Runaway Lies by Shannon Curtis - Chapter Sampler

8/10/2019 Runaway Lies by Shannon Curtis - Chapter Sampler

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RunawayLies

SHANNON CURTIS

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First Published 2015

First Australian Paperback Edition 2015

ISBN 978 174356992 4

RUNAWAY LIES

2015 by Shannon Curtis

Australian Copyright 2015

New Zealand Copyright 2015

Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilisation of this work in whole or in

part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter

invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information

storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the permission of the publisher.

This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or other-

wise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the prior consent of the

publisher in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and

without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent

purchaser.

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product

of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual per-

sons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Published by

Harlequin Mira

An imprint of Harlequin Enterprises (Australia) Pty Ltd.

Level 4, 132 Arthur Street

NORTH SYDNEY NSW 2060AUSTRALIA

and TM are trademarks of Harlequin Enterprises Limited or its corporate affiliates.

Trademarks indicated with are registered in Australia, New Zealand and in other

countries.

Printed and bound in Australia by Griffin Press


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C H A P T E R

1

Shed gotten so good at deceit, she almost fell for her own lies.

Take this road trip, for instance. Darcy Montgomery could

almost believe it was a holiday.Almost.

She carelessly shooed some flies away from her face, then glancedbriefly at the map lying beside her on the bench seat. Her VW Kombi

van chugged along, finding every dip and pothole in the road. She

gritted her teeth at a particularly jarring bump, and her fingers slid to

her side. She could feel the raised skin beneath the thin fabric of her

T-shirt. Sudden movements still pulled at the scar, and this van pro-vided plenty of them. The map bounced and slid across the seat, and

she slapped her hand down to prevent it from slipping to the floor,

before returning her eyes to the road. By her reckoning, the next

town was about forty minutes or so down the road. She checked the

fuel gauge; she might make it, if she was lucky. It was a glorious day,though, so she would enjoy the trek if she ended up having to trudge

into town carrying a jerry can. See? Another lie thats almost convincing.


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2 S H A N N O N C U R T I S

Tall gum trees whizzed past, and she caught an occasional

glimpse of the grey-brown of the Hawkesbury River as she drove

along Wisemans Ferry Road. Sweat trickled down the side of her

face and along her neck, and she blinked, momentarily catching

sight of herself in the rear-vision mirror. Damn she still started at

her own reflection. The brown hair, the brown eyes: they were still

a shock, especially in the middle of the night when she saw herself

in the stained mirror of an amenities block at whatever caravan park

she was camping in, only half awake.

She blinked again. Her contacts were getting itchy. She had to

force herself not to rub them. She might have to swap them out

from the supply she kept in her duffel bag. Shed need to stick

with the brown, though. Brown eyes. Brown hair. Brown blechitty

brown. Shed paid a fortune for her new ID, and Doc, the scary-

looking bouncer from Kings Cross whod turned out to be quite

sweet and great at his second job had insisted on giving her a

new look. For the present, she was stuck with it. The sweat and

the fact she was wearing the contacts longer and more often than

was recommended was beginning to take its toll, though. Her eyeswere red rimmed, and for once it wasnt from crying.

The weather had brought many of the native flora into bloom,

including variegated lantana and the occasional jasmine, and the

brilliant colours brought a smile to her face. Cicadas whined, and

she turned her face so the hot breeze coming in from her windowcould brush the hair out of her eyes. The only issue with the vehicle

was the air-conditioning or rather, the lack of it. She inhaled,

almost tasting the sunshine and cloying jasmine the heat.

She shifted gears, wincing at the grating noise as she wrestled

with a gearstick older than she was. She hoped to hell it lasted thenext two months. She couldnt afford a trip to the mechanic. Hell,

she couldnt afford a hamburger. Her lips lifted in a wry smile.


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R U N A W A Y L I E S 3

There was a time when shed dined out every other night. Now she

saved up for the day-old bread and the cheese on special. Thinking

back to those restaurant nights, she could barely believe shed been

so frivolous.

She checked her rear-vision mirror again. She hadnt seen many

cars, and definitely no cops one of the reasons why shed selected

this longer, less-travelled route in the first place. New Years Eve,

and the cops were out in force on all the major roads. Her ID

should pass a rudimentary inspection shed paid enough for it

but she didnt want to put it to the test with highway patrol if she

could avoid it. Doc had set her up beautifully, giving her enough

for a hundred-point ID reference, but his last words to her had

become her mantra: Keep a low profile. Thats what she had to do.

Be invisible.

All those people getting out and about, driving down to Sydney

for the New Years Eve fireworks, or to the local bays or wher-

ever the local councils had organised their own firework display to

ring in the new year, made her think of her family. Christmas had

totally sucked. Shed never once considered what it must be liketo spend the holiday alone. No exchanging of gifts, no squeals of

delight at getting something you really, really wanted or offering

a polite smile to an aunt for a present you were sure youd given to

your cousin for her wedding, or unwrapping that bread maker you

would never use, but for some reason your brother thought was thebest thing since well, since sliced bread.

She sniffed. No stuffing yourself until you joined the rest of the

family passed out on the lounge in their self-induced food comas.

No stumbling over shredded wrapping paper or getting blinded by

the Christmas tree lights, no tinsel shedding over the rest of thehouse. No smiling through a hangover wince as your niece and

nephew made so much noise they could wake the dead.


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No. This year Christmas was spent in the back of the Kombi in a

sporting field where there was a toilet block, a power point and no

charge for parking overnight.

Next year will be so much better, damn it.

The narrow road twisted and turned, meandering alongside the

river, brushing past small rural holdings, the occasional ramshackle

cottage, and the sturdier riverside holiday homes of the area. The

van was taking the turns well, and she still marvelled at her good

fortune at finding such a bargain. Sure, it looked like a throwback

from a 1960s Cliff Richard movie, and she wasnt sure if the exterior

colour a repulsive shade reminiscent of a babys used nappy was

supposed to be yellow, green or brown, but the van was comfort-

able, and her home on the road. As long as it didnt die on her.

Her fingers beat a tattoo on the steering wheel in time to

the INXS song playing on the radio as she passed a turnoff for the

Dharug National Park. Driving along a scenic country road, the

wind in her hair and no set time to be anywhere, she could almost

pretend she was on holidays.

She sighed. Two months, thats all. Just eight more weeks. Thenmaybe everything could return to normal. Well, except for the job.

Shed still be unemployed. Her knuckles whitened as she clenched

the steering wheel.

No. She was going to focus on the positive. She had a chance to

get out and travel, to see some of the country, experience newexperiences. Yeah. Fun.

Her grip slowly relaxed. When was the last time shed had

some fun? She hummed along to the music and eased her foot off

the accelerator as she approached a bend. Yeah. This was the life.

Cruising the back roads, campingA red car rounded the bend in front of her, coming towards her

at high speed and veering across the middle of the narrow road.


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Darcy swerved, her foot stomping on the brake. Her van shud-

dered, the rear beginning to fishtail as the other car zipped past,

narrowly avoiding a collision.

The campervan jerked to a stop diagonally across the width of

the road.

Freakin hell. Idiot!

She glared in the rear-vision mirror, eyes wide, trembling, wait-

ing for the car to appear through the gap in the trees as it came out

of the bend behind her. Leaves and branches flew up at the side of

the road, and a couple of trees shook. One slowly fell.

Where was the car? She turned around and looked out the back

window of the van. She could see pockets of the road winding

behind her, and she kept scanning, trying to calculate its speed and

distance. She couldnt see it. Just a bunch of disturbed leaves at the

side of the road, slowly drifting back down to the ground.

Oh, heck. She swallowed as suspicions rose in her mind. She

revved the engine, jerking the gearstick into reverse and backing

up the road. The van made a high-pitched whining sound and the

rubber tyres screeched on the asphalt. Heck, heck, heck.There. Two furrows in the soft dirt on the side of the road. She

slammed on the brakes, reefing up the handbrake as she jumped

from the rocking campervan. She ran to the edge of the road. There

was maybe a metre of shoulder before the terrain dropped away to

the river. Trees and bushes between the road and the river weredamaged, some lay on their sides, others were completely uprooted,

as though something large and heavy had gone through there.

She gasped. There it was. The red boot of the car was still visible

above the water, but it was sinking fast.

Oh, hell. Darcy ran back to her van and reached in for her handbag.Rummaging through the contents, she finally found the mobile phone

she kept for emergencies. This sure as hell qualified as an emergency.


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She punched the buttons on the phone and waited anxiously as

she crossed back to the edge of the road.

Triple 0, please state your emergency: fire, police or ambulance?

Hurry! A cars gone off the road, she cried. She shifted her

weight from one foot to the other.

Where are you, maam?

Oh, great, where the hell am I?Uh, Wisemans Ferry Road, Darcy

said. About half an hour out of Wisemans Ferry, close to Gunder-

man. God, this was going to take too long. Send the ambulance,

send oh, just send everyone.

Bubbles erupted around the car, as though an air pocket had

dislodged.

She dropped the phone back onto the drivers seat and started

slipping and sliding down the embankment, praying as she went.

Please let them be okay. Please.

But nobody had surfaced yet.

Heart pounding, branches snatching at her hair, face and arms,

she battled her way through the broken underbrush, gritting her

teeth, her brief denim shorts providing no protection from thebranches, until she reached the waters edge.

Hang on, she cried out. Im coming. Could they hear her? She

hoped they could, hoped they knew that help was on the way, and

to hang on just a little longer. She didnt even know how many

people were in the car.Taking several deep breaths, she ran into the river, gasping as the

cool water embraced first her sneaker-clad feet and shins, then crept

higher to her hips. It was so hot outside the water felt almost ice

cold by contrast. She struck out towards the sinking car. Now only

part of the bumper was visible above the water.She inhaled, held her breath, then dived under the water. It was

so dark and cloudy. She blinked, and her vision cleared, but only


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slightly. The car had stirred up a lot of sediment. She squinted

through the dark water.

She could vaguely see the bulk of the car. The drivers door was

open, the interior completely filled with water. The front of the car

was sinking faster. She swam to the drivers door, her pulse ham-

mering in her ears. She tried to mentally prepare herself for what

she might see. She leaned in.

The seat was empty.

The driver must have been thrown clear or been wrenched away

by the current. She peered past the murky outline of the front seats.

Two little figures sat suspended in the backseat, tethered by their

seatbelts.

Bubbles escaped Darcys nose and mouth as she gasped at the

sight, taking in water. Her lungs burned. She needed air. She kicked

up, using her arms to drag her up in great sweeping strokes. Her

head broke the surface, and she opened her mouth, coughing and

gasping for breath.

Oh God, no. Please, no. She took a couple of deep, dragging

breaths, conscious of time ticking away. Theyd been under for acouple of minutes already.

She dived beneath the water again, swimming desperately down

to the dark shape of the car. She went through the drivers door,

manoeuvring herself between the two front seats. All the while

she was conscious of the car still moving in the water, loweringto the bottom of the river, but shifting as the current tugged at it.

She got one leg over the central console, then her hips and the

other leg, twisting awkwardly. She turned to face the rear of the car.

Two children, a boy and a girl, eyes closed and limbs lax, trapped

in the rear seat. The girls hair hung like a cloud of dark seaweedaround her face. The boys features were relaxed, pale. They were

so little, so young.


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Using both hands simultaneously, she depressed the central

buttons on their harnesses. The buttons released, but she had to

struggle to get their arms and legs out. They both wore clothing

that snagged and hindered her efforts.

She finally freed one. The boy. He floated above her in the car

as she fumbled with the girls seatbelt. Darcys lungs were on fire.

She could hear her pulse again in her ears, feel it in her chest as

it boomed, louder, more desperately. Her vision was getting grey

around the edges. She needed air.

No, not until shes free.The girls dress caught on the belt, and Darcy

tugged fiercely, a precious air bubble escaping her lips as she almost

sobbed with relief when the little girl finally came free. She grabbed

the collars of both, and dragged them back through the space between

the front seats, and out through the drivers door.

Clutching the tiny bodies close to her chest, she kicked strongly

to the surface again. God, she hoped she was going in the right

direction. She was dizzy, and she desperately wanted to suck in a

breath. Her chest was burning, struggling against her mental com-

mands to not breathe.Her head broke the surface, and she leaned back, taking deep,

dragging breaths as she pulled both children up onto her chest and

shoulders, making sure their faces were above the water. Once shed

caught her breath, she took turns exhaling first into one childs

mouth then the other as she treaded water, drifting with the current.Breathe. Please, breathe.

She shifted the kids, moving them over to her right side. Using

her left arm in an exhausted sidestroke, she swam to shore, kick-

ing as hard as her weak legs would allow. She tried to maintain the

rescue breathing, but it was awkward and cumbersome. Theydbeen under water for a while, she wasnt sure exactly how long. She

knew she had to get them breathing as soon as possible.


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The current was insistent, trying to drag her further out into the

river. She let it pull her along for a moment, angling herself across it

so that she could finally grab at some of the mangrove limbs along

the edge. She caught one, slipped, grabbed and held the next one.

The sudden stop wrenched her arm, and she cried out at the arrow

of pain that pierced her shoulder and side.

Her arm trembling, she bunched her bicep, and tried to pull herself

in. Pain made tears well in her eyes, and she blinked furiously to clear

her vision. She couldnt let these kids down. They were depending

on her. She wasnt going to let anybody else down, not again.

That thought scorched through her, fuelling her determination,

and she kicked hard, gritting her teeth against the burn in her arm

and side.

The river bottom brushed her knees, mangrove roots and

submerged branches scratching at her, and she sobbed in relief.

Crawling out of the water, she pulled the children along with her.

As soon as she could, she lowered the children onto the muddy

bank.

Pinching the boys nose closed, she breathed into his mouth.Paused. Breathed again. She rose up onto her knees, and tried to

position her hands the way shed been taught in that first aid course

that her father had insisted she do a couple of years ago. Her left

arm wouldnt cooperate, sharp pain searing across her shoulder each

time she tried to lift it. Counting under her breath, she rapidlypressed down on the little chest with just one hand, trying not to

break any bones as she did so. She stopped compressions, pinched

his nose and exhaled into his mouth.

He spluttered. Started to cough. She turned his head to the side

as mouthfuls of dirty river water expelled from his lungs.Youre okay, she said, her voice raspy and relieved. Its okay,

youre safe.


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She turned her attention to the girl as the boy heaved and retched

alongside her.

Oh God, please be okay.She repeated the process, pinching the

nostrils together, breathing into the little mouth, and counting out

compressions. Her arms were trembling, and each time she pressed

it felt like she was being stabbed in her shoulder and lanced down

her side.

The girl wasnt responding.

Come on, sweetie, open your eyes. She kept her voice calm,

gentle.

The boy was crying now, and still coughing up little spurts of

water.

Come on, darling. Darcy kept going with the compressions,

stopping every now and then to breathe into the girls airway.

Sirens wailed, and she sobbed with relief. She looked up, still

pressing down on the girls sternum, cringing when she felt a faint

crack. Yes, their rescuers should be able to see them from the road.

Theyd drifted downstream, but not too far.

Tears tracked down her face as she turned her eyes back to the girl.Come on, damn it! This time her voice was harsh with despera-

tion and fear.

The girl coughed. Darcy gasped, and quickly rolled the child to

her side as she gagged on the water spewing from her lungs.

Warm tears tracked down Darcys cheeks as she rubbed the girlsback. Its okay, sweetie, youre fine. She looked at the boy, who lay

in a huddled heap, crying. She reached over to touch his shoulder.

Youre both fine, she murmured, a reassuring smile on her face.

M-m-mummy, the boy whispered hoarsely, and the word

sucked her vision into a long tunnel as she glanced back up theriver, to where she knew a red car sat below the surface. There was

no sign of the driver. Where was their mother?


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C H A P T E R

2

Calm down, Dom. Alex spoke to him in a soothing voice. Theyre

okay, you heard what the doctors said.

Dominic St James realised his hands were fisted, and consciously

relaxed them as he and Alex Knight, his friend and security advisor,strode down the hospital corridor towards his childrens room, their

shoes clacking softly against the linoleum. He wanted to burst in

there, wanted to make sure his kids were okay. Wanted to throttle

someone, too, but mostly just wanted to hug his kids. The hospital

halls were long and cool, a marked difference to the muggy heatoutside, despite the fact the sun had sunk below the horizon. Tinsel

was tacked along the walls, the foil strands fluttering in the streams

of air-conditioned breezes. Coloured baubles were hooked at nearly

regular intervals, with no discernible colour scheme. The tacky

decorations seemed almost crass under the circumstances. Thesharp scent of antiseptic set his teeth on edge. He hated hospitals.

And his kids were in here, somewhere.


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How the hell did this happen? He growled the words when he

wanted to roar them instead.

Alex grimaced. Theyre still investigating the scene of the acci-

dent, and theyve only just managed to winch the car out. Its still

too soon for answers.

As soon as anything comes to light, I want to know. What about

Ava? His ex-wife was still missing. What a nightmare. Poor Ava.

Shed been swept away by the current. Despite their differences and

the manipulative games shed played during the divorce, he hadnt

wished his ex-wife harm. He blinked. What a bloody mess. And it

was all his fault. Those damn letters

They havent found her yet, and theyve had to stop the search

because its too dark. Theyll resume again at first light tomorrow.

He glanced at his friend. Do you think shes still alive?

Alex met his look with a steady one of his own, his green gaze seri-

ous. Its been a few hours, and the water is cool. I dont like to say it,

Dom, but the longer shes missing, the odds of her survival decrease.

Dom nodded. Alex always gave it to him straight it was one of

the reasons he valued their friendship. There were a lot of peoplearound him who would say whatever it was they thought he wanted

to hear, but Alex was always brutally honest.

They stopped in front of room 513, and Dom nodded at the

police officer who stood guard before peering through the glass

panel in the door. His four-year-old twins lay sleeping, slight andvulnerable in their beds. He reached for the door handle and hesi-

tated. His hand was shaking. He took a deep breath.

God, hed come so close to losing his family again. Dark mem-

ories rose, and he shoved them viciously aside. This isnt the same,

damn it.He tried to vanquish the instinctive fear by taking comfortin the thought. A movement inside the room caught his eye, and

he stiffened.


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A woman wearing hospital scrubs was sleeping in a chair off to

the side. He couldnt see much of her, as her bobbed brown hair

covered most of her face, but his gaze was drawn to the sling encas-

ing her left arm, and the pillow between her arm and chest. Her

other hand lay on Julias bed. Who the hell was she, and what was

she doing in his kids room? Hed ordered tight security.

Who is she?

Alex peered through the panel and frowned. I dont know.

Thats Miss McKenzie, the police officer told them quietly as he

came up behind them and glanced over their shoulders. Shes the

one who pulled your children out of the river, Mr St James.

Dominic stared at the woman inside the room with new interest.

She did, huh? She seemed slight, slender, all scrunched up in the

seat as though it was difficult to find a comfortable spot. Yet shed

been strong enough to haul two children out of a sinking car.

Yes, sir. Shes the one who saw the accident and called it in. The

young officer stared at the sleeping woman. It took us a while to

access the registration and run the plates, and we called as soon as

we could track you down. Your children were getting a little anx-ious, so once Miss McKenzie was treated she stayed with them. The

police officer shuddered. Shes got a dislocated shoulder. Nearly

lost my lunch watching them put it back into place. Anyway, shes

pretty much been with your kids since, except for her X-rays.

Dominic eyed the woman. Her hair was a mess, knotted andlimp, and the scrubs looked about two sizes too big for her. Both

he and Alex had been briefed by the sergeant on the way from the

helipad. The woman had jumped in after the sinking car an act

of bravery he could barely believe had come from a stranger. The

strain in his shoulders eased. That woman had saved his kids.Im so sorry about your wife, Mr St James.

Ex-wife. He nodded. Whats your name?


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Im Probationary Constable Jack Ellison. I was one of the first

responders to the scene, sir. My partner and I interviewed Miss

McKenzie and your kids.

Well want to talk with you in a little while, then, Alex said.

The young constable nodded. We want to talk to you, too. Take

your time, Mr St James, Ill wait out here until youre finished.

Dominic nodded briefly. Im going to stay with my kids for a

while. Make sure securitys tight. I dont want the press anywhere

near my family.

Once the media learned that the children of Dominic St James

had been involved in a car accident, the vultures would descend. He

knew he couldnt hold them off forever, but the longer he delayed

the frenzy, the stronger his kids would be to weather the scandal to

come. At the moment, Jonah and Julia were all that mattered.

Sure thing.

Dominic opened the door and slipped into the room. Alex

remained outside, talking quietly with the constable. They were

sleeping, Jonah, Julia, and what was her name? McKenzie?

He shoved his hands deep into his trouser pockets, staring athis children. Their dark hair was a stark contrast against their pale

skin, although Jonahs cheeks were beginning to show some colour.

Julia, on the other hand, lay so still, so pale. He eyed her closely,

and nearly cried with relief when he saw the tiny rise and fall of her

chest. The doctor had told him that shed received two cracked ribs,and had swallowed a considerable amount of water, and that there

was still a risk of secondary drowning for both of them.

Hed almost lost them. He squeezed his eyes shut. He wanted

to pull his son and daughter out of bed, hold them, never let them

go. Damn. He had money. Any equipment this hospital needed,hed already approved the purchase and delivery of. But sickness

and injury had a way of levelling the playing field. His childrens


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survival would have nothing to do with how much money he threw

around. It was out of his hands, and he hated it. Hed have to wait

and see. God, how he hated those words. Wait and see. His children

were hooked up to monitors, the annoying beeps like sandpaper

along his nerves. And there was nothing he could do to make them

better. A waiting game. Frustration chafed at him. He didnt like

feeling helpless, feeling vulnerable.

But his kids were alive, and there was nothing he wouldnt do to

keep it that way.

They were so lucky. He was so lucky. He opened his eyes and

glanced at the sleeping woman in the chair next to Julias bed.

He owed her.

Whatever it took, he would repay that debt.

He stepped forwards to grasp Julias hand, to reassure himself that

she was still breathing, her heart was still beating. Her tiny hand was

cool to the touch. He stared at the chubby fingers he held, as though

he could will life and strength into them. He was here now, and

he would do whatever he could to make sure she and her brother

thrived.The woman stirred in the chair, her head lolling back against the

headrest. The brown mess of hair fell away from her face, and her

eyelids fluttered. Opened. Grey eyes, red-rimmed and bloodshot,

met his.

Darcy blinked. A tall figure stood over the girl, Julia. She stiff-

ened, and then forced herself to relax as pain radiated down her

arm. In the soft light from above the hospital beds she could tell

he wasnt a doctor. For a moment shed thought but no, she was

safe. He wore an expensive business suit that looked tailor made;too expensive for the staff in this small regional hospital, too broad

in the shoulders to be bought off the rack. The mans blue stare was


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intense, his handsome features drawn into an expression of grim

determination. He wore power like an exclusive cologne: subtle,

seductive, mingling with his own essence until it became a part of

him. Harsh and handsome. Attracted, yet wary, Darcys protective

radar clicked into action at the same time as her feminine core. She

didnt like surprises, and this guy had appeared out of nowhere.

He was big, taller than her own five-foot-nine height, with a

deep, broad chest that suggested a brutal strength. He was fierce,

gorgeous, yet vaguely familiar. He held the sleeping girls tiny hand,

his own looking large and powerful. Darcy sat up, wincing as the

movement jarred her shoulder. He tracked the movement with his

eyes, assessing and alert.

Thank you, Miss McKenzie.

His voice was low, yet she had no trouble hearing him. She

frowned in confusion, trying to prod her sluggish brain into action.

McKenzie? Who the hell Oh, right. Her new name. She should be

used to it by now. Shed learned to keep her first name, otherwise

she forgot to respond, but being spoken to so politely, she had to

mentally shift gears. She stared up at the man. She knew shednever met him, but he looked so

Dominic St James, she blurted, surprise pitching her whisper

louder than shed intended. Little Jonah stirred in his sleep.Holy

crap. She blinked again, her eyes sore and scratchy.

He nodded. You saved my children, Jonah and Julia.Her gaze swept from him to the children and back again. There

was a definite resemblance. The dark hair, the blue eyes, the bone

structure that looked fine and delicate on Julia, and just a touch

more resolute on Jonah.

Damn. The word escaped her lips, and his dark eyebrows rose.Er, I mean, yes, she finished lamely as she tried not to show her

panic. Dominic friggin St James.


20/23


The man was one of the wealthiest on the planet. Property devel-

oper, entrepreneur and perpetual playboy, his handsome features

graced the covers of any number of business magazines and he was

handsome, which meant he graced a good many other magazines as

well. Reformed adrenalin junkie, now model father, the man was

one of the most renowned and recognised faces of modern business.

Crap. The man was a media magnet. She had to get out of here.

I owe you a huge debt. You saved my family. His voice was tender.

Those magazines didnt do him justice. Dark hair, bright blue

gaze and a face that would have looked very pretty-boy if it werent

for the determination and ruthless drive that showed in the faint

lines at the corners of his eyes, the grooves on either side of his

mouth and in the darker shadows under his eyes. All good looks

aside, there was something about him, something arresting, that

seemed to come from within. Charisma. You either had it, or you

didnt, and Dominic St James had it in spades.

And he thought he owed her a debt?

Uh, look, it was nothing.

He glanced at the two sleeping children who looked so muchlike him, and his lips curved as he turned back to her. I assure you,

its not nothing. I see youve hurt yourself. He gestured to the sling.

She waved with her good hand. Oh, this? This is nothing. A

slight sprain, thats all. A dislocated shoulder, torn muscles and

damaged tendons, actually. Hurt like the blazes.He nodded. Still, youre injured. And my children are alive,

thanks to you. I want you to know that well look after you. All

hospital costs, anything.

She hadnt thought of the bill. The paperwork. This was getting

worse. One thing she hadnt bought was a Medicare card. Thatsnot necessary. There would be questions. God, she could only

imagine the attention that would come her way if she allowed him


21/23


to look after her tempting though the thought of relinquishing

her control and anxiety into anothers keeping was, even if just for

a moment, just to have a rest, it wasnt an option. She ducked her

head. Shed lost her contacts in the river. She needed to sneak the

hell out of here before someone started to put two and two together

and figured out who she was.

How can I possibly repay you? Please, its the least I can do.

Forget I exist.Anyone in my position would have done the same.

Its been my experience that not everybody helps when given

the opportunity.

She wondered what had made him so cynical that hed think not

everybody would rush to save children at risk.

Daddy?

They turned to Julia. Dominic leaned over her bed and smiled

down at his daughter.

Hey, darlin. How are you feeling?

Darcy noticed how the genuine smile relaxed his features. Nope,

those magazines definitely didnt do the man justice. The man of

industry seemed to melt away.Im sore, the little girl rasped, tears welling in her eyes, mak-

ing them look bigger and bluer, giving her a vulnerability that had

Darcy wanting to reach out and comfort the poor dear.

Dominic gently hugged his daughter, careful of her injuries, the

ones Darcy had given her during her resuscitation efforts and whichnow made Darcy feel like a big, lumbering monster. She looked

away. It was an intimate moment, and she felt like an intruder.

I should get going, she murmured, levering herself in the chair

until she could stand. Her arm throbbed, every breath burned

down her side, her eyes were stinging and she just wanted to curlup somewhere and sleep. Maybe cry.

No, Julia cried, and Jonah startled awake.


22/23


Hey, hush, its okay, honey. Your dads here, now.

Dont go, Darcy! This time it was Jonah who protested.

Darcy, huh? Dominic repeated the name, as though trying it

on for size. Darcy pasted a smile on her face. Yes, it sounded lovely

when he said it, because everything this man did would end up

being lovely and seductive, but she didnt want any more attention

on her name, on her.

Please stay, said Julia, her blue eyes welling with tears.

Darcy struggled against her own tears. The pain medication

must be wearing off. These kids were so sweet. Shed ridden with

them in the ambulance. Shed sung to them, kept one occupied

while the doctors checked over the other. Shed only left them

to change out of her sodden and muddy clothes, and when shed

received treatment for her own injuries. Thank goodness that had

been done away from the kids. Shed screamed like a banshee when

theyd manipulated her arm back into its socket.

Shed watched over them, felt responsible for them, but now it

was time to hand them over to the care of their father. Their rich,

famous father.I really have to go, she told them quietly.

Miss McKenzie needs to rest, too, Dominic told his children.

Dont worry, youll see her tomorrow.

Sure, she lied, smiling brightly. She started backing towards the

door. Ill see you tomorrow, she whispered, blinking away tears. Shemust be tired. Sore and tired. Probably slightly in shock, too. Sure, shed

shared a life-changing experience with these kids, but she shouldnt

feel this sort of attachment to them, not after such a short time. She

glanced at Dominic, and realised he was staring at her intently.

No, she shouldnt feel this sort of attachment. Not for these kids.His kids. She had to maintain her distance, maintain her disguise.

That was critical.


23/23


Gnight, she said softly. Goodbye.The kids waved weakly from

their beds.

Gnight, Dominic replied, his blue gaze enigmatic.

Run. Just damn, he really is gorgeous. No. Run.

She backed out of the door and closed it gently. She sniffed. Those

kids. Theyd lost their mother. Tears tracked down her cheeks. She

knew what it was like to be old enough to realise Mum was gone,

and young enough for the fact to scare the hell out of her. These

beautiful darlings were half the age shed been when her mother

had died, and they had lost their mother under the most awful

circumstances. She didnt hold much hope that the woman had

survived, not if she hadnt been found yet. She wanted to go back

in there and cuddle the children, tell them that in time, it wouldnt

hurt so much.

She sucked in a breath. It wasnt her place. She had to leave. Had

to get back on the road, put some distance between herself and

what would surely become a major news story. If she was still here

when the media arrived, Mark might find out. And if Mark found

her, then the last four months of running, of hiding, of watchingpeople die it would all be for nothing.

She had to get the hell out of here.

Documents

Runaway Lies by Shannon Curtis - Chapter Sampler