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“You’re disgusting,” Hayley spat. Despite her strong words, she trembled inside. He’d taken her ambition and confidence and stomped all over it. Seeing him in front of her, reminded Hayley of how cruel he’d been to take away her dreams after he’d gotten what he wanted.

“How about for old time’s sake? You still find me attractive. I saw it in your eyes when I came aboard the station. I remember how you used to sit at the front of the lecture room wearing those short skirts, so I could see what you had to offer me. You’d sit there smiling sweetly and playing with your hair, your pretty, willing mouth painted pink and slightly parted. Everything about you screamed you wanted me. Nothing has changed. You haven’t changed.”

Hayley’s cheeks flushed with shame. She’d been so obvious. She had taken to wearing short skirts and make up and attempting to flirt. But she’d been young and naïve and had thought they’d been in love. She’d thought he’d been serious about her. Hayley had been smitten and got taken advantage of by somebody who should have known better.

She drew in a steadying breath. “I am different. We all make mistakes when we’re younger. You were one of mine.”

Raymond’s nostrils flared, and he dropped the underwear to the ground. “I am not your mistake. I still have influence over your life. I can ruin it as I did back then.”

“I can do the same to you. I will tell everyone what you did to me.”

He chuckled, his eyes cold. “As if anyone will listen to a college dropout who lied on her resume to get her current job. It will be easy to show you are dishonest. If you were dishonest to get your job, what’s to say you aren’t being dishonest about our former relationship? It will be simple to show you have feelings for me and tried to seduce me by enticing me here and wearing this underwear. Of course, I gently rebuffed you because I have a future bride waiting, found for me through the very agency you work for. Who will believe you over me?”

Hayley trembled with rage. He was damn well right, and she hated him for it. He’d always been like this. He had power and influence over others and abused it. Raymond could have done such incredible work and had a loyal band of followers, including Hayley, but he’d misused his power and encouraged his own base desires. He would never change.

“You see I make perfect sense,” Raymond said. “Now, let’s forego the underwear and you take off your clothes and get on your knees.”

“How about you leave right now.” Hayley strode to the door, feeling sick just from sharing the same air with this gross individual. Before she reached it, Raymond’s hand landed on her shoulder.

“You can’t leave. We’re not done.” He turned Hayley and pinned her against the wall. “My Hayley, always so obliging.”

“Get away from me.” Hayley shoved against his chest. “You need to leave.”

“I’ll leave when I’ve gotten what I want.” Raymond planted a kiss on her lips.

Hayley shoved him again, but he refused to budge as he pressed himself against her, his erection jabbing into her thigh.

Panic flooded through Hayley, but she refused to let it take over. As Raymond forced his tongue into her mouth, she bit down hard. At the same time, she remembered Solan’s teaching, curled her hand into a fist, and slammed it into Raymond’s balls.

Raymond yelped as he recoiled and fell to the ground, one hand going to his bitten tongue and the other to his groin.

Hayley wiped her hand across her mouth and glowered at him, her pulse racing. “If you ever try to touch me again, I’ll make sure it’s the last thing you do.” She raced from her room, adrenaline pumping through her veins. She was almost out of time. Elias’s hearing was about to start. Raymond had almost ruined her opportunity to save him.

She slowed to a fast walk and smoothed her hands over her hair. She was safe. Raymond couldn’t touch her now, and he wouldn’t stop her from getting to Elias.

But Raymond wouldn’t let Hayley get away with what she’d just done. She’d humiliated him. He wanted her, and she’d turned him down. He would seek his revenge.

When Hayley was done with this hearing, she’d see Diadora straightaway. She’d come clean and tell her everything. She had to get there before Raymond did and ruined it all for her.

Maybe Diadora would understand. She might still keep her on. It was a long shot, but she’d try. Hayley wouldn’t let Raymond ruin her life this time. Not when she had so much on the line.

She arrived at the committee room, took a deep breath, and entered.

Everybody else was already there. Two Retar representatives sat at a table alongside Vegas.

Vegas gave her a reassuring smile and mouthed, are you okay?

Hayley was anything but okay but couldn’t think about it now. She gave a quick nod and went to stand in front of the committee. Elias stood in one corner, his hands tied behind his back. Pain was edged across his face, although Hayley couldn’t see anything wrong with him. He caught her eye and gave her a tight smile.

Hayley’s attention was drawn to Princess Isolt, who stood with her back ramrod straight and her gaze fixed to the wall behind the committee members. It appeared she wasn’t going to acknowledge Hayley’s existence. That was fine with her.

A minute passed in silence. Hayley forced herself to do deep breathing as she waited for the committee hearing to begin. She pushed all thoughts of Raymond out of her head. He didn’t matter now; she was here to save Elias. She had to keep focused on that.

One of the Retar committee members, a tall, mature female with a scar down one cheek, knocked her fist on the desk. “I hereby open this inquiry. Welcome, all of you. I am Dathos. To my right is Valdar, and our representative for Hayley Goodacre is Vegas Munro. We are here to listen to the claims made for the Retar, Elias.”

Hayley nodded and glanced at Elias. He stood absolutely still as he listened to Dathos.

“Princess Isolt, do you maintain your claim over Elias?” Dathos asked.