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What the hell was she supposed to do? Daniel was coming to talk tonight—about what? Hopefully tomorrow Jake and Monica might be back. She’d sent Jake an email so he’d know to call her on her mobile, although she hadn’t bothered to fill him in on why. But she had to admit, it would be easier with Monica and Jake here if she wasn’t living in Daniel’s house and sleeping in his bed. Things were bound to be complicated and ugly enough without that, if they were to find a way through the next few weeks.
Was she even kidding herself to think there was a way through?
She forced herself from the bed. She had no choice but to think that way, which meant she better get herself up and organised.
The meeting had gone better than expected. The arguments the lawyers had voiced that had held things up the other day seemed to dissolve into nothingness, compared to the massive stumbling block they had been. Thank God. At least something was going right.
He loosened his tie, looking out of the windscreen for the familiar landmarks that would mean he was getting close. He wasn’t going back to the office. They didn’t expect him, and he had more important things on his mind—like working out how wrong he’d been.
Why had Jo betrayed him that way? He didn’t know; it wasn’t as if he didn’t pay him enough as it was. But maybe he should have seen the writing on the wall when he’d insisted Daniel pay more to get rid of Jake. The tone of his voice had had greed written all over it. Was that when he’d hatched his plan to steal half the funds for himself?
But it wasn’t only the money. It was his lies that Sophie’s business needed a cash injection, implying from the start she was involved with the scam. So Daniel had a reason to hate Fletcher. Why had Jo been so ready to crucify Sophie into the deal? What was in it for him?
Damn the man. And so much for his pleas to forgive him. Forgive him, nothing; loyalty only went so far. And Jo had shown him he had none at all.
He should have got rid of him years ago.
They rounded a point and the familiar shape of Kallista appeared before them, lush and beautiful, like the woman he couldn’t wait to see. He wasn’t entirely sure what he was going to say to her, but he was hoping that by the time he got there something would have occurred to him that would make sense to them both.
He was so glad she hadn’t left. He’d spoken the truth when he’d said that. The idea of her leaving was anathema to him. And it wasn’t because he wanted to get even with her brother—not any more.
Because Sophie belonged there. With him. He just had to make her see it.
After all that had happened, the call had still taken her by surprise. The tears that had followed were almost impossible to staunch, the knowledge that it had all been for nothing almost too much to bear. Sophie held the cool facecloth to her swollen eyes, glad at least she hadn’t got far with her unpacking. It would save time.
She took a deep breath and pushed herself away from the bathroom cabinet on legs finally strong enough to support her, blinking away the last of the moisture that blurred her vision, trying to work out what to do next. A warm draught stirred her skirt and she looked around, surprised to find the screen door open. Strange; she was sure she’d shut it. But maybe someone had dropped by with the milk she’d requested and forgotten to shut it. Not that she’d need any supplies now.
She reached for the handle and caught a whiff of stale sweat and nicotine. Fear speared down her spine, clearing her vision quicker than anything, but not fast enough to dodge the hand that snaked out from behind the curtains and grabbed her wrist.
CHAPTER TWELVE
SHE screamed, sensing it was Jo before the glint of gold at his wrist and fingers confirmed it, even before a thick gravel voice told her to shut up. He shoved her back and let go and she stumbled against the coffee table, before collapsing against a bucket chair as the big man slid closed the doors and locked them, pulling the curtains shut so nobody could see inside. Fear seized her at the calm and purposeful way he went about his business, as if he had all the time in the world, almost as if it was a well-rehearsed drill. She shivered. Without taking her eyes from him, she pushed herself out of the chair, putting as many pieces of furniture between them as possible, ‘What are you doing here?’
He sneered, his eyes bloodshot and evil as he turned. ‘You little bitch. You cost me my job.’
‘How?’
He moved towards her and she moved back slowly until she hit up against the kitchenette bench. ‘What did you tell Daniel?’
‘What are you talking about? I don’t know. Nothing that concerns you.’
He moved closer, his eyes wild, and she edged sideways. The last thing she needed was to be stuck in a corner. ‘You told him how much I offered your stupid brother.’
