Out of Hours...Her Ruthless Boss: Ruthless Boss, Hired Wife / Unworldly Secretary, Untamed Greek / Her Ruthless Italian Boss

‘They’re just trying to make an example of us,’ Dani complained. ‘It wasn’t…’

‘It sounds like it was.’ Lizzie took a deep breath and tried to gather her scattered thoughts. ‘I should ring the university—’

‘No. I don’t even want to go back.’ Dani’s voice trembled, and Lizzie realised just how young and afraid her sister really was.

‘Oh, Dani. Let’s not make any hasty decisions, all right? I’ll be home in two days—’

‘I need to be out of here tonight.’

‘Tonight?’ It really was serious. Lizzie sucked in another breath. ‘All right. Well, you can take the train home and I’ll be there as soon as I—’

‘Don’t hate me, Lizzie.’ Dani began to cry, softly, and all of Lizzie’s anger melted away.

‘I could never hate you,’ she said quietly.

‘I couldn’t bear it if you did.’ Dani was crying loudly now, noisy, gulping tears. ‘I know I’ve made such a mess of things. I’ve only been here a week—I’m sorry…’

‘It’s all right, Dani.’ Lizzie spoke as if to a child. And really, Dani was a child. Her child. ‘We’ll sort this out.’

‘I know you’re far away somewhere,’ Dani said with a gulp. ‘But can you come home? For me? Now—as soon as you can? I…I need you.’

Lizzie’s heart fluttered briefly with fear before grim determination took hold. ‘Yes,’ she said. ‘Of course I’ll come home.’ Cormac would understand, she told herself. He’d shown what a truly sensitive man he was tonight. He knew about her situation with Dani. Besides, there was really only one more day left.

Her sister needed her. That was all that mattered…that had ever mattered.

Behind her she heard him move. Closer.

‘I might be able to get a flight tonight,’ she said, wondering if one of Jan’s staff could take her to Bonaire. ‘But it will be a while, Dani, if you can hold on…’

‘Yes, I can.’ She gulped. ‘Now that I know you’re coming.’

‘Good.’ Lizzie spent a few more moments soothing her sister, telling her to just get the train home and wait for her there, before she severed the connection and dropped the phone in her bag.

She looked up at Cormac and her heart stopped. The expression on his face was cool. Cold. Hard. He gave a tight little smile.

‘What was all that about?’

Lizzie took a breath. He was bound to be angry, she knew. They’d made a deal. But Dani was more important. ‘My sister is in trouble…’ she began.

‘At university?’ Cormac clarified.

‘Yes…apparently things got out of control at a party and she’s been expelled.’ Lizzie flushed. ‘There’s no excuse, I know, but she’s young…’ She trailed off at his cynical expression. ‘Anyway, she needs me. I have to go home.’

‘We have a flight booked in less than forty-eight hours.’ His voice was mild, but Lizzie heard—felt—the steel underneath. ‘Don’t you think she can take care of herself till then?’

‘She’s a wreck, Cormac—’

‘She certainly is if she’s been thrown out of university her first week there.’

‘Cormac…’ Lizzie held her hand out in appeal. ‘She’s my sister. I need to be with her—now. As soon as possible. Jan will understand. He can get me a flight to Bonaire—’

‘Those family values at work, eh?’ Cormac shook his head. ‘No, Lizzie. You’re staying here.’

The cold finality in his tone went over her like a shiver. She stared at him, suddenly conscious that they were both naked.

‘It won’t affect the commission,’ she said. ‘I’ll still pretend to be your wife—even wives have family emergencies!’

‘Yes,’ Cormac agreed, ‘but how will it look if I let you run off while I stay to court this commission?’

‘I…’

‘It’ll look like I care more about the commission than I do about you,’ he finished flatly. ‘I’m not about to have Jan think that for a second.’

‘He’d understand—’

‘It’s not worth the risk.’

‘But, Cormac!’ Lizzie shook her head, confused. She felt that if she only explained, he’d understand. He’d turn back into the man he’d been before, the man she knew he truly was. The man who had looked at her with kind compassion, with exquisite tenderness.

That man.

‘Cormac,’ she tried again, ‘I know it may seem unreasonable, but I’m all Dani has. She’s my sister and she needs me. Nothing is more important than that.’

‘Actually, something is.’ Cormac’s voice was frighteningly mild. ‘My commission.’

Lizzie stared at him for a long moment. She looked into his eyes. How come she’d never noticed how cold they were? Lifeless. Blank. And she’d wanted to see them. She’d wanted to gaze into his eyes as he made love to her and see love shining there, or at least tenderness. But there was nothing.

Nothing.

She took a step away and, suddenly ashamed of her nakedness, she hurried over and snatched her dress, pulled it on with trembling hands.

‘I don’t understand you,’ she said in a low voice. ‘I can’t understand how you can be so…so kind one moment, and then the next…’

‘Can’t you?’ He stood before her, naked, unconcerned, arms crossed. One eyebrow quirked in cold cynicism.

Lizzie shook her head slowly. She felt dizzy, faint, sick. The man in front of her was like a reflection in ice, without a soul.

Frightening.

The truth.

‘What’s happened…’ She stopped. Cormac stared at her. Waiting. ‘You’ve been using me,’ she said slowly, each word like a jagged splinter tearing her heart, her soul. ‘You’ve been using me this whole time.’

Cormac said nothing, and the silence damned him. Damned her. Lizzie pressed a fist to her mouth, choked back a sob of horrified realisation.

‘You’ve been using me,’ she repeated, a disconnected part of her amazed at how well he’d played the role, how easily she’d fallen into his trap.

‘All those things you said,’ she whispered, remembering the words that had seemed so compassionate, so considerate, so…corrupt. Lies. All lies. ‘All those promises…the understanding…the sympathy…you didn’t mean any of it, did you? You were just saying what you thought I wanted to hear…what I needed to hear to get me into your bed.’