Raul's Revenge

'I'll ring you tomorrow and tell you. It will take me that long to recover.'

'Rubbish. Now I've got to dash, but you take your time and give me a call tonight if you're free. But, if Raul arrives, don't forget what you decided last night. Positive action, confidence—ask the man. If he is half the man you say he is, I'll take a bet that all this pining and heart-searching will be over.'

Amy made it all seem so simple, Penny thought, and smiled at her friend. 'Don't worry; you have convinced me. I'm going to propose to Raul at the first oppor­tunity. Satisfied?'

'Now, that is the Penny I know and love,' Amy res­ponded, with a wicked grin. 'And don't forget I am number-one choice for bridesmaid.'

The smile left Penny's face as soon as Amy left the room. Putting the almost full mug of coffee down on the bedside table, she swung her feet to the floor and made straight for the bathroom. She was going to take Amy's advice, but for her own reasons...

Penny sighed as she shut off the water and stepped out of the shower onto the mat. She had no idea if Raul had called last night, and Mrs. Grimble's disapproving look when Penny had arrived back at the apartment at one in the afternoon had not been reassuring. The older woman had already seen that none of the beds in the penthouse apartment had been slept in.

Still, Raul would no doubt call tonight, and, con­soling herself with that thought, she dried and dressed casually in blue jeans and a soft cream cashmere sweater, then headed for the kitchen and something to eat.

After a light meal—a plain omelette and salad—she strolled back into the vast living area. One wall was completely covered by a large bookcase. She ran her hand along a shelf and picked out the latest Jeffrey Archer and settled down on the soft green velvet sofa positioned along one side of the fireplace, and, curving her bare feet beneath her, began to read. Moments later the late night took its toll and she was fast asleep.

'Where the hell have you been?'

Penny's eyes flew open in shock; a large male hand was shaking her shoulder and the words only dimly penetrated her sleep-hazed mind. The book fell from hen hand and she struggled up from her reclining position.;

'Raul, you're here,' she murmured softly, the begin­nings of a smile pulling the corners of her wide mouth. It was so good to see him again...

'Pity you could not say the same last night.'

She looked up, wide awake now. 'Raul!' And it dawned on her that he was nowhere near as happy to see her as she was him, and her smile died.

He leaned against the arm of the sofa, a dark, un­smiling figure, his formal clothes oddly dishevelled—his white shirt open at the neck, his black striped tie pulled askew.

'Don't bother to deny it, Penny,' he said, his voice bitingly sardonic. 'I called you every hour from mid-night onwards.'

So that was what was bothering him; she gave an inward sigh of relief. 'I can explain.' She slipped her feet to the floor and briefly glanced down at where her book lay on the carpet.

Raul bent down, his long-fingered hands picking it up. 'Twelve Red Herrings' he drawled. 'How appro­priate; been looking for an excuse, hmm?'

He straightened and thrust his hands into his trouser pockets, squaring his shoulders. 'If you want to leave me, you only have to say so.' He sounded coldly remote, as though he didn't care a jot either way. 'I have no hold over you, but I would appreciate being informed of your movements, instead of wasting my precious time chasing over half of Europe to find out where you are.'

She flushed deeply. His precious time? How like Raul. His arrogance never ceased to amaze her, and right now it was making her madder than hell. She had agonised for days over the man, and he had the gall to stand in front of her and casually tell her that she could leave him. She could have thumped him.

'Sorry,' she drawled sarcastically. 'I wasn't aware I was supposed to check in every night. As it happened, I spent the evening with Amy,' she began to explain, but didn't get the chance to continue.

'All night, Penny? What do you take me for? A com­plete fool? I found you laying here asleep in the middle of the afternoon.'

‘We-'

'Was he a good lover?' he snarled furiously, his hands failing to her shoulders, and, gripping tightly, he hauled her unceremoniously to her feet. 'Did he make you whimper and cry out as I do?' he demanded, his fingers biting into her skin, the venom in his expression fright­ening in its intensity. 'Did you whisper the same sweet lying words of love to him as you did to me?'

'No, Raul...' she denied, stricken by the force of his rage. 'You must know—'

'Know what? That you look flushed and exhausted, exactly as you do after making love all night? You forget I'm the one that taught you all you know. I can read the signs on your lying, lovely face; I've put them there so many times myself.'

'You bastard,' she hissed, her face scarlet; she had never, ever spoken to him like that before in their re­lationship but the injustice of his accusation made her see red.

'I spent the night with Amy because I was too drunk to come home, and I was too drunk because I was drowning my sorrows over you.' She stared at him, her eyes wild in her flushed face. 'And you know why? Be­cause you treat me like some mindless bimbo with no will of my own.' A harsh laugh escaped her. 'Amy was—'

'Amy. I might have known,' he said tightly. 'She has never liked me. I suppose it was her idea for you to stay out all night?'

'We were home by eleven—hardly all night,' she spat back.

Raul stared into her flashing blue eyes. 'Why you listen to that woman I will never know.' He shook his dark head, as though to dispel some unpleasant thought.