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Jacy was naked on a beach. The sea, a raging grey torrent, lashed the shore-line, barely missing her feet as she ran along the hard sand as though her heart would burst. A terrified glance over her shoulder showed her that he was still in pursuit—a large, dark, faceless man. Her lungs expanded in raw agony with every step she took. He was gaining on her. She felt hot breath and the hairs on the back of her neck stood upright in terror; harsh breathing mingled with her own rasping breath, and then in the distance a bell rang, getting louder by the second. She gasped and struggled violently.
Opening her eyes, Jacy groaned out loud. She was lying upside-down in the bed, the sheet twisted like a strait-jacket around her and her slender body damp with perspiration. Battling her way out of the tangled mess of covers, she swung her long legs over the side of the bed and, brushing the long mane of her hair from her face, she reached for the jangling phone on the bedside-table. God! That was some nightmare, she thought with a shiver as she lifted the receiver to her ear.
'Hello, Jacy here.' It was Liz's cheerful voice at the other end. 'What time of the morning do you call this?' Jacy demanded, casting a glance at the clock beside the telephone.
'Seven—but I wanted to catch you before you left for work. How did it go last night with Leo? Did he make a pass at you?'
'Please, Liz, one question at a time,' she groaned, rubbing the sleep from her eyes with one hand. 'It went fine. He brought me home and said goodnight at the door and, no, he didn't kiss me.' Thank God Liz couldn't see her fingers crossed behind her back.
/> 'Well, that's something, I suppose. Listen, Jacy, I don't think it's a good idea for you to date Kozakis. We'll just forget about the bet, hmm?'
Jacy straightened, suddenly aware of the unease in her friend's voice. 'And what's brought about this change of heart? Frightened you might lose the netsukel as I remember, last night you were doing your damnedest to fix me up with Mr Kozakis,' she drawled mockingly. Liz was up to something...
'Yes, I know, but I only have your best interests at heart. I'd only met Leo once before, and I found him charming. Well, let's face it—the man is charming! But I had a talk to Tom last night, and he told me that Kozakis is a brilliant businessman, but where women are concerned, he's strictly the love 'em and leave 'em type. You're much too naive to get mixed up with a man like that.'
'Naive?' Jacy snorted. 'Hardly, Liz.'
'You know what I mean. You might be good in business, but your relationships with men are virtually non-existent. I don't know how you knew Leo Kozakis before, or what happened—you can tell me some time-but I don't think he's the right sort of man for you.'
'Is there something you're not telling me?' Jacy queried. Liz's mission in life for years had been to fix her up with a man, and now, in a complete turnabout, she was trying to do the opposite.
'All right, I'll come clean. Leo Kozakis returned to the party last night. Now, I know he's supposed to be taking you out to dinner on Saturday, and yet quite brazenly in front of me he offered to take Thelma home. The cheek of the man!' Her indignation echoed down the telephone.
Jacy burst out laughing, but there was very little humour in it. Thelma was the tall blonde she had seen Leo dancing with earlier last night. The man was certainly running true to form. 'Oh, Liz, I would love to have seen your face.'
'It wasn't funny. Thelma might be a great interior designer, but her reputation for trying out all the beds she installs is well-known. That isn't the sort of date I had in mind when I made the bet with you.'
'Sorry, Liz, the bet still stands,' Jacy heard herself saying firmly. 'Look at it from my point of view. I get wined and dined for free, and win the netsuke, while the great man gets nothing from me in return except my company. His baser instincts he can indulge with the lovely Thelma.'
'That's a dangerous game to play—Kozakis is a devious man. I wasn't going to say anything, but Tom admitted last night that he'd known all about the party for a week—the boys had told him. He said nothing so as not to upset me, but, apparently, when he mentioned it to Kozakis the man insisted on coming back with him last night for some papers that weren't all that important, after enquiring if you would be attending. He'd seen a snapshot of you at our place in Surrey last week. Tom thinks the man is hunting you down,' Liz warned.
'But I suppose you know what you're doing. At least, I hope you do...'
Jacy sat for some minutes after replacing the telephone, going over the conversation in her head. So Leo had known she was going to be there last night. But why bother after all this time? She frowned... But of course, the explanation was simple and so true to form... Leo was in London for the first time in ages—how much quicker it was to take up with an old flame, a meal and then straight to bed, than to have to find a new woman and waste time building a relationship.
She smiled. It was a good feeling to know that Liz cared about her well-being. But the information about Leo and his involvement with Thelma was the one thing designed to strengthen her determination. Leo Kozakis would get a taste of his own medicine for a change, she vowed.
Later that morning, when she walked into the foyer of the Mutual Save and Trust Company and saw Barbara at the reception desk, the young girl's face puffy and her eyes red-rimmed from crying, all her previous anger resurrected. Jacy had suffered like that herself at Leo Kozakis' hands. She'd never considered herself to be a vengeful person, but a burning desire to get even with Leo for herself and all her sisters who'd suffered at the hands of such men consumed her usually logical mind. Confidently, she told herself that this time she would turn the tables on the conceited swine. She was looking forward to Saturday night...
CHAPTER FOUR
Jacy wasn't a conceited girl, but the reflection that stared back at her from the mirrored-door of her wardrobe brought a self-satisfied smile to her wide mouth. She had swept her long blonde hair into an intricate twist on top of her head and fastened it with a black and gold antique clip. She had taken time with her make-up, using slightly more than usual, and the taupe eyeshadow skilfully blended with a touch of dark gold emphasised the strange yellow glint of her wide eyes. A brown mascara elongated her already long lashes, the whole outlined with the faintest touch of brown kohl. The addition of blusher to her foundation highlighted her classic cheekbones, and the subtle plum-coloured lipstick outlined her full mouth in a sensuous curve.
She turned sideways and back, the better to admire her ensemble. The extravagantly rainbow-coloured, beaded swing-jacket moved subtly as she turned, and the matching black bustier, with identical colourful beading tracing the curve of her full breasts, fitted to perfection. It was a Diane Freis design, purchased that very afternoon from the designer room on the first floor at Harrods, and, yes—it had been a good buy. She'd teamed the jacket and bustier with her favourite black silk, short evening skirt that clung lovingly to her slim hips and ended just above her knee. Her stockings were a muted barely black, and her shoes were soft black leather mules with a bobbin-shaped inch-and-a-half heel. The overall effect was stunning.
After spending all morning going through her wardrobe, she had finally decided to treat herself to something new. She didn't question the reason behind it, telling herself that it was a justifiable purchase. Yet she had a very good wardrobe. A selection of classic suits for work, plus a good range of casual gear. Calvin Klein figured largely in her wardrobe: she loved the American designer's easy, elegant style. She also adored his perfume, Obsession, and, picking up a bottle from the dresser, she liberally sprayed the long curve of her neck. Finally she fitted a pair of black and glass beaded cascade earrings to her ears, and she was ready. The epitome of sophisticated womanhood, she told herself with a grin.
She was lucky in one respect, she supposed. As a single girl living in London she didn't have the expense of buying or renting an apartment, having inherited her father's mews cottage and also a fairly decent amount of insurance money on his death. She wasn't wealthy, she would always have to work, but she did have a very nice nest-egg that allowed her to indulge herself occasionally.
A knock followed by the ringing of the doorbell made her stiffen imperceptibly; but with a last look around the bedroom she picked up a small clutch handbag and hastily made her way downstairs to the front door. Taking a deep breath, she opened it.
All the mature confidence in the world couldn't prevent her mouth falling open in stunned shock at the sight that met her eyes. Leo stood negligently against the door-frame, immaculately dressed in a formal evening suit, a pristine white dress-shirt with an elegantly tied bow-tie in deepest navy settled at his strong throat. Across his broad shoulders was casually draped a long, navy cashmere overcoat; but it was his face and hands that caused her stunned immobility. His dark eyes gleamed with a secret knowledge and his sensuous lips were parted in a wide smile as his large hands held out towards her a bunch of yellow roses and a bottle of champagne...
'Golden flowers for a golden girl.' He pressed the roses into her cold hand.
Mechanically she took them, muttering, 'Thank you. I'll just put them in water.' And turning she fled through the living-room and into the kitchen. How dared he remind her of their last date all those years ago? she fumed. Either he was the most insensitive clod on God's earth or he had done it deliberately to discover her reaction; and she had a sinking feeling that the second premise was correct.
Standing in the kitchen, she took a few deep breaths before opening a wall cupboard and removing a large pottery vase, the first one she touched. Filling it with water, she stuffed the
