Third Time Lucky (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Rosemary J. Anderson

  Briefly she closed her eyes. Yes, in his arms she had felt loved.

  Guilt came back tenfold. Nothing had changed. She was still going to marry Alex and yet she had given in to her baser instincts and slept with the first attractive man to pay her any attention since Adam had died. God knows she had wanted to be comforted and had wanted to feel again, to be treated like a real vibrant woman, and to feel attractive and yes, desirable. However, she should have fought her attraction for Mason. She bit her lip as the feeling of guilt refused to be subdued. Should she tell Alex? Was it right to start off their married life with lies between them? And what of Mason? Her mouth dried. Would she see him again? Or would he steer clear of her now he knew she was nothing but a strumpet? Giggling hysterically she sang. “Strumpet, strumpet, you’re nothing but a strumpet.” Fighting against the ready tears, she instead turned her attention to her laptop and focused on the screen.

  “You have one new message!”

  The laughter suddenly drying in her throat, she opened the message and her heart sank.

  Reading and rereading the message, she felt fear clog her throat and churn her already agitated stomach.

  Hello, dear.

  I hope you have some good news for me. I was disappointed not to have heard from you. Do you not worry about me and about my life, about our future together? You hold my life and my heart and in your hands and I need to know that I can trust and rely on you to do as I say and be obedient to my wishes otherwise how can our marriage exist? Where is the money, dear?

  Alex

  Whilst she’d been busy cavorting with Mason, Alex had been waiting, hoping for her to contact him with news. But she had none. What was she to do? She had exhausted all the methods of getting money she could think of, and now all she had left was a few paltry pence in her purse and her week’s wages on Friday. Despair tightened at her insides. Alex was obviously eager for an answer, so she couldn’t avoid it any longer. She had to tell him the truth that there was no more money. She just hoped he understood. But more than that she hoped that when the pirates realised no more money would be forthcoming they would realise it was a waste of time holding him and release him.

  Biting her lip, her heart thudding painfully in her breast and her fingers shaking she began to type.

  Hello, Alex.

  I am so sorry I haven’t been in touch but I have been trying to think of how to get more money. However, I am distressed to tell you that there is no more. I have given the pirates all my savings and Adam’s pension and I have even taken out a loan with a loan shark, so I have nothing left to give. Maybe if you explain to the pirates they will let you go on the understanding that when you get home you will forward them more money. Alternately I could contact your company and get them to help? Or, what about your solicitor? Maybe he could contact your bank on your behalf and get them to wire the money? I wait hearing from you and do take care.

  Love, Holly x

  Hitting the Send button she stared unhappily at the screen. Now she’d done it, sealed Alex’s fate, so what did that make her? Not wanting to go to work but knowing she had to, Holly reluctantly left the house, her thoughts on the plight of Alex. However, thoughts of Mason insidiously intruded on her despair.

  * * * *

  Mason threw down his pen in disgust. His mind was not on the documents before him but on Holly. Last night had been remarkable. Holly had been warm, adventurous, and eager, welcoming him into her home and into her body. The very touch, smell, and feel of her had inflamed his senses and now he wanted more. The sex had been the best he’d ever had, but maybe that was because he loved her. Love! Once he had scoffed at the very concept but now…

  Mentally he shrugged. Now he realised that love was the most important thing in the world and that love made the special closeness and sex between a man and a woman extraordinary. He gave a silent laugh, now he sounded like one of the lurid romance novels woman read so avidly. What had happened to the hard, tough, inflexible SAS officer?

  * * * *

  Jules De Verne was angry, his face contorted into lines of fury as he read Holly’s message. The stupid bitch! Couldn’t she see she was putting his life at risk with her failure to get the money he demanded? Didn’t the woman care about their future together, the future he had invented to keep her sweet? He’d manipulated her, using her grief, her need to be loved and protected to draw her in and he’d played up to her romantic ideal and now…

  He ground his teeth, his gold tooth glinting in the light and his face contorting with anger. Now she was letting him down just when he needed her most. His life was at risk and she had callously refused him. If the woman had really cared for him she would have done anything, anything to save him. She was slipping through his fingers and he couldn’t allow that, not yet, not when he knew he could squeeze more from her. He had done the softly-softly approach, so now, now he needed to let her know he meant business. Thoughtfully fingering the deep puckered scar on his face, he began to type.

  * * * *

  Holly kept busy, working through both her coffee and lunch break. She didn’t want to sit and do nothing because to do so would give her time to think, and that was dangerous. However, as much as she tried to dispel her disloyal thoughts of Mason they intruded at every opportunity. The customers were demanding and she was rushed off her feet serving people with eggs, pies, and drinks. However, still the time dragged slowly. Desperate to get home in order to see if she had received a message from Alex, she forgot the shopping she had planned to get and rushed for the bus. The rain was teeming down and the wind blowing a gale. September wasn’t the pleasantest of months at the best of times, but tonight it was exceptionally cold, or was it just the chill in her heart goose-bumping her skin?

  To Holly squashed in a corner seat with water dripping off her hair down into the collar of her coat and damp irritable people looming over her, the journey was endless. Guilt, worry, and stress sat heavily on her shoulders. She was so very concerned about Alex. What if the pirates couldn’t be reasoned with or wouldn’t wait until she was able to contact Alex’s company? The repercussions didn’t bear thinking about. And Mason? As much as she wanted to put him and what happened last night from her mind her thoughts wouldn’t be quieted. She had to face it. She was attracted to Mason and she had in all honesty enjoyed their lovemaking, and even though she didn’t want to admit it, she wanted it to happen again. Wanted to be held in his arms, for him to murmur sweet nothings in her ear, and yes, wanted to feel his possession.

  “But it’s just an anomaly, a yearning to be close,” she whispered only to look quickly out of the window when the woman next to her gave her an enquiring glance. If things had been different, if she hadn’t been worried or uncertain sex with Mason would never have happened she quickly assured herself. Never!

  Entering the flat, Holly quickly deposited her wet outdoor things in the small bathroom, where she quickly towel-dried her hair and slipped her feet into comforting slippers. Entering the kitchen but not taking the time for a cup of tea, she switched on the computer.

  Moving the mouse she plonked into the chair and with her heart beating twenty to the dozen, waited with baited breath.

  And eventually there it was…

  “You have one new message!”

  With trembling fingers and a fluttering heart, she watched the words unfolding on the screen.

  Chapter Nine

  Hello, dear.

  Obviously you do not love me and do not even worry if I am killed. The pirates want the money and they are not prepared to wait. Do you care nothing for my little motherless daughter or for me? You are a selfish woman whom I was prepared to marry and take care of, but now you are showing your true colours, that of being selfish and unkind. You say you do not have the money but I do not believe you. It is such a small amount in exchange for saving my life and the life of Emma my poor helpless daughter. The pirates say that if they do not receive the money in two days, they will kill me and then they will seek out my
beloved, poor motherless daughter and kill her as well. My dear, if you do not find the money we will die and you will be responsible for our deaths. Please I beg you, my angel, think of our future together, the happy life we could have and all you have to do is send such a small amount of money to secure it.

  If you care at all about my wellbeing and want there to be a happy ever after with me you will get the money.

  Alex

  The more Holly read the more horror-stricken she became. “Oh God, what am I going to do?” she whispered, staring unseeingly out of the rain-washed windows. The pirates were going to kill Alex and his daughter and it would be all her fault. She should have tried harder to get the money. Maybe if she went back to the loan shark, maybe he would let her have another five thousand? Frantically scribbling figures on a scrap of paper, she worked out how she could pay back the loan, but it was impossible. The daily interest alone would take more than her week’s wages. The pain of defeat was intense, a searing, choking, gut-twisting fear that tore through her chest, turning her tears to acid and fluttering her heartbeat. But then…

  She stared blindly at the wall as a flash of inspiration suddenly came to her. Screwing up the crumpled piece of paper, her face lighted up. How stupid had she been! She would get a loan and she wouldn’t have to worry about paying it back, because Alex would pay it back when he came home. She drew a deep breath, feeling a weight lifting off her chest. If only she’d thought of it earlier.

  Her breath exhaling on a loud whoosh and the tears drying on her cheeks, she reached for the telephone.

  Moments later a smile transforming her pale worried face into a sight of beauty she began to type.

  Hello, Alex,

  I am so sorry about my other message, please forgive me. I couldn’t think straight as I was so worried about what would happen to you and the fact I didn’t have any money. But don’t worry everything is now okay. I know I should have thought of this earlier. It would have saved a lot of worry and heartache I can tell you. You see I had this idea that although I didn’t have the money you did. So I went back to the loan shark and he has lent me the money which I will pick up tomorrow and wire to the account you gave me. However, I must tell you that the interest is exorbitant but I know once you are home you will take care of it. I do so hope the pirates will now let you go because I cannot get another loan. He won’t lend me anymore as I now owe him £10,000. I am so sorry that you were disappointed in me and please believe me when I say I do care about you and your daughter and don’t want anything to happen to you.

  I can’t wait to see you and begin our married life together.

  Love, Holly x

  Leaning back in her chair, Holly smiled through the tears that were again gathering in her eyes, but this time they were tears of happiness. Thank goodness she had thought of getting another loan. Soon Alex would be here and everything would be fine. He would pay off the loans and they would be married. She would move from this grotty flat and have a happy life with a husband, daughter, and maybe more children. Everything she had always wanted.

  But what of Mason? A little voice inside her head questioned.

  “Forget Mason, put what happened last night out of your head. Alex need not know. It was a stupid thing to do and it meant nothing. If you tell Alex then no good would come of it. You’ve been through enough, so it’s time to put the past behind you including last night and begin again.” She spoke her thoughts out loud and jumped as a knock on the door interrupted her thoughts.

  Still smiling and feeling happy for the first time in what seemed like ages, Holly flung the door wide. Shock held her momentarily silent before she snapped her mouth closed, the smile fading from her lips.

  “Holly, may I come in?”

  “Mason, I, err, I, didn’t expect, I mean…”

  “Holly.” Mason indicated the interior of the flat with a nod of his head.

  “W–what? Oh sorry, yes, come in.”

  Silently Holly followed Mason into the kitchen where he turned and studied her.

  “How are you?”

  “F–fine.” Her eyes drank in his masculine beauty and, flustered, she bit her lower lip and lowered her eyes. What was the matter with her? Why when she had gone through all this angst over Alex did her body still react like a lovesick schoolgirl to Mason’s undoubted charms?

  Reaching the kitchen, Mason folded his arms and rocking back on his heels, studied Holly. She was bright, too bright, and although he wished it, the brightness he was fairly sure was in no way connected with his arrival.

  “Fine, eh?”

  “Yes.” Holly nodded.

  “So…” He reached out a hand and traced the tear lines marring the perfection of her pale cheek. “These tears weren’t because of last night?”

  She brushed his hand away, a blush scorching her cheeks. “No— No, of course not. Last night was, well, it was—fine.”

  Mason hid a smile. Fine wasn’t something he was used to hearing in response to his lovemaking.

  “Fine?”

  “Well…” She took a deep breath and his eyes dropped to her bountiful bosom.

  “Well, what I mean is, last night was, err, well, it was great!” Great was expelled on a deep breath.

  “Well great is better than fine I suppose. Anyway now we need to talk.”

  “You have one new message!”

  The computerized voice sounded loud and robotic in the silence of the room.

  Holly jumped, bit her lip, and stared at Mason.

  Mason frowned, puzzled as to her agitation. His eyes narrowed as he scanned her countenance. She looked uneasy, secretive, in fact downright furtive and as she reached out and closed the lid of the laptop her look became one of defiance.

  “Aren’t you going to check your message?”

  “Err, no, it won’t be important. Anyway, you said we needed to talk. Well, that’s fine. I’ll make some coffee, shall I? And then we can sit in the living room and talk.”

  Mason’s eyebrow lifted. Holly had suddenly become overly chatty and nervously moved from foot to foot. He stared as she moved to the living room door agitatedly beckoning him to follow. She obviously wanted to get him out of the kitchen, out of the place that housed her laptop. Curiouser and curiouser.

  Holly felt nervous. Why had Mason come? And why now just when Alex was in touch? He looked suspicious, so she needed to get rid of him. He couldn’t find out what was happening. Alex had said not to tell anyone, and anyway Mason wouldn’t understand. A quick coffee and then he would be out of the way, if only he’d move out of the kitchen.

  “Tell you what…” Mason smiled disarmingly. “You go and put on some dry clothes.” He touched the sleeve of her damp jumper. “And I’ll put the kettle on. We don’t want you catching a cold, do we?”

  “Oh, no, no, that’s okay, I’ll change later. It’s only a bit of rain I got wet coming home from work and I’ll soon dry out.”

  “Don’t be so ridiculous, Holly, You can’t afford to become ill and sitting in damp clothes when you don’t have to is the height of foolishness. Unless…” He raised his eyebrow. “Unless, there’s some reason you don’t want me in the kitchen?”

  Oh God, surely he couldn’t have guessed? But no, Mason had no idea Alex even existed. She was worrying for nothing and her agitation was just making him suspicious. She had to try and stay calm, put on a cool and composed front.

  “No, no of course not. I mean what could there be? It’s just a kitchen after all, nothing strange about it, nothing to get worked up about. I just, well, I just thought you might prefer to wait in the living room, that’s all, nothing else. No reason to be suspicious. Anyway…” She drew a deep breath. God, she just had to stop talking. “I’ll just go and change. I–I won’t be a moment.”

  Holly scurried toward the bathroom and looked apprehensively at him from the doorway.

  Chapter Ten

  Holly, feeling more comfortable in dry, fresh clothes stood in the doorway and stared as Mason swiv
elled around in his seat. Her horror-stricken gaze swiftly took in the stern set of his face, his tight jaw and cold eyes and then moved to the open top of her computer and the message from Alex.

  “How dare you?” she stormed, her face hot with anger.

  “How dare I? Are you absolutely crazy being taken in by this drivel? And to consider going to a loan shark—are you out of your tiny little mind?”

  “You don’t understand and anyway…” She huffed. “It’s none of your damned business.”

  “Of course it’s my business, Holly. Anyone who has any sense, and who cares for you would find this their business. Listen to me, Holly, we hear this kind of thing all the time, women and men taken in by scammers on the Net. They groom people for money, nothing else and they will say and do anything to get that money even to the extent of proposing marriage. They choose lonely, sad, gullible people, mainly women, and take them for all they can get.”

  “You have no right to say this to me. You don’t know anything,” Holly said tearfully, desperately wishing he would go away.

  “Holly, I can see from what little I’ve read that you think this guy, if it even is a guy, has indicated he wants to marry you. So as much as I don’t want to upset or disillusion you I would say this is a scam.” He sighed, looking at her swimming eyes. “How much have you actually sent this lowlife?”

  Tears hovering on the edge of her lashes, Holly stared back at Mason, hating him for being there and most of all hating him for interfering. “What I do is no concern of yours, Lieutenant. My life is my life and you have no right to interfere.”