Thanks as ever for all the kind reviews. Without further delay, the next instalment …

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Chapter 6

When he arrived she was already waiting for him, sitting by the pool contemplating the stars, her skin gleaming palely in the moonlight. She looked like some exotic goddess of the night with her dark hair flowing loose around her bare shoulders and he itched to take her in his arms, but some instinct told him they really needed to clear the air to begin with. He sat down facing her, close but not touching, his hands clasped in his lap.

"Shall I go first?"

She nodded silently, and he began to recount the series of bizarre events that had happened since they'd all arrived at Alvo's villa, trying not to leave anything important out. She didn't interrupt even on the odd occasion he lapsed into silence, collecting his thoughts, but he saw her shudder when he described being seconds from death.

When he'd finished, she sighed heavily.

"God, Quinn. No wonder you wanted to try and forget everything for a while. What do you think Mackenzie wants with you all now?"

He ran his a hand through his hair.

"I honestly have no idea."

"Do you think he's entirely sane?"

"Nope. Several bricks short of a load, I'd say. Anyway, your turn."

She nodded and sat forwards, wrapping her arms around her knees and staring out into the darkness.

"My mother died suddenly a few years ago, and my father went to pieces, ended up having some kind of breakdown, basically. He went to Majorca for a while to recuperate and when he came back he'd put in an offer on a bar. Just like that, no warning, no discussion. Within a few weeks he'd sold up and moved out there.

I went over a couple of times in the first six months and he was barely keeping his head above water, or so it seemed. And then by the following year everything seemed to have turned round dramatically. He had staff running the bar and he was living in a nice villa, not quite as impressive as Alvo's, I'm guessing, but still a big step up.

He introduced me to Mackenzie and explained that he did some work for him from time to time, but he was very cagey about exactly what it was he did. I had my suspicions from the beginning to be honest, but he's a grown man, what could I do? Mackenzie seemed to take quite a shine to me, and made a point of being around if he knew I was visiting."

She paused, but he waited patiently, knowing there was more to come.

"Anyway, one day I received a call out of the blue from an anonymous stranger telling me my father's life was in danger and I had to get out to Majorca as soon as possible. It turned out to be true, but the surprise was it was Mackenzie who was threatening him. Apparently he'd been caught on the take, and you know first hand what Mackenzie's attitude is towards his empire. Even though he's a multi-millionaire his reputation depends on being top dog, and he won't allow anyone to feather his nest by even the odd penny.

He insisted that the only way for the debt to be settled was for me to work for him doing whatever he required for as long as he deemed necessary. Meanwhile, my father is a virtual prisoner at his house on the island."

Quinn sighed.

"Another bird in a gilded cage, eh? Just like the four of us."

She nodded unhappily.

"At first I was just acting as occasional arm-candy which I must admit was quite a relief, seeing as I was terrified he might expect me to sleep with him. And then a few days ago he called me over to his place, showed me several pictures of the four of you, and instructed me to use whatever means necessary to find out if you still had all his money. It was pretty clear what he was implying by 'any means necessary'."

He took her hand and squeezed it, and she searched his eyes.

"As it happened, as soon as I saw the photos you caught my eye and I thought it really wouldn't be any hardship spending some time with you, but it still made me feel dirty knowing I had an ulterior motive. And then, to make matters worse, I fell for you almost from the start and I hated deceiving you."

He tugged on her hand and she moved over to sit in his lap, burying her face in his neck as his arms enfolded her.

"I'm so sorry, Quinn. I should have trusted you, told you what was going on. I was just so frightened."

She sat back, searching his face, and he pressed a finger to her lips.

"Shhh, love. Don't forget, I've met the man and he scared me witless too."

Leaning in close, she pressed her mouth to his, hesitantly at first, and then his tongue sought entry, entwining erotically with hers, lighting a fire in both of them. Eventually they came up for air and he leaned his forehead against hers.

"You have no idea how much I've been wanting to do that since I saw you in a bikini."

She smiled flirtatiously.

"Oh yes I have. I feel the same way about you in those swim shorts. Although I'd much rather see you out of them."

He nuzzled at her neck, his hand moving up to fondle a breast.

"Ever shagged on a sun-lounger before, love? No, me either. Still, there's a first time for everything."

She stood, pulling him to his feet.

"Oh, I think we can do better than that …"

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"Having trouble … ahem … finding the hole?"

She snorted, squirming against him.

"Well you're not exactly helping, are you?"

He was pressed against her back, biting her bare shoulder while his hands cupped her breasts, squeezing gently.

"Ha. Success …"

The door swung open and she moved out of his grasp, feeling her way to the desk in the dark. Flicking on the lamp, she turned back to him.

"Nobody ever comes here apart from Mackenzie, but I'd still feel more comfortable with the blinds drawn. Give me a hand, will you?"

The one storey building was a cross between an office and a summer house, one wall consisting entirely of floor to ceiling windows with a long verandah running along the length of the building.

"What is this place?"

His silver eyes gleamed in the low light and a shiver of anticipation ran through her.

"According to Hassan, Mackenzie uses it as an office and a refuge, somewhere he can escape to occasionally when he has to entertain visitors. Hassan doesn't miss much, and I get the impression he's not Mackenzie's biggest fan, even though he's a loyal member of staff. He offered me the key today, ostensibly in case I needed some time on my own, but I think he had a good idea we would come here together."

He pulled her into his arms and her breathing hitched as she felt him hard against her hip.

"Coming together, huh? Now why do I like the sound of that …"

His lips came down hard on hers and she moaned as his tongue plundered her mouth hungrily, her fingers twisting in his hair. Without breaking the kiss, she popped the buttons on his shirt and pushed it back off his shoulders, running her hands over his smooth chest.

"Sit …"

Playfully, she pushed him back onto a low sofa, tugging her short strappy dress up and over her head, smiling at his expression of undisguised lust as she stood in front of him, naked except for a miniscule thong.

"Bloody hell."

She moved to sit astride him, and he ran his fingers lightly down her back as she leaned in for another teasing kiss. He was at the perfect height to feast on her throat, his lips ghosting along her collarbone before claiming a nipple and sucking on it greedily.

"Mmmm … more …"

He teased it with his tongue before grazing his teeth over it, and she squirmed lasciviously in his lap, arching her back, pushing against his mouth. He released her with a pained expression.

"I really need to get out of these shorts, sweetheart, they're practically cutting off my circulation."

She giggled, standing as he pulled them down his legs and over his feet, but as she went to sit in his lap again he stopped her, holding her firmly by the hips and shuffling forwards.

"Not so fast …"

He dragged the thong down her legs and pushed her thighs gently apart, leaning in to nuzzle into the soft triangle of pubic hair before lapping at her swollen bud. Hope thought her legs might just give way, grabbing onto his shoulders for support.

"Oh God … Quinn …"

He knew he could easily bring her off if he continued his teasing ministrations but he wanted to be inside her when she came, so he stopped just as she was teetering on the edge, sitting back with a wicked grin. She huffed in frustration, and then surprised him by grabbing a cushion and settling herself between his knees.

"Two can play at that game, mister."

He was rock hard, and he twitched involuntarily as she gazed seductively up at him from under her lashes and licked her lips in anticipation. He groaned and swore as her mouth closed over him, his hands fisting in her hair as she worked him expertly with her lips and tongue.

"Fuck! Sweet Jesus, woman. So bloody good …"

When his hips started to buck up towards her, she released him with a triumphant grin and moved to straddle him again, lowering herself onto him inch by inch until he was fully immersed in her. She smiled at his lust-glazed expression and began to move, setting a pace to suit herself, ignoring his groans and pleas.

"Faster … oh fuck … this is torture …"

Finally, she cried out in ecstasy and he felt her pulsing round him, her head thrown back, her whole body shuddering with the force of her climax. Gripping her hips firmly he powered upwards, once, twice, three times before exploding deep inside her with a groan of satisfaction, his head falling forwards onto her bosom. Panting for breath, he looked up into her beaming face.

"Witch …"

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Let me know what you think, won't you? More very soon.