“Or what?”he tossed off.
“I’ll cry rape.”
“You’ll never prove it.”
“I’ll make enough noise to do the damage.”
He grinned.“You’re a minx.”He shook his head and murmured, “Rape.”He chuckled.“Kiss me, Hillary.I’ve missed you.”
When his mouth sought hers, she turned her head away.He turned it back with a firm hand and covered her lips before she could utter a protest.She did make sounds in her throat, though, and struggled to free herself.Finally, she gave him a swift kick in the shin.
Abruptly he released her and bent to rub his leg.“What’s the matter with you?”
With an arm at her mouth, she took a step back.“What’s the matter?”She couldn’t believe he was asking.“What’s thematter?I don’t want you to kiss me.That’s what’s the matter.Didn’t you hear me telling you that?Are you deaf?”
“I heard you say it, but you didn’t mean it.You want me.
“Right now, I want you drawn and quartered.You’re beyond salvation.”
“I never-asked for salvation.”
Her nod was slow and held equal parts acknowledgment and confession.“You’re right.You never did.Only I guess I thought that maybe, somehow, sometime, I could make a difference in your life.I was wrong.”
She whirled around and started for the door, only to be caught by the arm and whirled back.“Where are you going?”
“Out.Away.Back to New York.You’re a waste of my time.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”he demanded.
She glared up at him.“I walk in here absolutely furious because you’re sabotaging my career, and all you can say is ‘you want me.’You think sex is the answer to every little worry?”
“Between us it is.”
“No more!”She threw up her hands.“I’ve had it.”
“It always worked before,” he had the gall to say.
She gave another exaggerated nod.“You’re right.It did work before, and that was my fault.My weakness.One look at you, and I started to tremble.You came near me, and I melted.It didn’t matter that I knew all the hideous things you were doing to the people around you.The sex was good, so I took it while I could get it.I was an easy lay.”Her head jerked.“But no more.I’m not melting, and if I’m trembling, it’s from anger—anger at you for being a bastard and at myself for having been taken in all these years.I’ve been defending you.Do you know that?At the slightest negative word, I’ve always come to your defense.So what do you do to repay me for that?You go to the chairman of the board of my publishing house and have my contract rescinded.”
“Be grateful.That book would have been a piece of shit.”
She pounded her chest with a fist.“That book was my work.I had a right to get it published whether it was apiece of shit or not.”She waved a hand.“But forget that.I can go to another publisher.There’s always someone who’ll publish shit.And you won’t be able to stop me.Unless you kill me.You’ve committed murder before, if you consider Pam’s abortion, and you nearly beat Cutter to death.So I suppose you could kill me.Only I’ve got my story locked up somewhere safe.If something happens to me, the finger will point straight at you.Won’t do much for the respect you want, will it?”
He was looking disgusted.“I’m not a murderer, for God’s sake.You’re talking ragtime.”
“I’m talking reality, and the reality is that you’re an evil man.”
He rolled his eyes.
“You’re frightening, John.You have a warped idea of what’s right and what isn’t.What’s right is what serves your purposes.Whoever gets in the way is out of luck.You barge ahead full steam, rolling over anyone in your path.”
“Every successful businessman does that to some extent.”
“I don’t know about every successful businessman.I only know about you.”
“I’m successful.”
“You’re pathetic and sad and lonely.You’ve hit middle age.You have money and a business to show for it, but nothing else.No family.No close friends.”
