“I’d have thought of something else if that hadn’t happened along.”
“I don’t even know you anymore, do I?”
“You got that right.”
“I had no idea you hated me this much.”
He blew out a breath. “I don’t hate you, Deb. But I’m not the guy you once ripped apart, either.”
“I won’t let you keep me here.”
“You don’t have a choice.”
Debbie walked up to him and poked her index finger into his chest. “I do. I’ll call the police.”
“Already told you that won’t work.”
“I’ll call my friends.”
He laughed. “O-oh. Now I’m worried.”
Anger shot through her and seemed to dazzle even her vision so that she was looking at Gabe and seeing him blurred out. “This is over, Gabe. This…whatever it is between us. You’ve had your revenge or whatever. Congrats. Kudos to you. So now that we both know where we stand, why don’t you call the authorities in Bermuda and tell them I’m not the thief.”
“Why would I want to do that?”
“Because it’s the right thing to do.”
“Oh, well then.”
He walked away, turning from both her and the conversation. She couldn’t believe this. Any of it. Only a few minutes ago, she’d been having sex with this man. On his desk, for pity’s sake. They’d been as close as two people could possibly be and yet now, it was as if they were on different planets.
Heck.
Galaxies.
“And what about Grace?” she whispered.
“Grace is none of your business.”
“Shouldn’t she be yours?” she countered.
“How about you stay out of my life?”
“How about you let me get back to mine?”
“When I’m ready,” he said, “not before.”
“And that’s when, exactly?”
“When I’m tired of you.”
Debbie sighed, fought past the pain, the humiliation of the moment, and tried to gather up the fast-unraveling threads of her mind. When she thought she could speak again without shrieking, she tried reason on him. “Look, Gabe. I don’t just want to leave. I have to. My business is in trouble,” she added, though it galled like hell to have to admit this to him of all people. “If I don’t get home and do some damage control, I could lose everything.”
He sat behind his desk, leaned back in the chair and folded his hands atop his abdomen. Tipping his head to one side, he studied her as he asked, “What seems to be the problem?”
She swallowed hard. God, wasn’t it bad enough that she’d been humiliated already? No, it wasn’t. Because until they caught that stupid jewel thief, Gabe was the only guy who could convince the authorities that she was innocent. Not that it looked as though he was in any hurry to do her any favors…but she had to try. Keeping her voice level, she tried not to feel the sting of failure as she said, “I lost my corporate client.”
God, it sounded hideous when she heard it said out loud. “I’ve got to find a replacement for them because the walk-in business isn’t enough to keep it going. And my assistant can’t handle it on her own, because she doesn’t know the business like I do and besides, the responsibility for the agency is all mine, anyway, and-”
“So let’s see if I understand this,” he mused, cutting off her stream of consciousness. He sat up straight, then leaned his forearms on the desktop. “Ten years ago, you walked out because I had nothing. Because you wanted ‘security.’ Now, I’ve got all the security you ever dreamed of and more and you’ve got-what? A failing business? A bigamist fiance? That about sum it up?”
Debbie lifted her chin and narrowed her eyes on him. “Fine. Yes. You’re fabulous and I’m a loser. Is that what you needed to hear? Now are you happy?”
“You have no idea what I’m feeling,” he said quietly.
“So why don’t you tell me, Gabe.” She walked toward the desk, planted both hands on the edge and leaned in. “You’re the one keeping score. You’re the one who keeps dragging our past up to throw it in my face. Why don’t you tell me what you’re feeling right now? Get it said. Then maybe we can both move on.”
There was a slow sizzle of temper in him. That was easy enough to see. His green eyes flashed and his mouth worked as though he were biting back words fighting to get said. For a couple of tension-filled seconds, Debbie was sure he would say exactly what was on his mind.
Then the moment passed and a shutter dropped over his eyes even as he shook his head and said, “I’ve got work. As a ‘businesswoman,’ you should appreciate that.”
“Right.” She nodded and stepped away from the desk. Away from the man who was behaving as if she’d already left his office. “I’ll let you get to that, then.”
She walked to the door and looked back at him. He was ignoring her, but she knew he was still paying attention. “This isn’t over, Gabe. I’m going to get off this island. With or without your help.”
A few hours later Debbie took a seat at the bar, ordered a raspberry martini and while she waited for her drink, let her gaze sweep the crowded casino while her freaked-out mind took a little break. After all, she’d been doing nothing but trying to think of a way out of this situation for hours.
And while she was all tense and tied up in tight little knots, the rest of the crowd gathered at Fantasies looked to be having a great time. Elegant couples in tuxedos and jewel-toned gowns drifted across the glossy floor, sat at gaming tables and fed hungry slot machines. The ceiling was shot through with neon and flashing lights in dizzying bursts of color that pulsed in time with the rock music pumped through stereo speakers high on the walls. The air fairly shimmered with a party atmosphere and Debbie, watching them all through tired eyes, felt like a balloon with a slow leak.
Torn between hurt and anger, she wasn’t sure what her next move should be. She could call Janine or Cait. Involve the police. Heck, call the United Nations or something. The Marines! Do whatever she had to do to get off this stupid island and away from Gabe.
But was she willing to have Gabe arrested to make her escape? “Yes.”
No.
Not really. It wasn’t as though she hated him or something. She loved him. Not that that was doing her any good. The big jerk.
So, she thought, let’s recap. Held prisoner by an ex-lover. Trapped on an island paradise. Suspected of being an international thief. About to go into bankruptcy.
“Yep. Been a hell of a month so far,” she muttered, and somehow managed to keep from banging her forehead on the bar.
“Sounds like you need this,” the bartender said, sliding her drink toward her.
“You have no idea.” Automatically she reached for her purse, but the bartender shook his head. “No charge for you, Ms. Harris. Boss’s orders.”
She smiled, though inside she was quaking. The boss. He did like giving orders. And taking charge. And holding hostages. And…
“Is this seat taken?”
She turned her head and looked up at Grace, Gabe’s almost-fiancee. The woman was gorgeous in a dark-red gown that clung lovingly to generous curves. Even in her own sapphire-blue dress Debbie felt like the ugly stepsister at the ball.
Well, isn’t this a perfect end to a perfect day, she thought.
Grace watched her coolly, as if she knew exactly what Debbie was thinking. And why shouldn’t she?
“No, feel free,” Debbie said with a half smile, and waved a hand at the stool beside her.
Grace slid onto it, signaled the bartender and ordered champagne. While she waited, she turned to Debbie and said, “I thought we should talk.”
