“There you are.”
Turning, she saw Rob, her lovable, dear friend. Yet this time, she felt as if she was seeing him with different eyes. His clothing was casual enough, yet she suspected it cost top dollar. Judging from the distraught look in his eyes, she knew he heard Shelly’s last comment. However, she couldn’t help wondering if he was distressed by the comment or that she’d discovered his secret.
Tara bounced out of her seat at Rob’s appearance, clearly feeling victorious since the discovery that Meg was merely a teacher and no serious threat to her. “Rob Madison,” she purred. “You naughty boy. How could you leave me alone for so long?”
Rob Madison.
The name bounced around in Meg’s brain until she thought it would explode.
Madison hotels.
Good God, she’d been shacking up with the owner of the hotel that had screwed up her vacation plans. How could she have been so blind? The penthouse, the caviar, room service at two in the morning. Damn, even the limo proclaimed the truth—MAD 1. Of course, he was the owner.
And what a laugh he must have been having at her expense. No doubt the poor little rich boy had decided to do some slumming and she had slept with him, given him her trust and her body. God help her, she could be carrying his child.
She didn’t remember leaving the bar or walking toward the front door of the hotel. She didn’t remember walking out to the parking lot. She didn’t remember anything until she felt Rob’s hand on her arm as he yelled her name.
“Meg,” he shouted. “Dammit, Meg, you have to let me explain.”
“Explain?” she whispered, shock setting in. “There’s nothing to explain. I have to leave.”
“No,” Rob said, quieter now that she stopped walking away. “You aren’t going anywhere. Not like this.”
“Robert,” Tara’s voice sounded. “Let her go. I’m here now.”
“Tara.” Rob’s voice was filled with more menace than Meg had ever heard. “Get the fuck out of here right now before I have you escorted off my property by security.”
Meg heard Tara’s gasp and through the fog clouding her mind, she wondered if anyone had ever spoken to her in such a manner.
“Come on, Tara,” Shelly said. “I think it’s time we left. I’m sorry, Robert.”
Sorry for Rob?
Meg laughed. He was the one playing the game. He was the liar who’d gotten exactly what he wanted from the dumb little hick.
The laugh continued, bubbling out of her in great, gasping hiccups. She laughed until she felt the tears streaming down her face.
“Christ, Meg,” Rob exclaimed. “You’re killing me, sweetheart. Please don’t cry. I can’t take it.”
“Let me go,” she whispered.
“Never.” He lifted her into his arms, turning back toward the hotel.
Jerking herself from her self-pity, Meg struggled to get away. In the midst of her thrashing, Rob shifted her, tossing her over his shoulder. She gasped when she felt his hand land hard upon her ass.
“Damn you!” She was aware of the scene they were making in the lobby, but she didn’t care. The ding of the elevator caused her to renew the fight, knowing her chances of escape would be severely limited if he got her back to the penthouse. Again, she felt his hand come down on her buttocks.
“Ouch,” she squealed. “That hurts.”
“Then stop fighting me. I’m going to talk to you and I don’t give a damn if I have to tie you to a chair and gag you to make you listen.”
“Oh, no, Rob Madison. You listen to me. I’m leaving. Let me down right this second!”
Rob ignored her request as they entered the elevator and she continued to struggle. Too soon, the elevator arrived at the top floor and Rob carried her quickly down the hall to his penthouse. His penthouse—not the company that he worked for, but the company he owned. Meg’s anger returned full-force.
As soon as he shut the door behind them, he set her on her feet, bracing himself for her attack. If Meg hadn’t been so furious, she would have laughed at the sight of a man the size and stature of Rob Madison preparing himself for the blows of a woman who barely came up to his shoulder.
“How dare you!” She raised her fists and pummeled his chest. “Who the hell do you think you are to manhandle me like that? You lying bastard!”
He winced at her words and Meg felt a sense of déjà vu as she lost control of her temper, much like she did her first night on the island.
“You’re right,” he admitted. “I lied to you.”
She found it hard to catch her breath around the lump lodged in her throat. She trusted him and he lied. Finally, her voice broke around the question she had to have answered. “Why? Why would you do that?”
“You didn’t recognize me.”
“So?” Meg was perplexed at his answer and her anger returned. “Did that piss you off? Are you so used to everyone knowing your face that you wanted to punish me for not worshipping at your billion dollar feet?”