LITMIR.BIZ

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do you want from me if it’s not money?”

      He didn’t answer, just tilted his head back an inch and raked her body with his gaze.

      Amelia’s heart pounded in her ears as fear wrapped icy fingers around her heart. He was going to rape her, or kill her or both. Everyone in Raven’s Cliff was convinced the Seaside Strangler was dead. But what if this man—

      “Look. I’m not talking pocket change. I’ve got enough to set you up for life. I’ll give you whatever you want.” She sounded pathetic, but she didn’t care.

      Gone was her bravado, gone the self-assurance and determination that made her a good businesswoman.

      She did not want to die.

      The last of the fireworks exploded, lighting up the sky. The stranger’s head jerked.

      Instinctively, Amelia whirled and took off running. She got nowhere. He grabbed her belt loop and pulled her back.

      “I told you we’re going up the hill—one way or another. I guess it’s going to be another.” He turned her around and cupped his hand behind her ear.

      And that was all she knew.

      SOMEBODY WAS POUNDING on her forehead. She felt dizzy and disoriented, as if the world had flipped upside down.

      Her forehead bumped against a hard surface. She opened her eyes and squinted.

      The world wasn’t upside down. She was. She was hanging over the stranger’s shoulder like a duffel bag. The position squeezed her chest so she could hardly get a full breath.

      She squirmed.

      “Be still.” He moved his hand from her thighs to her bottom.

      “Put me down,” she whispered angrily as she squirmed some more, only to discover that the pressure of her breasts against his shoulder was causing them to tighten. The tingling awareness slid all the way through her.

      Fear, she told herself. That’s all it was. Only, the heat of his hand on her butt didn’t feel scary. It felt protective—and tingly.

      “Put me down! Now!” She pounded on his back with her fists and kicked, working to bury the toes of her boots in his flesh. Nothing fazed him, but she kept on anyhow.

      He doggedly trudged ahead. She heard his hard, steady breathing and felt the tense bands of his shoulder muscles under her breasts.

      Within seconds she was exhausted. Her limbs burned with effort. She was ready to cry. She’d never felt so helpless in her life. And yet she knew with dreaded certainty that this was only the beginning of what this stranger had in store for her.

      “I…don’t know what…you think you’re…doing but…you’re not going to…get away…with it.” It was a struggle just to breathe, let alone talk, with her chest bouncing on the ball of his shoulder.

      He didn’t answer.

      With a great effort, Amelia lifted her head, peering down at the town below. The shouts of celebration had stopped. Now the night was eerily silent and dark in the shadows of the new moon.

      Something awful had happened.

      She racked her brain for a way to escape the stranger before they got to her house. She’d do anything to keep him away from her father.

      “Stop! Now!” she demanded desperately, with no hope that he’d pay any attention to her.

      To her surprise he stopped. Then he dumped her off his shoulder. Her legs collapsed beneath her.

      “Please,” she gasped. “Tell me what you want.”

      He held out his hand like a gentleman. She wanted to spit on it, but she quelled that childish urge and took his hand, allowing him to pull her upright.

      When she raised her gaze to his, trying to read the intent in his ice-gray eyes, what she saw sent warring emotions churning through her.

      His gaze wasn’t lewd or filled with lust. Instead, it was hot and stormy.

      Just like the fortune-teller said. Amelia’s heart leaped into her throat, making it hard for her to breathe. She was terrified, of course. But a part of her longed to look more deeply behind the storm clouds in his eyes, and find out what haunted him.

      A muscle in his jaw ticked and his lips flattened, drawing her attention. His mouth was straight and wide. What would it be like to kiss this mysterious stranger?

      Instantly his stormy eyes grew as cold as stone. He straightened. “Let’s go. I want to meet your father.”

      “My—?” Dear heavens, he was after her dad. Terror slid like an ice cube down her spine.

      Not for herself. Not now. Now she understood. He’d had plenty of chances to do whatever he wanted to her, if that was his plan.

      Something far worse was going on. Something she couldn’t even imagine. But she knew that he was connected to the pirate ships.

      She didn’t know what he planned to do once he got inside their house. She just knew she couldn’t let him. She had to protect her dad.

      She felt the familiar weight of her cell phone in her jeans’ pocket. If she could somehow call Police Captain

      Swanson without the stranger hearing her, maybe she could foil his plans.

      But how?

      She could feign nausea. If she stuck her finger down her throat, maybe she could dial the captain while the stranger thought she was puking.

      Captain Swanson would see her number. He’d know there was something wrong.

      Good. She had a plan.

      The stranger’s eyes flickered. He’d heard her sigh of relief. She clutched at her belly and moaned, but it was no use.

      He reached out and with one spare motion, pulled her back against him and patted her down.

      “Ah,” he muttered. “Cell phone—and what’s this?”

      Amelia heard the sound of pills rattling. Her heart pounded. “Just vitamins.”

      “Vitamins?” The stranger held up the vial so it caught an anemic glow from the spotlights shining on the cliff house. “Vitamins for the heart? Reginald Hopkins. Your dad has a heart condition.”

      Amelia shook her head even as her stomach sank to the ground. No need to pretend nausea now. The real thing clenched her gut and filled her mouth with acrid saliva. “I’ve already told you what I can do for you. Leave my father alone.”

      “Sorry. Can’t.” He loosened his hold, but left his hot palm resting on the curve of her spine. She knew if she made a move, he’d be on her in a flash. “Now. Let’s go inside and you can introduce me to your dad.”

      “What am I supposed to say to him?”

      “Tell him the truth.”

      She glared at him as his eyes sparkled—with amusement or anticipation? “The truth. That presupposes that you’ve told me the truth.”

      “Tell him you’ve brought me home for the night.”

      His words hit their mark in her brain. Dear heavens, she’d underestimated him again. He’d just been biding his time.

      “Is…is that the truth?”

      He cocked his head to one side.

      “But you promised—”

      “Promised? I only promised you one thing.” He touched her chin.

      She cringed away and pushed at his hand. Why had she thought he’d promised not to hurt her? Was it just the way he’d looked at her?

      “So that’s

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