Sighing, she glanced at the clock on the limousine’s dashboard and then closed her eyes. If she was lucky she might be able to catch a flight back home in the next few hours, but it was going to be a long night and an even longer day tomorrow. Only she wasn’t going to spend it wallowing in the past and in self-pity. She lifted her chin. From now on, she was only going to go forward.
After what felt like no time at all, the limousine slowed, and opening her eyes, she glanced out of the window as it slid to a stop. She frowned. What the hell was the chauffeur playing at? They weren’t at the airport: they were back at the hotel.
Leaning forward she banged angrily on the screen behind his head. ‘Excuse me...er...Luis? What are you doing? I want to go to the airport!’
Frantically she tried to think of the words in Spanish, but before she could even muster up a basic sentence he had got out of the car and opened her door.
‘What is going on? Hablo—habla inglès?’ she said, staring up at him in frustration. ‘No. You don’t understand. I need to go the airport—’
Still holding the door open, the chauffeur stared impassively ahead. Realising she was getting nowhere, Addie slid past him and stalked angrily back into the hotel and up to the reception desk.
‘Hello,’ she said breathlessly. ‘It’s Carolina, isn’t it? I’m sorry, but your driver—I don’t think he quite understands what I want him to do. He was supposed to be taking me to the airport but he’s brought me back here.’
The girl bit her lip. ‘I’m sorry, Miss Farrell. But he was given new instructions.’
Addie gazed at her in frustration. ‘What do you mean, new instructions? I thought he was my driver.’ She pointed in exasperation to where Luis stood, still looking straight ahead.
‘He—he is,’ the girl stammered. ‘But there was a change of plan.’
Addie shook her head. ‘Not by me. So who changed it?’
‘That would be me!’
There was a long, frozen pause and then Addie turned slowly round. Standing in the centre of the foyer, Malachi was watching her, his eyes fixed on her face.
‘Then I suggest you change it back again,’ she said through gritted teeth. Her heart was racing with anger.
Slowly he shook his head. ‘That’s not going to happen.’
‘It’s not up to you.’ She stared at him furiously. ‘You might be important to some people but you don’t have any power in this hotel.’
He met her gaze. ‘That’s not strictly true. I do pay their wages.’
Her breath caught in her throat. ‘Really?’ she said coldly. ‘By the day? Or by the week?’
A muscle flickered in his jaw. ‘I think they’re all quite happy with their contracts.’
‘Lucky them,’ she snapped. ‘But, fascinating though this is, I’m
sure you didn’t drag me back here to discuss your staff’s employment contracts. So what is it, Malachi? What do you want?’
‘We didn’t finish our conversation.’
‘No, we did, Malachi. You just didn’t have the last word.’ She gave a tired laugh. ‘Is that what this is about?’ She shook her head, her mouth curving contemptuously. ‘Fine, then—just say it. Go on.’
He glanced past her. ‘Maybe we should take this somewhere a little more private.’
She felt the air punch out of her lungs. Shaking her head, she met his gaze. ‘No. We should not. I’m not going anywhere with you, Malachi. So, short of abducting me, you’re going to have say whatever it is you want to say right here.’
He stared at her in silence, his eyes never leaving her face. Finally he shrugged. ‘As you wish.’
Glancing past her, he smiled.
‘Gracias, Carolina y Luis. I can take it from here.’
Then before Addie had a chance to react, he had crossed the foyer and tipped her body up over his shoulders.
‘Put me down!’ Twisting, kicking, struggling, she beat her hands against his back. ‘Malachi! You can’t do this.’ She felt his arm tighten around her legs and then, hearing the lift doors open, she began to yell. ‘Call the police! I don’t care if he’s your boss—’