Playing His Dangerous Game by Tina Duncan

He’ll always have a hold over you.’
    Shara stared at him and kept on staring.
    The breath was locked in her lungs so tightly they felt as if they were going to burst. Her heart was beating so fast and so hard she was sure her ribs would crack at any moment.
    He was right.
    She didn’t want to admit it, but he was.
    It was as if Royce had stripped away an invisible veil that had prevented her from seeing her own actions clearly.
    ‘God, I’m such a fool,’ she said, burying her face in her hands.
    Royce grasped her wrists and pulled her hands away from her face. ‘No, you’re scared. I understand that. Fear does strange things to people. No doubt you’ve become conditioned to react the way you have.’
    She released a bitter laugh. ‘You’re right. I thought I was being tough and strong by ignoring Steve’s harassment. But I can see now that all I’ve been doing is what I learned to do during my marriage.’
    ‘Which is?’
    ‘Keep the peace. Don’t provoke. Play it safe. The only difference between now and then is that I’ve been doing it long-distance.’
    ‘Don’t beat yourself up over it. It’s perfectly understandable.’
    She snorted. ‘You think?’
    He nodded. ‘I
know
.’
    ‘I think you’re being overly generous, but thank you for saying it.’
    ‘Don’t thank me. I never say anything I don’t mean. What you need to do now is focus on the future.’
    Shara hadn’t allowed herself to think too much about the future because Steve’s harassment had chained her to thepast. Now, for the first time, she had a glimpse of a future in which she was free and in control of her own life.
    As if reading her mind, Royce said, ‘Keep in mind that the dynamic has changed.
I’m
involved now. That adds an entirely new dimension to the situation. The bottom line is that you don’t have to be scared any more. I won’t let anything happen to you. I’ll keep you safe.’
    Shara stared up at him, an emotion she couldn’t quite define sweeping through her. ‘I want to believe you. I really do. But you don’t know what he’s like.’
    Royce shrugged. ‘I don’t need to. I’ve dealt with some pretty tough characters in my life.’
    ‘Still—’
    ‘Still nothing. I’m an expert. Brady isn’t. He doesn’t stand a chance against me. I
will
protect you. That’s a promise.’
    Shara wanted to believe him. Wanted to believe him so badly that she could taste it.
    But that meant placing her trust in a complete stranger.
    Her trust
and
her safety.
    But what choice did she have?
    ‘Trust me,’ Royce urged, as if he sensed all the doubts swirling around in her head.
    She nodded her head jerkily.
    ‘Truce?’ Royce asked, holding out his hand.
    ‘Truce,’ Shara said, taking his hand.
    A tingle of something that felt very much like electricity shot up her arm. As it did so a disturbing thought jumped to the forefront of her brain.
    Royce might protect her from Steve, but who was going to protect her from Royce and the magnetism that had burst to life between them?
    Royce wanted Shara to return to the house with him, but she refused.
    ‘If you’re worried about your car, don’t be,’ he said. ‘I can have someone come and pick it up.’
    Shara shook her head. ‘Why put someone else to the trouble when I’m already here?’
    Why indeed?
    Royce had to admit that her attitude grated on him—but for all the right reasons.
    Fiona had had little or no respect for her father’s household staff. She’d dropped clothes willy-nilly on the floor and had left towels in the bathroom in much the same way.
    The fact that Shara hadn’t jumped at his suggestion hinted that she was different.
    It was only a little thing, admittedly, but Royce had learned that a person’s values were reflected in
everything
they did—both the big and the small.
    Shara’s response just didn’t gel with his initial impression of her.
    But then his impression of her was changing all the time, wasn’t it?
    When the household