When the server finally cleared the dessert things Solie looked at Raul expectantly. When he ignored her she cleared her throat. “Well?”
He raised his eyebrows then, in no hurry at all, he took a sip of his coffee. “Well what?”
Solie could have slapped the smugness right off his face. “You told me we’d talk business after dinner. It’s now after dinner, so talk.”
He smiled. “So anxious. Worried about your little boyfriend?”
She didn’t answer. She just glared at him, willing him to speak.
It must have finally dawned on Raul that she was not amused because his self-satisfied grin faded and his lips tightened. He leaned forward and when he spoke his tone was cold and his eyes even colder. “I know who Ransom Kent is. He may be trying to hide, mingling with the common folk like he’s not loaded, but he can’t hide. He’s the low-profile type who’s good at keeping his identity secret but I did some checking around. He can’t hide from me.”
That made Solie’s frown deepen. “So what if you know who he is? He’s got nothing to hide.”
“Maybe not, but that could change…real fast.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Solie held her breath. Was this man planning to do something crazy?
“It means,” he said, his voice seductively soft, “it would be so easy to soil his good name. So easy.” His eyes took on the seductive charm of a snake. “Especially if his name is linked to a drug mule from Latin America.”
Solie sucked in her breath. “My God. Not even you would be so evil…”
“Oh, mi amor, it is so easy. It is tempting…very tempting. Lie or not, the media would pounce on that rumor and then ask questions much, much later. But you can prevent all that from happening. You can agree never to see him again.” He smiled. “And then we can pick up where we left off.”
That was it. Solie shot up from her chair and grabbed her purse off the table. “You know what? You’re crazy. Totally insane. I don’t have to sit here and listen to this. I’m going to do what I should have done a long time ago. I’m going to the police.”
And with that she whirled around and marched right out of there, not caring who heard or who saw her dramatic exit.
She jumped into her car and sped out of the parking lot and when she pulled into her driveway she was still shaking with anger. The nerve of that beast. Did he think it was that easy to blackmail her?
Now she could see that his threat to Ransom was not physical. Thank God for that. But he wanted to hurt him in another way. He wanted to use her to make Ransom look bad. Damned if she would let that happen. First thing in the morning she was going to the police.
Her mind made up, Solie got out of the car and headed for the front door. As she fished in her purse for her front door key she was deep in thought, wondering if she should talk to Ransom before making her report.
“Forgot something?”
Solie jumped and looked up. There, at the foot of the steps, stood Raul.
“You followed me.” It was a half gasp, half accusation.
“No,” he said as he started to climb the steps, “I was simply returning something you forgot.” He held out his hand and on his palm sat her cell phone.
Solie reached out to snatch it away but he quickly pulled it back. “Not so fast, mi amor. You owe me something, too. You forgot to give me a proper goodbye.”
And before she could move Raul was at the top of the steps and by her side. His hands shot out and he turned her to him and before she could flee he locked his arms around her.
Solie tried to struggle but he was holding her so tight all she could do was wriggle. She lifted her face to glare up at him. “You let me go right now, you-”
Raul cut her off, capturing her lips with his, cutting off her air as he plundered her mouth.
Solie wanted to scream. She wanted to fight but, trapped against his body, his big hand holding her head immobile, there was nothing she could do but suffer the indignity of kissing a snake. And, like she knew it would, that kiss left her cold.
When Raul finally released her the haughty smile was back on his face. “Brought back some good memories, didn’t it?”
Disgusted by the kiss, Solie stumbled back against the door. That only made him smile wider. He plucked the key from her lifeless fingers, inserted it into the lock then pushed the door open, almost making her fall.
“I always knew I was a good kisser,” he said. “I just didn’t know I was this good.”
His words shocked Solie out of her trance. She grabbed the key from him and then the cell phone. She backed inside, intent on slamming the door in his face, but he didn’t allow her the pleasure.
Grasping the knob he stole yet another kiss, this time a quick peck to her cheek, then pulled the door closed before she’d even regained her balance.
As soon as Solie righted herself she marched straight to the bathroom. She had to get the feel of that man off her.
How she’d ever fallen in love with a man like him she would never know.
***
Ransom felt the dagger of betrayal sink deep into his heart. So she’d told him to trust her, had she? And now, not even a day later, she was wrapped in the arms of another man.
Goddamn. How could he have been so stupid? He’d seen the lights of Solie’s car as she pulled into the driveway and, fool that he was, he’d immediately left his yard and headed over to her place, eager to make things up with her. He’d decided to do just what she’d asked. He would trust her.
He was walking up her driveway when he realized that she wasn’t alone. There in the shadows on the porch beside her was a man, a pretty big guy, and he was kissing Solie like he owned her.
Ransom stopped in his tracks and so did his heart. He couldn’t believe this was the woman he’d proposed to just the night before.
He felt like tearing up the driveway and ripping them apart. But no, he wouldn’t make himself more of a fool than he already was. Fists clenched at his sides he backed away, out of her yard and out of her life. For good.