The Art of Retaliation Read online

  Mara turned on him holding nothing back.

  Are you mad? You know he won’t. You seem to have this romantic idea that he really cares about me and that he will ride in here on his white charger and carry me off like Lancelot. I told you money comes first to him.”

  “I know he loves you. He told me,” Stephane said quietly but anxiety pulled his face tight. He knew she was right about Ryan. The man hadn’t exactly rushed Louise back to save her and Stephane must be getting desperate. He would need something else to force his hand and that made Mara more than nervous as to what he would be forced to do next. It was imperative she and Maxine escaped over the wall today.

  There was a heavy silence in which the billionaire appeared to be struggling for the right words to say. Mara turned back to the window and prayed that he wouldn’t be there when she turned back. For all that had happened she yearned to tell him of the danger he was in himself with Abdul but her own brother’s safety had to come first and like she had no choice but to let him take the fall. There would be no escape for Stephane either. Was that to be her revenge? If so, why did it make her want to cry?

  Mara felt the billionaire’s strong presence behind her and tried to ignore him again continuing to look out of the open window. The breeze caught her hair and gently lifted it. His hand reached out to catch it and smooth it back. The touch was simple but enough to make her soften. If she hadn’t had anger to fall back on, to make her senses alert she would have yielded, given him want he wanted and taken what she desperately needed. She closed her eyes pleasuring her mind with the image of their bodies entwining in lovemaking.

  His lips brushed her shoulder moving her hair to one side around her neck.

  “If only things were different.”

  He repeated the action further up her neck listening to a sigh penetrate her lips.

  “I wish I had the power to make all of this disappear. I deluded myself I could. I’m sorry.”

  Mara closed her eyes resisting the urge to turn into his arms and breathed with relief when she felt him leave and close the door behind him.

  They had no trouble in getting to walk in the grounds. The housekeeper was pleased that they would be out of the way whilst Stephane entertained his real guests. Once safe from view they quickened their pace as much as Mara’s ankle would allow. She had started the journey with a small dull ache in it but by the time they had reached their destination the pain was strong and her ankle was swollen. When the wall came into view Maxine stopped walking and stared, clearly awed.

  “Don’t worry. It is easy. Just take a run and jump and then pull yourself up with the vine. Go on you go first, I’ll keep watch,” she urged before Maxine had time to rethink.

  “I don’t know if I can, Mara. What if I fell? No you try first so I can see how you do it and I will keep watch.”

  Mara sighed with impatience and nodded. If she got over, it would convince Maxine that she could do it.

  “Mara, look at your ankle. Let’s just go back. We can think of something else.”

  “Maxine, don’t be stupid this is our only chance. Now watch.”

  Mara backed away from the wall and took a quick glance to make sure no one was watching. She broke out into a run clenching her teeth with the pain and jumped on to the vine that covered the wall. Her fingers slotted through the plant and onto the stone bricks that jutted out from the wall to maintain her grip as did her feet. For a minute she clung unable to move with the throbbing pain emanating from her ankle she was frantically trying to keep on one of the bricks.

  “Mara,” Maxine almost screamed holding her face in her hands unable to watch her jump.

  Mara raised her head but couldn’t speak. Giving a shaky nod of the head she slowly started to pull herself to the top of the wall using the bricks. She took several deep breaths before swinging her left leg over the top. Her movement was too quick and the force pulled her over the wall. She scrabbled to keep hold and tried to get a foothold on the other side and held the vine to ease herself down. Mara watched her surroundings blur and spin and cursed.

  “Not now. Not now,’ she prayed clinging to the vine even tighter but her hands were hot with perspiration from the effort and the vine was slipping through them. She fell from the wall landing on the leg that supported her sprained ankle letting out a cry before falling unconscious.

  Chapter Eleven

  Mara woke a few minutes later to find Maxine tapping her face with trembling hands.

  She smiled.

  “Maxine you did it,” she said lifting her head.

  “Never mind that, are you all right? I just heard a cry and then a thud,” she said hugging her tightly.

  She didn’t give Mara time to answer.

  “You shouldn’t have done this, your leg it’s bleeding.”

  She knelt down and felt the leg all the way. Mara sat up on her elbows, waiting for Maxine to finish prodding her leg.

  “I’m sure I am okay, Maxine. Look I can move it.”

  Mara shuffled the leg and then motioned for Maxine to help her up.

  “Do you think you can walk?’ Maxine asked looking around for any sort of help.

  “Yes. I will be fine,” Mara reassured.

  Maxine swung Mara’s arm around her shoulder and put an arm around her waist for support.

  “We’ll try and make it to the farmhouse over there like we planned.”

  Mara nodded and let Maxine lead the way.

  The farmhouse was just over a mile away and when they reached it to their relief it was inhabited and they did not have to struggle to make themselves known. Two young men were digging in the small market garden at the front of the rather dilapidated house.

  The man glanced up as their bodies eclipsed the sun in front of him. He sighed and stood erect brushing sandy blonde hair away from his damp forehead. Mara watched the look on Maxine’s face change from anxiety to appreciation as she took in the muscular body that stood tall and proud before them. Her eyes travelled down from his face and slowly across his bare bronzed torso to the well fitted denims that clung to his body. Maxine smiled sweetly.

  “Bonjour. We wonder if you can help us? Can we use your telephone,” she simpered in French.

  The man muttered a few words in return and put down the spade he had been using. A few more words were exchanged and then he took Mara’s free arm and swung it around his shoulders to assist Maxine. His brother was dark in comparison and a little older. He had been watching from a distance but now he was walking over. He spoke to Maxine and his brother who instantly let go of Mara. He walked towards her and Mara found herself taking a step back unsure of what he was about to do, afraid of his tall plump muscular build. He reached out and took hold of her arm and threw her untidily over his shoulder. Mara was too weak to afford any resistance and was only glad she didn’t have to walk anymore. He carried her into the house and dumped her unceremoniously into a chair in the kitchen.

  “Maxine, what did he say to you?” Mara demanded becoming afraid that she could not understand what they were saying.

  Maxine knelt down beside her and rubbed her hand to reassure her agitated tone.

  “They are going to help us. I told them that you fell when we were out walking and we got lost. I didn’t know what else to say we don’t know who we can trust. It was the best I could come up with. I am going to call Christophe and ask him to come and pick us up. I won’t be long.”

  “Okay.”

  “Jacques, the blonde one is going to take me to the phone. Isn’t he cute?”she giggled.

  The glint in Maxine’s eyes returned as the blonde approached and beckoned for her to follow him to the telephone. She left Mara alone with his older brother who she gathered to be called Armand from Maxine and Jacques conversation. He sat down in the chair next to her and made no effort to speak. There was a hunger in his eyes that made her wary. She shifted uneasily in her chair and gave the man a nervous smile. She received no reaction.

  Mara’s eyes drifted
around the stone walled room, anxious not to let them meet Armand’s stare. The house inside was pleasant unlike the front. There was little furniture and what there was of it was antique. The wooden chair that she sat on was part of a collection of eight that were carefully arranged around a large oak kitchen table. It was the centerpiece of the room competing only with the large fireplace housing a spit and fire underneath it.

  A dresser stood in one corner of the room with plates neatly arranged and several copper pots hung from various angles from the oak beams that covered the low ceiling. A pile of green beans lay at the opposite end of the table next to a pile of mushrooms that had just been skinned and were ready for cooking. She returned her eyes to Armand’s face unable to look elsewhere. His own grey eyes had not moved from when she had last looked and were intently fixed upon her. She bent her head, unsure of where to look next and wished Maxine would hurry up. But to her relief it was not long after when her friend entered the room again, all smiles.

  “Christophe is on his way. He knows where the Chateau is. We are not far from the Loire river and the village of Chanterell. One of his friend’s used to live here. He can get to a track he knows runs through the forest up over the field here away from the main road. It is over to the right, back near the house. I just hope he can make it before Stephane realizes we are missing.”

  Mara laughed feeling relief overwhelm her along with unexpected sadness that she was leaving Stephane behind. It was an odd confusing feeling and she tried in vain to sweep it away to the back of her mind. She hugged Maxine, tears filling her eyes.

  “Jacques said we can use a room upstairs to rest. It will take Christophe just over an hour to get here.”

  She helped Mara up and led her up the stairs to sit her down on the bed.

  “Why does Armand not speak?” Mara asked communicating her unease with the man as Maxine lifted her injured leg on to the bed.

  “He was involved in a farming accident and he lost his tongue. Its affected him really badly.”

  “I’m not surprised. I hope the time passes quick I don’t feel happy being here,” she told Maxine putting her head back on the pillows.

  It didn’t take her long to drift into sleep nor did it take Maxine very long despite vowing to stay awake and keep guard.

  An hour later Mara woke up. Rain was pelting fiercely down the windows and the room had grown dark. She rubbed her eyes and sat up slowly being too stiff to do it any other way. It took her a few minutes to register Maxine’s disappearance from the room. Before she became alarmed she saw a shadow pass the door caught briefly in the dim light and sensed a presence.

  “Who’s there?” she called out timidly.

  Out of the blue a shrill scream vibrated around the farmhouse sending an icy finger down Mara’s spine. It was Maxine’s scream. Instinctively she lurched forward in response but found her progress blocked by what felt like a brick wall. She looked up to find that the brick wall was breathing and was actually Armand. He had been drinking heavily and he stunk of stale liquor. Still dazed from her sleep Mara didn’t question why he was there and tried to go around him. He took hold of her arm and pulled her back.

  “What are you doing? Where is Maxine? What have you done to her?” she demanded trying to escape his grip.

  Armand’s hold tightened. He was looking at her with that hungry look in his eyes again. She cried out as he gripped her waist with his other arm and pulled her closer to kiss her sloppily. Maxine’s screams were chorusing into many and ringing in Mara’s ears. Without further hesitation she brought her knee up sharply and pushed it hard into Armand’s groin. He instantly let go and backed away the bed squealing as he nursed his injury.

  Mara limped out of the door and began to make her way down the stairs as fast as she was able in the direction of the screams. China crashed to the ground in a frenzy following the sounds of tender flesh being hit. Her own injury was slowing her down and she was sure she would never get there to help Maxine.

  “Maxine,” she called out in frustration.

  She eventually cleared the stairs and ran towards the kitchen door that was open. Jacques had Maxine pinned against the wall one hand holding her arms above her and the other in her blouse. For once Maxine appeared reluctant.

  Mara picked up speed and was about to enter the room. She was oblivious to the arm that shot out from the side of the door to wrap around her waist. The stranger’s arm swung her with force and slammed her against the wall at the side of the door. Mara opened her mouth to let out a cry but a hand clamped firmly over her mouth making it impossible The other arm pressed her into the wall preventing her escape. Her futile struggles ceased when the owner of the mysterious figure came into view.

  Chapter Twelve

  Stephane put a finger to his lips indicating for her to be silent. She nodded and he let go. Leon stood next to him.

  “Get her out of here and put her in the car. Don’t leave her we don’t know where the other one is,’ he ordered. “Make sure you keep her safe.”

  “But what about Maxine? I have to help her,” Mara whispered.

  “I will help Maxine.”

  Mara kicked Stephane causing him to momentarily release his grip as Armand had done. She bolted from the hall and straight into the kitchen.

  “Damn it. Mara come back,” she heard him call after her.

  She didn’t stop to think about what she was doing, she didn’t have time. Jacques was tearing at Maxine’s blouse and shorts. Mara ran towards him and lowered her head and butted into his side with as much force as she could gather and knocked them both over on to the floor.

  “Run, Maxine,” she shouted as Jacques stood and began advancing her way, aggrieved at her interruption.

  Mara picked up a handful of the French beans from the table and threw them at him, cursing herself for not having been able to find something more substantial. Out the corner of her eye she could see Stephane was now in the room and running towards them. Jacques grinned at Mara unaware that Stephane was behind him. He lunged forward knocking her off balance and brought her crashing to the hard floor beneath him.

  Jacques sprawled over her tugging the top from out of her shorts. Her fight against his hands was short lived. The billionaire reached down and pulled Jacques to his feet throwing him against he fireplace. His handsome face was dark and murderous with fury. From the struggle she could hear in the hall it was evident that Leon had his hands full with a drunken Armand and Stephane was on his own. She moved towards him to help but he shouted at her to stay back.

  For once Mara did as she was told and kept out of it seeing an advantage to the situation. It was seconds later when the billionaire stood back to survey his handiwork. Jacques lay sprawled against the wall semi-concious, a small trickle of blood dribbling from his mouth. With satisfaction lightening his features he turned to find Mara. He didn’t notice the copper pan come crashing down on the back of his head. He slumped to the floor confused and unconcious. Mara sank with him trying to catch his strong frame with difficulty.

  ‘I’m sorry, Stephane but its the only way. Too many people are in danger including you and I have to help you all,’ she whispered to him smoothing his hair from his forehead.

  She cradled him. He was as quiet as a babe sleeping in her arms his masculine power silenced, its intimidation no longer a threat. He was vulnerable and childlike. She cupped his handsome face and stroked the attractive dark shadow across the side. It looked as if she had dragged him away from another meeting by his business suit and she had disrupted his evening. He worked too much. He needed to rest just like herself.

  “Maxine quick get over here,” she urged in a raised whisper worried that she may wake him from his slumber.

  Maxine ran over holding her blouse together. Before she could speak Mara raised her hand to stop any discussion of what had just occurred.

  “We haven’t got time. Are you all right?” s

  She didn’t wait for an answer.

  “I have th
ought about this and I can’t go with you. I will only slow you down and they will find us. Do you think you can find the road on your own. It is getting dark out there. Do you think you can find Christophe?”

  “Yes, yes I think so he gave me a lot of instructions.”

  Maxine looked down at Mara’s hand rhythmically soothing the outline of Stephane’s face. “But what about you?”

  “I will be okay. If you can get to Christophe we have a chance. Tell him to go to the police. I can’t leave Stephane like this.”

  She looked down at the sleeping billionaire with affection.

  “Please be careful. I will bring help as soon as I can,” Maxine said looking at her with sympathy placing a comforting hand on her arm.

  “You be careful too. Look put that jacket that’s lying over that chair. It looks like Armand’s.”