powerful father, what chance would she have?
Would Justin believe her if she contacted him and told him what happened? Yeah, pigs would fly first. She was ordinary, Owen one of Justin’s kind, wealthy, ruthless, a law unto themselves, and to hell with anyone else.
If Owen accused her of attacking him, she might even go to jail. What would happen to Lilly? Owen Hamilton was a sexual predator of the worst kind, but she couldn’t prove it.
He knew he wouldn’t get caught. How many other vulnerable women had he tried to attack? Plenty most probably, but none of them would have reported him. She didn’t want the despicable bully to get away with it, but Lilly remained her first priority. She couldn’t run the risk of the welfare people getting involved, accusing her of being an unfit mother and taking Lilly away.
Blinking back frightened tears, she clutched her handbag a little tighter, took several shuddering breaths to steady herself before slowly making her tortuous way to ‘The Teddy Bears’ Picnic.’
***
Justin strolled into Glen Fern hospital. He wanted to see Holly again to apologize for his over-the-top reaction after the charity dinner. He had tried to ring her at Mrs. Harris’ on several occasions, but the number always rang out. He desperately wanted to invite her out again. He missed her more than he cared to admit even to himself. Hell, to be honest, he hadn’t been able to get her out of his mind.
There was something special about Holly. Honest, gutsy and beautiful - - she had just about restored his faith in women and made him believe there might still be some decent ones left.
He would check in with Owen first to ascertain which department Holly worked in. No point in advertising his interest to all and sundry. And he was interested. Oh God, was he interested. She intruded on his thoughts during the day, and peppered his dreams at night.
Nodding to the girl at reception, he pressed the elevator button and waited. He couldn’t believe the excitement churning around in his stomach and the way his heart pounded. He felt like a schoolboy going out on his first hot date.
Owen lounged in his chair but sprung to his feet when Justin entered. “Justin Devereux! What brings you here?”
“Just passing, thought I’d check up on Holly Kirwan.”
“She doesn’t work here anymore.”
Justin’s stomach dropped. Had his boorish behavior driven her away? “Why did she leave?”
“She propositioned me after being here a couple of weeks.”
“What!” He couldn’t believe his ears.
“Said she wanted more money. Stood in the same spot as you’re standing now and offered me oral sex.”
The breath whooshed from Justin’s lungs. He almost doubled over with the pain of betrayal. It felt like a rusty knife slowly paring away his guts. It couldn’t be true, yet why would Owen lie? He hardly knew the man, but his father epitomized honesty and integrity.
He had fallen for the grieving widow bit hook, line and sinker. She probably hadn’t given a damn about her husband either. No, her grief had been real, her devotion to Lilly real, but he had made a huge mistake in thinking she might be attracted to him. Deluded himself into thinking she cared. Read in her eyes what wasn’t really there. In reality she only wanted to get money out of him like all the other women he knew. He suddenly remembered with a sickening surge her vow to do anything, legal or otherwise, for Lilly
“I’m sorry, Justin, I would have ignored it, but a few days later, one of the relieving radiographers complained about her offering him sex for fifty dollars. I had to fire her.”
Justin turned on his heel and strode out of the office. Never again would he trust a woman, treacherous, conniving liars. He had been a fool to think Holly might be any different from the rest of her sex. Didn’t he ever learn?
He couldn’t believe how much her betrayal hurt. It damn near killed him. He would never fully recover from
Would Justin believe her if she contacted him and told him what happened? Yeah, pigs would fly first. She was ordinary, Owen one of Justin’s kind, wealthy, ruthless, a law unto themselves, and to hell with anyone else.
If Owen accused her of attacking him, she might even go to jail. What would happen to Lilly? Owen Hamilton was a sexual predator of the worst kind, but she couldn’t prove it.
He knew he wouldn’t get caught. How many other vulnerable women had he tried to attack? Plenty most probably, but none of them would have reported him. She didn’t want the despicable bully to get away with it, but Lilly remained her first priority. She couldn’t run the risk of the welfare people getting involved, accusing her of being an unfit mother and taking Lilly away.
Blinking back frightened tears, she clutched her handbag a little tighter, took several shuddering breaths to steady herself before slowly making her tortuous way to ‘The Teddy Bears’ Picnic.’
***
Justin strolled into Glen Fern hospital. He wanted to see Holly again to apologize for his over-the-top reaction after the charity dinner. He had tried to ring her at Mrs. Harris’ on several occasions, but the number always rang out. He desperately wanted to invite her out again. He missed her more than he cared to admit even to himself. Hell, to be honest, he hadn’t been able to get her out of his mind.
There was something special about Holly. Honest, gutsy and beautiful - - she had just about restored his faith in women and made him believe there might still be some decent ones left.
He would check in with Owen first to ascertain which department Holly worked in. No point in advertising his interest to all and sundry. And he was interested. Oh God, was he interested. She intruded on his thoughts during the day, and peppered his dreams at night.
Nodding to the girl at reception, he pressed the elevator button and waited. He couldn’t believe the excitement churning around in his stomach and the way his heart pounded. He felt like a schoolboy going out on his first hot date.
Owen lounged in his chair but sprung to his feet when Justin entered. “Justin Devereux! What brings you here?”
“Just passing, thought I’d check up on Holly Kirwan.”
“She doesn’t work here anymore.”
Justin’s stomach dropped. Had his boorish behavior driven her away? “Why did she leave?”
“She propositioned me after being here a couple of weeks.”
“What!” He couldn’t believe his ears.
“Said she wanted more money. Stood in the same spot as you’re standing now and offered me oral sex.”
The breath whooshed from Justin’s lungs. He almost doubled over with the pain of betrayal. It felt like a rusty knife slowly paring away his guts. It couldn’t be true, yet why would Owen lie? He hardly knew the man, but his father epitomized honesty and integrity.
He had fallen for the grieving widow bit hook, line and sinker. She probably hadn’t given a damn about her husband either. No, her grief had been real, her devotion to Lilly real, but he had made a huge mistake in thinking she might be attracted to him. Deluded himself into thinking she cared. Read in her eyes what wasn’t really there. In reality she only wanted to get money out of him like all the other women he knew. He suddenly remembered with a sickening surge her vow to do anything, legal or otherwise, for Lilly
“I’m sorry, Justin, I would have ignored it, but a few days later, one of the relieving radiographers complained about her offering him sex for fifty dollars. I had to fire her.”
Justin turned on his heel and strode out of the office. Never again would he trust a woman, treacherous, conniving liars. He had been a fool to think Holly might be any different from the rest of her sex. Didn’t he ever learn?
He couldn’t believe how much her betrayal hurt. It damn near killed him. He would never fully recover from
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