The Tycoon's Blackmailed Mistress. Maxine Sullivan

was the smell of the exhaust fumes, that’s all,” she said, brushing some blond strands out of her eyes.

      Powerful relief filled him, followed by a burst of irritation. How could she take this so casually? He hated to think what may have happened if he hadn’t decided to come here today. No one would have heard her screams if that thug had roughed her up a little.

      Or a lot.

      He straightened, then impaled her with a stare. “You were taking your life in your hands with that idiot back there.”

      The pink in her cheeks reddened defensively. “His name was given to me by a friend.”

      His lip curled. “Terrific. The police will know exactly where to go after they find your mutilated body in Darwin Harbor. That’s if the crocodiles don’t get you first.”

      “Ever thought about writing bedtime books for children?” she mocked, sounding almost back to normal, if there even was such a thing as normal for her. She was the most ambiguous woman he’d ever met.

      And he was in no mood to appreciate a sense of humor right now. “People don’t always go around with Murderer tattooed on their foreheads.”

      She stirred uneasily, her beautiful face clouding over. “I wouldn’t have gone with him if I’d really felt threatened. I have my baby to protect.”

      Flynn’s eyes were drawn to where her hand rested on her stomach. He swallowed tightly, his gaze moving up and resting back on her face as he squashed the urge to pull her into his arms.

      “That guy wouldn’t have taken no for an answer,” he reiterated, knowing that if he got her in his arms he would shake her first. Then kiss her.

      Fear came and went in her eyes. “I know that now.”

      Some of the tension eased out of his shoulders but he still couldn’t let go of the suspicion that she’d do something foolish.

      “Why are you here, Flynn?”

      Absorbed in his angry thoughts, it was the sound of his name on her lips that broke through to him.

      But it was her words that reminded him of the paperwork inside his jacket…Reminded him that she’d do almost anything to get his attention. This was all about getting her own way. She was definitely high maintenance—in more ways than one.

      He smiled unpleasantly. “I’ve come to give you something.”

      She blinked warily. “You have?”