“Please don’t be mad at me, Billie.” “Mad? Why would I be mad?” The tension in her voice let her down badly. Of course she was mad. This should not be happening. He’d overstepped the mark by a long shot, a very long shot. She never believed he would go this far, that he was this crazy, this desperate. They were well out of town heading northeast towards the mountains. Already the road was climbing around some tight bends. Billie’s bound hands were secured by a second rope to the door’s armrest. She couldn’t move, couldn’t do anything to stop him forcing her to go with him. He knew how good her self-defence skills were and had eliminated every possibility of her using them against him. As extra security, Ace sat on the back seat. The big Doberman’s head rested on his front paws with pricked ears and watching eyes. He was a dangerous dog and couldn’t be trusted.

      Brett White had invaded her privacy where she was staying with her friend, Bree Marshall. He’d coerced her into leaving with him by threatening Bree’s life. He’d sooled the dog onto her to strengthen his point, leaving her with a ripped and bloodied arm. Billie had had no choice but to go with him to keep Bree alive. Ace was a freak of a dog and obeyed every command Brett ordered. She’d had no chance to make a break during the short walk to the car, not with her handstied and held at gunpoint, and with Ace on hand as backup. Nothing had been said since they’d left.

      Brett shook his head. His apologetic words were rushed. “It’s just that I can’t get you off my mind. I had to see you. I wanted to be with you so badly.”  

      Billie looked him in the eye. “How long do you think this can go on? I mean, don’t you think it’s a little one-sided? Haven’t I made it clear I don’t want anything to do with you? Isn’t it obvious there’s nothing between us after everything that has happened? Shit, Brett, you left me for dead. To me, that kind of terminates any relationship you think we might have.”

      “I wanted so much to help you, but I couldn’t. That’s why I’m making it up to you now.”

      “You’re missing the point. I don’t want you to make it up to me, not now, not ever.”

      “At the moment you might feel like that, and I can understand your bitterness, but you’ll change your mind, you’ll see.” 

      His assured smile made Billie cringe. He’d announced his presumptuous beliefs way too confidently, with qualities of a firm promise. Stunned, Detective McCoy looked to the road lit up under the headlights. Checking her anger, she shook her head. This had to be handled carefully. She was sure he was on the brink of madness. 

      “Brett, I’m a cop. I have my own life, the life I chose to follow.” She turned to him. “I don’t want anything to do with yours.”

      “Forget all that. We can start afresh, live together happily ever after.” He backed his conception with a smile. Billie could only stare in astonishment. There was no reasoning with him. His mind was made up. Looking back to the road, she blew out a frustrated breath. He really was insane. She’d hoped to be able to talk him out of this but it wasn’t working. The more she tried, the deeper he dug his heels in. What a mess it was. How had it come to this? She’d only known him for a few days. They’d been involved in an accident outside the town where she’d arranged to meet Bree. Bree, like her, was from Sydney and was visiting friends here. The Brett White she’d met that day had been the perfect gentleman. She’d been taken in not only by his striking looks, but his generosity. Tall and handsome with his short dark hair parted down one side, his slim build and tasteful clothes complemented his good looks. She’d half expected him to be a model. He’d offered to pay for damages and couldn’t stop asking if she was okay. When he’d invited her back to his house to meet his nanna, he’d been hard to turn down. She ended up staying a few nights in his palatial mansion. Money was no issue. Their wealth was evident with their high-class material possessions. They made her feel comfortable and welcomed. It wasn’t long after that, everything went pear-shaped. Billie found herself caught up in a full racist war against the aboriginals witha secret clan intent on ridding the town of their presence. They’d put fear into any locals who were against them bythreatening their welfare and their businesses. What made it more complicated, Bree was part aboriginal. That placed her in as much danger as her aboriginal friends. Billie had offered her services to help bring the conflict to an end. Rallying up a few brave locals willing to risk their lives, and convincing the Koories to team with them, they began to turn the tables on their hidden enemies. 

      Too late she’d found out that Brett and his nanna were involved with the clan. They’d jumped her and taken her to their secret meeting place with all intentions of murdering her, setting it up so the Koories would be blamed for her death. Nanna had injected her with a poison to give them total power over her. Bree and her friends, two police officers and the group of locals supporting her, one in particular, Scott Trekk, who she’d unexpectedly fallen for, had overpowered the clan members. If it wasn’t for her friends coming to her rescue, and the antidote Scott had found to give to the doctor, she wouldn’t be alive now. It wasn’t until she was staying with Bree convalescing did she learn Brett and his nanna had escaped during the chaotic confrontation and avoided arrest. She’d been a little uneasy knowing they were free, despite the ongoing police search hunting for them. She didn’t trust them. Ever since the accident, Brett had had feelings for her. The problem was, they’d swelled – rapidly, fanatically. He became overprotective and totally devoted to her, and nothing she said could sway his feelings. Once the trouble started with the clan, she hadn’t thought any more about it, particularly after the clan was shut down. As far as she was concerned, any ties with Brett White were over. He was on the run and out of her life. How wrong she’d been.

      Now, tonight, her misgivings had become a reality. Brett had forced her to go with him, using Bree’s life as a lever if she refused. Tied and helpless, she was limited with what avenues to take to convince him this wasn’t going to work. Doing her best to stay calm, she broke her attention from the road and looked back at him.

      “Okay, what about your nanna? She hates me.”

      He blurted a scoff. “No she doesn’t.”

      “Oh really? Then why else did she inject me with a lethal dose of poison? To me, that pretty much says she doesn’t like me, in a big way.”

      “It was only to slow you down, to stop you attacking everyone—”

      “Slow me down? With poison? I did have a good reason to defend myself, in case you’ve forgotten. Your so-called clan friends intended to kill me, and your nanna stacked the odds to make sure it happened. My point here is, if they failed to kill me, the dose of poison she gave me would have. Are you seeing the big picture here? Either way, I was meant to die that night, and all because of your nanna.”

      “Yes, I understand that, and I’m so sorry it happened.”

      “Sorry?”

      “Yes. Nanna only used that particular injection because it was the quickest way to control you, which we needed doing in a hurry. You were being quite uncooperative, were you not?”

      “Uncooperative?”

      “Very. It dissuaded you in seconds. That’s why she gave it to you, and she knew it had an antidote, which you were given.” He glanced at her with a smile. “For which I am extremely grateful.” 

      “Are you serious? She had no intention of giving me the antidote and you know it. You heard her tell me the clan would kill me before the poison did. I’m only alive because my friends found it and gave it to the doctor.” 

      “What does it matter who gave it to you? Nanna knew it was there as a backstop in case we needed it.” He briefly met her gaze before turning back to the road. “Now, as I was saying, Nanna is very supportive about this. She wants me to be happy and knows only you can make me feel that way.”

      Billie stared in disbelief. This was getting crazier and crazier. She turned away. Her mind reeled. She was merely a game piece in his sick strategy, a one-sided strategy to deliver him a happy future regardless of her non-existentparticipation. More frightening was his unyielding obstinacy. He truly believed they had a relationship, regardless of her lack of feelings. Resting her head against the seat, she closed her eyes, absorbing the graveness of the situation she was in. Her body lacked the strength and co-operation she needed from it. Her resources were down, encumbered with the lingering effects of the poison. At least Bree was safe and out of it. It allowed her to focus on getting herself out of this mess. She knew her friends would do all they could to rescue her – again, if they worked out which way Brett had taken. Man, this was becoming a habit, having to rely on Bree and Scott, and probably Noel and Ted. Her other option was to pick the right time to take the initiative. How hard could it be?

      After fifteen minutes of silence, Brett suddenly braked the Rover to a halt in the middle of the narrow road. Leaning towards her, he opened the glove box and pulled out a long black scarf.

      “I’m sorry, Billie, but I have to blindfold you.”

      She looked at him in surprise. He gave a weak smile supported with a shrug.

      “It’s a secret where I’m taking you and I’d like it to stay that way.” 

      What sort of reason was that? Shit, this was all she needed. To be out in the middle of nowhere, lost, if she did happen to make an escape. Brett was treating her with the utmost caution and taking every advantage to favour himself, as well as deterring her from acting on any ideas of escape.

      Brett lay the scarf on his lap and began folding it lengthwise. Glancing out the windscreen, Billie failed to see any other roads. Ace’s hot breath touched her neck, breaking her thoughts. She looked over her shoulder. He stood with his head between the bucket seats inches away watching her. Shit. It was like sitting beside a time bomb. Ace could change from a docile pet to a savage beast in the blink of an eye. Her gaze drifted to Brett as a distraction.

      “Do you spoil all your girlfriends like this, Brett?”

      He paused from folding the scarf and looked up. A hard glare transformed his sober expression. Billie knew she’d touched a nerve. Here was a topic he had little control over. They’d talked about it in happier times. Ever since he’d lost his parents when he was in high school, he’d been a loner. He’d admitted he hadn’t had a real girlfriend because of it, that he’d hardly spent much time with anyone, until he’d met her. Then he’d wanted to spend every minute with her. Could she turn it to her advantage? Was it worth testing the waters? Who knows where it could lead?

      “I mean, I can see you’re not used to dating. You seemed to have skipped a few preliminary manners and—”

      “Would you rather I put you in the boot and give you something to really complain about?”

      “All I’m saying is, I won’t be recommending you to any of my girlfriends. Hell, they’ve told me some tall stories about their dates but I think you’d top the list.” 

      Brett’s features twitched in irritation. “Stop it. Stop it right now. There is no way you’ll compare me to anyone’s boyfriend, okay?” 

      She held his piercing glare in silence. Well, she’d definitely targeted a tender spot. Not having had a girlfriend seemed to have scarred him bitterly. 

      “Did you learn this from the clan? How to take a girl out? It certainly follows their callous rules when it comes to dealing with compliance. Or maybe it kept you too busy to even think about having a date.”

      “You know nothing about the clan or me so until you do, keep your thoughts to yourself.” His words were heated but more controlled. He returned his attention to folding the scarf into a blindfold. “Sarcasm doesn’t become you,” he added after she kept her silence. Leaning over, he placed the folded scarf over her eyes and around her head. The dark material completely blocked her vision. 

      “Oh?” she said as he tied the knot tight. “I’m sorry but I have a thing about being kidnapped by a frustrated naive boy living in a fantasy under his nanna’s skirt.”

      He grabbed her by the hair and yanked her head back. Billie gave a gasp in surprise and pain. This was out of the ordinary for Brett. He’d never touched her in such an aggressive way before. Sure he’d held her at gunpoint, but he hadn’t physically hurt her. 

      Brett ignored her reaction to the suffering he was inflicting. “I don’t like your attitude. Do you hear me? And you are way off in your calculations. This has nothing to do with Nanna, okay?” His breath blew across her cheek as he spat the words out. “To love me, first you have to respect me.”  

      She tried to pull free from his grip. He yanked her head again, drawing another cry. 

      “Come on, Billie, there’s no use fighting me.”

      “I’ll never give you respect so there’s little chance of love, is there?” 

      He leant closer. His voice mellowed to a loud whisper. “I don’t care how long it takes. I will change your mind.”  

      “The hell you will.” 

      Strangely, he didn’t answer. He sat perfectly still. Why? Why had the argument fizzled to a sudden halt? Billie was confused. What was he up to? She sensed he was watching her but wasn’t sure why. And then he gave it away.

      “You are so beautiful.” His voice was a soft whisper. “I love everything about you. Your gorgeous blue eyes, your soft blonde hair, your cute nose, your perfect lips.” The slight sound of creaking leather suggested he’d shifted his position on the seat. Too late she realised which way. He planted his lips on hers. Immediately Billie resisted, struggling to pull away.She couldn’t go anywhere, not while he gripped her by the hair and her hands were tied to the door. Brett kissed her passionately. It wasn’t a long kiss but he put everything into it. He pulled back, panting from his efforts. Billie kept up her struggle to break from his hold, far from impressed he’d taken advantage of her. 

      “Come on, baby, that was our first real kiss. Enjoy it.” 

      “You bastard.”

      “You don’t mean that.” His lips gently kissed her cheek. Regardless of her efforts to pull away, he failed to back off. 

      “The hell I don’t.” Billie couldn’t break his grip. The searing pain across her scalp was intense. He didn’t seem to care. He kissed her ear lobe protruding beneath the scarf. She did her best to ignore it.

      “Is this how it’s going to be, Brett? Are you going to throw yourself on me when I can’t fight back?”

      “You’ll soon understand how much I love you.”

      “I’ll fight you all the way – ahh!” The sharp yank on her hair demanded obedience. Brett’s quick breaths blew over her lips. 

      “The sooner you come around, the sooner you’ll like it.” He kissed her neck. She took up her struggle but couldn’t stop him. “You’ll change your mind, just wait and see.” Wrestling with her for a moment longer, Brett finally released her. The momentum of Billie’s resistance dropped her forward the instant the pressure left her head. Brett threw his weight on her and held her down. Quickly he tied another knot in the scarf to keep it secure. Letting her go, he slid over to his side. Billie slowly sat up, facing the front under the blackness of the scarf. A heavy silence followed. She heard Brett sigh. 

      “I do intend to show you how much I love you.” His voice held remorse. 

      “Ha, you’re certainly off to a good start.”

      He ignored her sarcasm. “I’m not an animal you know, and I’ll prove to you I’m not a boy living in a dream either.”

      “Brett, you can tell me that until you’re blue in the face. It’ll never make up for what you’ve done.”

      He hesitated. His short breaths seemed to quicken. “You will love me. You will.”

      Her head turned slightly towards him. “When are you going to face the facts? Love doesn’t come that easy. You can’t just buy it, or take it,” she quietly persisted. “Come on, why don’t we call it quits right now. Let me out here and you can make a clean break. This isn’t going to work.”

      “Yes, it is. Now you’ve said your piece and I don’t want to hear any more about it.” His annoyance was building. When Billie was about to comment, he slammed the wheel. “It will work. If it’s the last thing I ever do, I will make it work. You belong to me now and there’s no way I will ever give you up. No way . . . to anyone. And if I hear another word out of you, I swear I’ll throw you in the boot. Okay?”  

      Without waiting for an answer, he slammed the car into gear and planted his foot. The Range Rover leapt forward with screeching tyres in its acceleration. No more was said. Billie rested her head back. In the comfort of her mind, she assessed the situation. He was quite unstable and didn’t like her challenging him. He’d lost his temper quite easily, which was bad, yet he hadn’t struck her. Sure he’d inflicted some pain in his harsh grip, yet even after her persistence, he’d contained himself. She could probably push him harder if she needed to before it came to a physical battle with him. With the right words, his defences easily crumbled, which would be a good time to act on. Taking advantage of her had definitely thrown her though. He’d never done that before. All this information she stored away, saving it for a time when it might help set her free from this madman’s clutches.

      Brett turned off the main road five minutes later. The crunching sound of gravel under the wheels and the bumps indicated they were off the bitumen. On they drove, around many corners, up and down hills and over rattly timber bridges. Gradually they slowed, travelling not much faster than walking pace. Billie guessed the road must be deteriorating judging by the rough ride. Finally, Brett brought the Rover to a halt. He climbed out. Moments later, her door opened, dragging her bound hands with it. Brett undid the rope securing her to the armrest and then pulled her from the seat. He stood her by the car. The door closed beside her. Billie heard footsteps . . . coming towards them. Someone else was here.

      “So, you got her,” Nanna said brightly.

      “Yeah, I got her.” Brett’s dispirited answer revealed his mood. The blindfold was yanked off Billie’s head. She blinked a couple of times before focusing on Nanna standing in front of her. The old lady watched her with a smug smile. In her mid-sixties, her slim build gave the impression she was fit and healthy for her age. Her styled, shoulder length, grey hair added a sophisticated look to her appearance, regardless of being out in the middle of nowhere. 

      Billie glanced at Brett standing beside her. He stared with an intense gaze. It wasn’t hard to see he was still angry at her. Ignoring him, she looked around. Bush surrounded them. A two storey log house stood behind Nanna across a grassy area. House? It looked more like a cabin. Of course. She remembered them talking about it when they held her prisoner with the clan. Not overly big, it was lit up by a couple of internal lights and an outside one on the small front verandah. That’s all she could see in the darkness.

      “Well, my girl, you look a lot better than last time I saw you.”

      Billie’s attention jumped to Nanna. “I’m sorry to disappoint you by not dying.”

      “On the contrary. I’m very glad you made it. I must admit, I was surprised you pulled through.”

      “I’m sure. I have my friends to thank for that.”

      “You do indeed.”

      “They did a great job looking after me, and shutting down your sick clan.”

      “Too much.” A flare in her eyes indicated it was still a raw subject. “I must admit, I’m still confused how they found us.”

      “It wasn’t that hard. Your buddies in the cell easily gave you up as soon as they were put under pressure, particularly when it came from the people you despise . . . the Koories. It seems you can’t rely on your murdering cohorts after all. I’m sure they'll squeal their little hearts out to help the police track you down. They’ll no doubt want you to pay as much as them.”

      Nanna again made an effort to control her emotions. She hid her discomfort behind a light chuckle. “It doesn’t matter what they say. It won’t lead the police to us. They don’t know about this place. Nor does anyone else, which means no one will find it, so that eliminates the problem, doesn’t it?” A shallow smile touched her lips. Billie held her gaze but didn’t comment. Like always, the woman dealt with any problems cool and calmly. Nanna stepped to the side, allowing Billie room to walk by her. 

      “Shall we go inside?”

      Brett half turned to open the back door to let Ace out. Complacent and assured they were in control, neither of the Whites expected Billie to make a move, which she’d totally led them to believe. The cop kicked up and slammed Brett under the chin. Despite him standing close beside her, the move was delivered fast and powerful, displaying her agility. Brett had no chance to block or avoid it. He’d had no chance to see it coming with the speed Billie used. He dropped to the ground alongside the Rover. 

      Ace instantly went crazy, snarling and pawing at the door to get out.

      “What the...!” Nanna said in shock. Billie faced her – and found she couldn’t bring herself to physically hit the woman regardless of all she’d done to her. With a frustrated growl, the detective charged with a protruding elbow and shoulder. The impact knocked Nanna down hard. Billie turned to Brett. Already he was sitting up. He fumbled to drag the pistol from his pocket. Billie stepped forward and smashed her heel into his nose. He dropped onto his side. The weapon was flung from his hand and disappeared under the Range Rover. Billie’s attention swung back to Nanna. She tensed when the old lady rolled onto an elbow and pulled a pistol from her pocket. Shit, did these people sleep with guns? Out of her reach, the detective didn’t have time to deter her. That only left one other option – to run. 

      Billie dived to the side a fraction before Nanna squeezed the trigger. The bullet buried into the front side panel of the Range Rover, barely missing its target. The detective landed safely on the grass in a roll. It carried her in front of the vehicle into a shadowy darkness. Another shot fired. The bullet whizzed close past Billie’s head. Undeterred, she jumpedto her feet and bolted into the trees beyond.