A Billionaire's Redemption - By Cindy Dees Page 0,58
main question was why the party switch? She eventually got her explanation down by rote and recited it pretty much automatically.
But then a voice came out of the sea of faces that shocked her into stillness.
“Tell me, Senator. Why did you feel obliged to wreck my life and ruin my reputation with your groundless accusations?”
She whipped around to face James Ward. His nostrils flared sharply as if he was incensed that she would dare to face him. A few days ago, she might have wilted and slunk away from him, but no more. She was done being the eternal wallflower and always backing down.
“What are you doing here?” she demanded.
“Supporting Tom Montoya’s campaign.”
He leaned in close to her and she flinched in spite of herself as his pupils expanded until his eyes were entirely black. He muttered menacingly, “You’d better drop those stupid charges. You’re the one who looks crazy, not me.”
She looked crazy? He was the one who had turned into a maniac and attacked her!
His gaze raked up and down her scornfully, and his voice dropped into an entirely creepy whisper. “Still playing the vestal virgin. We both know what a lie that is, don’t we? Uppity bitch. Pretending to be better than everyone else...”
She reared back in horror, but ran into the impervious wall of tuxedoes around them. Trapped. She was trapped!
Her voice shaking, she inched back as far as the press of people around them would allow, and tried to reason with him. “James, this is not the time or place to talk about what happened. I’m sure both of our lawyers would advise not to speak to each other at all.”
His shoulders hunched forward and his hands flexed and unflexed in angry fists. His entire body tensed as if he wanted desperately to spring at her in violence. “Afraid I’ll get another shot at you? Afraid you’ll like it too much? That everyone will find out just what a hot little slut you are—”
She cut him off sharply. “You’re never getting another shot at me, James. Do you hear me? Never.” She backed away a few more steps, breathing hard, her limbs begging her to turn and run for her life.
Apparently, their little confrontation was finally drawing the attention of the people around them. Or maybe it was just that Willa was backing into total strangers and tromping on their feet with total disregard. Out of the corner of her eye, she noted a commotion headed their way. Crud. She was about to fan the flames of scandal already surrounding her and James Ward. Intense need to avoid a press fiasco and diffuse this confrontation warred with her instinct to confront this bastard and not let him cow her any longer.
James shook his head briefly and stood up straighter, relaxing both fists and his aggressive posture. The transformation was shocking. He was suddenly back to being the charming, urbane scion of Dallas society that everyone knew and loved.
“Willa. I have to say I’m shocked to see you here,” he said conversationally. “What do I have to say to convince you to drop those ridiculous charges against me? We both know nothing happened that night.”
The gall of the man! As soon as he knew he had an audience, he completely changed his tune! The ease and completeness with which he transformed was chilling. If he could turn on the charm like that in court, she was in big trouble. What jury would believe that this pleasant, attractive man housed the monster she’d just glimpsed?
Belatedly, she ground out from behind clenched teeth, “You call rape and violent assault nothing?” She forced herself to look him in the eye and was stunned to see what looked like genuine confusion there. What had happened to the furious, threatening man of moments before?
Confused and more afraid than she’d been since the night of the assault, she said with disgust, “It took a week for the swelling in my face to go down, and longer for the bruises and other injuries to heal. And you dare to call that nothing?”
The crowd around them was jostling now. The gossips were no doubt angling closer to hear this juicy little exchange.
James spoke a little more loudly, no doubt for the benefit of the wagging ears around them. “I would never hit a woman. And I certainly would never force myself on one.”
She was so shocked, a feather could have knocked her over. The bastard actually sounded sincere. And that was when the fury