of a cigarette butt. Maybe it was instinct, maybe it was simply common sense. But given her evasiveness about her past and the incident on the beach, he figured it was better to be safe than sorry.
And he wasn’t going to let this go until she’d told him what was going on.
He sighed, dog-tired. Tomorrow.
Jo stood outside the front door, shivering with a mix of temper, embarrassment and plain chill. She couldn’t believe his audacity, swore it was the last she’d see of him. Tomorrow she’d tell him what to do with himself and get back to her life.
She stepped back as he opened the door, glared at him, annoyed when he seemed oblivious to her anger.
`You could at least pretend to be ashamed of yourself,’ she snapped as he stepped into the hall, switched on the light.
He sent her an amused glance, shrugged and went out back. She heard him whistling for the dogs, stood shivering as two black, smelly forms came rushing towards her. But she couldn’t resist a smile and a pat as they rushed up to greet her.
`Here, baskets,’ Will said from behind them and he stepped past her into the lounge, pointing at the two baskets beside the fireplace.
`I thought they had kennels.’
He looked up. `They do but I prefer to have them inside at night.’
He switched the light off and started up the stairs, turning half-way up.
`You coming? Shower’s up here. I suggest you use it before you end up with a cold. You’re soaking wet.’
She sighed, followed him up, pausing as he stopped at a door on the landing, opened a cupboard and handed her a towel.
`Shower’s in there,’ he said, pointing across the hall.
`I don’t have anything to change into,’ she muttered, annoyed when he simply stood staring at her.
`So?’
She took a deep breath and he laughed, walked into a room at the end of the passage and came out with a large T-shirt.
`Here. Now hurry up. I’m damn freezing.’
She swore and shut the door, deliberately turning the key in the lock.
She cursed again when she looked in the mirror, wondered what on earth had possessed her to wear white when she’d known it was forecast to rain and she couldn’t wear a bra. Angry at both herself and at Will, she stepped into the shower, determined to stay there for as long as possible.
Let him freeze.
He was sitting on the edge of the bed in the room at the end of the hall when she finally came out. She could hear the sound of the TV but couldn’t quite concentrate on what was on as he’d taken his shirt off and was now clad only in a pair of low-cut jeans.
Unable to stop herself, she wondered what it would be like to run her hands over the smooth brown muscle of his chest.
`About bloody time,’ he said when he saw her and she frowned, the fantasy evaporating in an instant.
`Serves you right,’ she snapped.
He shrugged, walked past her, pausing for an instant to look down at her and she stepped back against the wall, suddenly overwhelmed by the sheer height of him.
He grinned but didn’t comment, instead went into the shower, not bothering to close the door.
Taking a deep breath, she walked to his room and sat on the end of the bed watching the TV, not sure why she didn’t simply go into one of the other rooms and get some sleep.
He looked surprised when he returned but thankfully didn’t comment. She kept her eyes glued to the TV, tried not to notice the fact that now he only wore a towel.
He stood in the doorway for a second then switched the light off and she felt the mattress sink beneath his weight.
`Jo?’
`What?’
`Get into bed.’
She sat still, trying to will herself to leave the room. Finally she sighed and climbed in next to him, keeping as much distance between them as possible, tensing as he switched the TV off with the remote and the room faded into black.
`You said you weren’t trying to seduce me,’ she said when she felt him reach out and pull her closer to him.
`Why are you in my bed?’
She sighed again. `I don’t know.’
She felt him kiss the nape of her neck and tried to ignore the s
hiver of longing the action sent rushing through her, wasn’t sure whether she was relieved or disappointed when he simply snaked an arm over her waist, hugging her against him but not taking things any further.
`Night,’ he murmured in her ear.
`Night,’ she said, closing her eyes.
She woke up with a pounding headache and a queasy stomach. Groaning, she stumbled out of the bed and down the hall to the bathroom. She dragged herself over to the basin, squeezed some toothpaste from a tube onto her finger and scrubbed in an attempt to remove the horrible sandpaper feel from her mouth.
Her head spinning, she looked up into the mirror and groaned to see the raccoon-rings from her mascara. Sighing, she rubbed at them with a tissue and some soap, trying not to think about the wrinkles she was likely to be getting as a result.
When she’d finished, she stood looking at herself in the mirror, grimaced at the T-shirt, which ended at her thighs and was far too big for her. With her hair a mass of curls around her shoulders she looked like an escapee from some eighties rock band. Not exactly sexy.
The hammering in her head escalated and she decided she didn’t particularly care about looking sexy just then. Groaning, she made her way back to the bedroom and clenched her jaw when she saw Will standing beside the bed in a pair of boxers.
`Morning sunshine,’ he said, amused.
`Humph.’
She crawled back into the bed and pulled the covers over her head, trying to block out the sound of his laughter. She heard him open and close some drawers and head out to the shower.
He must’ve gone downstairs after that because she drifted back into sleep, only waking when she felt the mattress dip as he sat down next to her, pulled the covers back.
She groaned, turned away, then caught the whiff of coffee and sat up.
He grinned and handed her the cup.
`You don’t have to work today I take it?’
She shook her head, sipped at the coffee and sighed with pleasure.
`No. I’m only going in again on Monday,’ she said, clearing her throat when she heard how hoarse her voice sounded.
He shook his head. `Okay, well I’m going out for a bit. Have some stuff to do around the farm. You can go shower or stay and sleep it off. But when I get back we need to talk.’
She frowned, suddenly wanted to hide back under the covers.
`Fine.’
He grinned again and left the room.
She sipped at the coffee, only relaxing when she heard the front door shut behind him.
After showering and changing back into her clothes, she sat on his bed watching TV, heard him return a couple of hours later.
`You’re looking better,’ he said, smiling, when he came up to the room.
She grimaced. `I feel better, thank God.’
`Lucky I stuck you on the juice or it’d be a hell of a lot worse.’
`Hmmm.’
He sat down next to her and she saw the scab on his lip, reached up to touch it gently.
She smiled. `It’s getting better.’
He grinned. `Not the first time it’s happened. I’ll survive.’
`I hope you don’t get into that sort of trouble often.’
He shook his head. `Not really. Most leave without much fuss when we tell them to.’
She nodded, frowned. `Still, that was a nasty trick you pulled last night.’
`What do you mean?’
`Bringing me here. Why did you do it?’
His grin widened. `To ravish you, of course.’
`Ha ha. Very funny.’
There was a pause. Then -
`We really need to talk Jo. What sort of trouble are you in?’ he asked, his expression serious.
Her heart stopped.
`What do you mean?’
`Oh for God’s sake, it’s obvious you’re hiding from something. What’s going on?’
`I don’t know what you’re talking about.’
`Jo,’ he said, the muscle in his jaw pumping in warning.
She sighed. `What makes you think I’m in trouble?’
`Maybe the fact someone was chasing you on the beach the other day. Or that someone has been sitting in a wagon at the corner of your road for the last three nights running. Or the fact you’re so damn evasive anytime I ask a question about your past. Something’s up and I’m not letting you out of here until you tell me what it is.’
She felt the blood drain from her face. `What do you mean someone has been at the corner of my road? How do you know?’
`I’ve worked late shifts, remember. Or been out with you. And every time I’ve driven past at around two or three in the morning there’s someone sitting in their car smoking. Maybe it’s a coincidence, but I doubt it.’
Her hands started trembling, despite herself.
`Oh God, it must be him. That explains the ashes. He’s found me. Shit.’
Will frowned. `Ashes? Who’s found you?’
`Oh God. No.’
`Jo?’
She stood up. `You have to take me home. I have to leave.’
`Jo, sit down,’ he said, grabbing her hand.
She shook her head, pulled her hand away and started out the room.
`If you’re not taking me, I’ll walk.’
He caught her, his arms a vice she couldn’t struggle free from.
`Will, let me go.’
`No. Not until you tell me what’s going on.’
`Will, this is serious. Please let me go.’ She heard her voice break on the last word, clenched her jaw to stop the tears.
He lifted her chin with his hand, forced her to meet his gaze.
`Tell me what’s wrong.’
`Will there’s nothing you can do. What’s the point?’
`I’m not letting you go until you tell me.’
She clenched and unclenched her fist, decided she may as well get it over with then maybe he’d take her home.
`Fine. It’s my ex.’
`What about him?’
`He … well, he wasn’t too happy about me ending things,’ she said.
`Obviously it was more than not happy to make you pack up and move to the other end of the world.’
She frowned, tried to stop the trembling. `He changed. Got all weird on me. Wouldn’t stop following me everywhere, sending me notes, phoning my friends to find out where I was, who I was with …’ she broke off.
`Go on.’
She turned her head, couldn’t meet his gaze.
`One night he broke into my house. I … I was asleep.’
She shook her head, felt the tears start flowing and pushed him away.
`Look, there’s nothing you can do about it. I just need to get away.’
He grabbed her hand again. `Jo, what did he do?’
Shaking, she pulled her hand away, slumped against the wall. She slid down to the floor and pulled her knees up to her chest, rocked slightly, tried to stop the memories, the awful feelings she’d battled so long to ignore.
`Jo?’
`What the hell do you think?’ she snapped, biting back a sob, rocking harder, trying to hide from the image in her mind, the pain, the fear.
She lent her head on her knees, felt the dam break, couldn’t stop the helpless sobs that wracked her body.
`Jesus. Jo, I’m sorry,’ he said, sitting down next to her, pulling her into a hug.
She lent against him, desperate for comfort, and cried while he stroked her hair.
CHAPTER 10
`OKAY, WHAT WE NEED NOW is a plan,’ Will said, sitting down across from her at the kitchen table.
She cradled her cup of tea, avoided his gaze.
`Will, I just need to go. If I keep moving he can’t find me.’
He was silent for a minute and she looked up, smiled faintly at his obvious concern. She’d forgotten what it was like to have someone look at her that way. As if they actually cared about what happened to her.
`You can’t keep running Jo. You’re giving him all the power.’
> She frowned. `No I’m not. I’m keeping myself safe.’
`He’s still controlling your life.’
She took a sip of tea, didn’t reply.
`What I don’t understand is why you let him get away with it,’ Will said after a pause.
`I didn’t let him get away with anything,’ she said through clenched teeth.
`Then how come he’s not behind bars somewhere?’
She felt a rush of familiar anger. `They gave him bail and he skipped it. I mean what did they expect him to do? Once I found out … well, it just seemed easier to leave. Safer.’
`But he’s found you anyway.’
`We don’t know that.’
`No, but it’s a pretty good guess.’
He reached out, laced his fingers through hers. `You can’t keep running. You need to stop this. Now. Or you will spend the rest of your life looking over your shoulder, never knowing when your world is going to collapse around you. You’ll be hunted and scared and lost in a deep dark shit hole of despair. Trust me, you don’t want to live like that.’
She looked up at his tone, heard the tinge of authority in it and wondered how he could describe her feelings so accurately.
Sighing, she rubbed at her temple, felt the headache returning. Where to now?
`I need to go feed my cat.’
He paused, his gaze assessing, then nodded.
`Okay, I’ll drive you round. After that I’m taking you to my sister’s place.’
`Why?’
`Her husband’s a cop. You need to tell someone what’s going on so they can keep a lookout for this guy. And Jo?’
`Hmmm?’
`You’re coming to stay here. So make sure you pack some bags.’
She felt her heart start racing again. `No. I can’t stay here.’
`Then I’m going to your place. I’m not leaving you alone until this guy’s caught.’
`Will, I have to go. Maybe move up country. Somewhere random, where he can’t find me.’
`He’ll find you eventually and I’m not leaving you alone,’ he said stubbornly.
She clenched her fist in frustration. `Will.’
`Take your pick. Either I go to your place or you stay here.’