She sighed. ‘Yes.’
‘All I can say is that he’s a glutton for punishment. Do you go back to him after all your affairs?’ he sneered.
Stacy struck out at him without thinking, her fingermarks and scratches from her nails standing out lividly against his white angry face. She stepped back in horror at what she had done. ‘I—Oh, God, I’m sorry,’ she muttered brokenly.
‘Don’t apologise.’ Cold disdain entered his voice. ‘Goodnight.’
‘Don’t you mean goodbye?’ She halted him at the door.
‘I’m not sure,’ he snapped. ‘I’ll let you know.’
‘Wh—what do you mean?’ she asked tremulously.
He shrugged. ‘I may decide to risk your challenge—if nothing better comes along, of course. There are some beautiful women here that I could quite—’
‘Get out, Jake!’ she cut in, her voice shaking. ‘Go and find one of these women. I’m sure most of them will be obliging.’
‘So am I,’ he taunted.
‘Go away. I’m glad I hit you!’ she added defiantly.
‘You may not be if I should decide to take up your challenge.’ He ran his fingers over what must surely have been very painful and must sting even now. ‘Because if I do the first thing I’ll do is make you pay for this.’
‘You won’t get the chance.’
His mocking laughter could still be heard as he walked off down the corridor. So it hadn’t taken Paul Forbes to ruin things between herself and Jake; she seemed to have managed that very well on her own.
She felt numb as she prepared herself for bed, knowing that she couldn’t face anyone now, and her appetite had completely deserted her anyway. Jake had come to her room tonight with one intention and one intention only. And he might have succeeded too if she hadn’t told him that she had had no other lover.
Juliet had left for her final day’s filming when Stacy awoke from her drugging sleep, and Stacy felt reluctant to move. One more day and she could be away from this mess, but it was a day she dreaded.
She had agreed to do this rape scene with Paul Forbes only on one condition, that there would be no nudity on her part. But even so it was going to be an embarrassing part of the film for her.
It was very late by the time she came downstairs for her breakfast, so late that there was only one other person present as she entered the dining-room—Brad Delmain, Jake’s lawyer.
He looked up and smiled at her as she hesitated about going to a table. As she knew him it would look very rude for her to sit apart from him, and yet she didn’t really want to get into conversation with him. He was sure to say something about Jake, and she didn’t want to talk about him.
‘Come and join me,’ he invited, as she had known he would.
‘But you’re nearly finished,’ she pointed out shyly.
‘I have finished,’ he confirmed. ‘I’m merely lingering over my coffee to waste time. I’d much rather use that time talking to you.’
She really had no other choice than to join him, ordering toast and coffee for herself. ‘Why are you wasting time?’ she asked.
‘I have a flight back to the States today, my business here is finished.’
She rested her chin on her hands as she leant forward on to the table. ‘I didn’t realise you were here to work.’
Brad gave a smile. ‘Aren’t we all?’
She gave a light laugh. ‘I suppose so.’
‘You’ve argued with Jake, haven’t you?’ he stated bluntly.
Stacy almost dropped the knife
she was using to butter her toast. ‘I— What makes you think that?’