Page 218 of Wicked Fantasies

“I have to go,” he said, suddenly desperate to declare his love and his lie, desperate to stake the one claim in his life that meant a damned thing to him. He was a man known for never losing, never giving up. He would be that man now because if it took him until the day he died, he would marry Meg Williams. He wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of his life, spoiling her rotten and introducing her to everything she’d missed—snow skiing, Italy, art museums, and rock concerts. He’d give her the entire world.

“Good luck to you sir,” Pierre said as Rob passed him, rushing toward the hallway.

Turning, Rob added, “Thank you, Pierre,” before running to the elevator.

“So you are a teacher,”Shelly asked for the third time. Meg suspected she was merely repeating the fact until she was able to believe it. “Special education?”

“Yes,” Meg replied again, glancing toward the door for the hundredth time, wishing Rob would save her from the interminable company of these intolerable people. How on earth could Rob actually be friends with such a lazy, snooty, viperous lot?

“Retards, you mean?” Tara added, joining the conversation for the first time.

“No,” Meg answered curtly, the hair on her arms standing up. “I do not teach retards. I teach children who are mentally handicapped.”

“Same difference,” Tara added, stifling a yawn as if to express her boredom with the current conversation.

“Not the same difference,” Meg added hotly, “although I would say to someone with your limited education and level of compassion it might seem so.”

“Excuse me,” Tara said, sitting up, “I will have you know I attended one of the finest finishing schools in the country. No doubt you are a product of public education.”

“And proud of it,” Meg replied.

Tara smirked at her response as Shelly shot her an appraising glance. Apparently, the older sister felt a threat the younger sibling didn’t. Meg decided Shelly was clearly the one of Rob’s friends she should be most wary of. Tara didn’t have two brain cells in her entire head, too wrapped up in her own self-importance to notice anyone around her. Seth was clearly an alcoholic, as Meg watched his polish off his fourth martini in ten minutes without batting an eye. He covertly caught the eye of the waiter who immediately brought him his fifth.

“I think teaching is an admirable profession,” Shelly said, shocking Meg with the seeming sincerity. Yes, she decided, this was definitely the one to watch. “I must confess I’m curious how a teacher from Virginia managed to end up sharing a suite on a resort island with one of the most eligible billionaires in the world.”

At her words, Meg felt the breath leave her body. Billionaire? Of all the things, Shelly could say to blindside her, Meg had to admit she scored a direct hit. Aware the others at the table were waiting for her response, Meg struggled to clear the lump that had formed in her throat.

“Ah, there you are,” a familiar, deep voice said behind her. 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 claim. “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 ‘stupid’ 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 a little 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, yelling her name.

“Meg,” he shouted. “Dammit, Meg, you have to let me explain.”

“Explain,” she whispered, shock setting in. “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 from behind her, “Let her go. I’m here now.”

“Tara,” Rob said, his voice 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, wondered if anyone had ever spoken to her in such a manner.

“Come on Tara,” Shelly’s voice said, “I think it’s time we took our leave. I’m sorry, Robert,” she said and Meg could hear the sincerity in her words. What a waste, she thought with a humorless laugh. He was the one playing the game. He was the liar who had gotten exactly what he wanted from the dumb little hick from the sticks.

She felt the laugh continue, bubbling out of her in great, gasping hiccups. She laughed until she felt the tears streaming down her face.

“Christ, Meg,” she heard Rob exclaim, “You’re killing me, sweetheart. Please don’t cry. I can’t take your tears. They tear me up inside.”

“Let me go,” she whispered, anguish rife in her voice.

“Never,” Rob replied, as he lifted her up into his arms, turning back toward the hotel.

Jerking herself from her self-pity, Meg struggled to get away. Flailing and kicking, Meg watched as Rob fought to keep a firm grasp on her. In the midst of her thrashing, Rob shifted her, tossing her over his shoulder. Meg gasped when she felt his hand land hard upon her rear-end.

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