Only the thought of revenge had sustained him, giving him something to live for. After his run-in with Power he’d immediately dropped out of his law degree and taken a job as a real-estate salesman, luckily finding a position in a premier agency in Sydney’s exclusive eastern suburbs. Over the next few years, he’d spent a lot less time with his friends—and even less with girls— channelling all his energies into becoming rich enough to have the weapons to ruin Alistair Power.
At the age of thirty-six, he was Sydney’s most successful real-estate agent, owning several businesses in the best Sydney suburbs, plus a personal portfolio of property to rival the wealthiest in Australia, a portfolio which now included one of Sydney’s most photographed homes.
Russell realised, as he turned and strode under the covered portico, that the media were sure to get hold of the news that he’d bought this place. Such purchases were news. For a split-second, he considered doing what he’d never done before: give an interview to a journalist in the vain hope that Power might read it and finally connect the Russell McClain of McClain Real Estate with that long-haired youth who’d threatened vengeance all those years ago.
Waste of time, Russell decided as he slotted the key into the brass lock of the double front doors. Because Power wouldn’t make the connection. They’d already met again—over a property deal—and there’d not been a hint of recognition in Power’s face. It seemed men without consciences didn’t remember their victims for long. Possibly because there were too many of them.
What a cold-blooded bastard!
As Russell pushed open the heavy front doors and stepped into the cavernous foyer of the house, a surprising sound met his ears.
Singing.
Startled, he stood stock-still and listened.
Yes. Someone was singing somewhere upstairs—a woman.
Russell frowned. Could it be a radio, perhaps left playing by the cleaning service which the bank said had serviced the place yesterday?
No, it wasn’t a radio, he quickly deduced, the voice having no instrumental backing.
Someone was in his house, someone who shouldn’t be there. And they were upstairs, singing.
Russell knew exactly who it was.
A squatter.
It was a scenario not unfamiliar to him.
People would be amazed at how often empty homes were squatted in, even ones as lavish as this. It didn’t matter how much security you had, how high the walls were or how many locks you had—these street-smart scroungers found a way in.
Russell planned his course of action as he made his way quietly up the curving staircase to the first floor.
Often there was a whole group of them, usually junkies. Sometimes, however, it was just some runaway looking for a place to sleep. Or to shower.
He suspected this might be the latter.
When Russell reached the first landing, he could hear the faint hiss of water running as well as the singing. It sounded as if she was in the shower. He moved across the wide, carpeted landing to the door straight in front of him. Very carefully, he turned the knob and popped his head in.
No, not in here, Russell quickly deduced.
He shook his head as he glanced around what had to be the master bedroom. Power certainly hadn’t stinted on the decor. Even if the French-style furniture was reproduction, it must still have cost a packet. So had the movie-size television screen built into the wall opposite the foot of the bed.
Russell’s eyebrows lifted. Maybe twenty million was a bargain price for this place. The contents alone were worth a small fortune. It must have hurt Power to leave it all behind.
He sure as hell hoped so.
It pained him that Power would probably never know who had bought his house. It pained him even more that he would never be able to have a more personal revenge on the man.
Maybe he would gain some more satisfaction when he actually moved in, which he fully intended to do tomorrow.
But, first, he had to turf out his unwelcome guest.
Shutting the door, he moved along the corridor to his left where he popped his head in the next door.
It was another bedroom, very pretty and very feminine.
The queen-sized bed had obviously been slept in, the gold satin quilt thrown back, the pillows crumpled.
The sound of water running was definitely louder in there, though the singing had suddenly stopped. Slipping inside, Russell made his way silently across the room, noting the bundle of cheap-looking clothes thrown carelessly on the floor next to the bed.
He shook his head at the sight. The hide of this woman!
When he reached what he presumed was the bathroom door he considered knocking first, but decided against giving this bold interloper any warning.
Too bad if she was stark naked, he decided angrily as he reached for the door knob. Squatters didn’t deserve any consideration or respect.
Without thinking of the possible consequences of his actions, Russell turned the knob and pushed open the door.
CHAPTER THREE
SHE was naked, with the kind of body which took a man’s breath away: tall and slender, with long legs, perfect breasts and a pert but curvy little bottom.
She didn’t notice him standing there, her eyes squeezed tightly shut as she vigorously shampooed her long, fair hair.
Russell made no move to make his presence known to her. He was way too busy admiring the view. Yet he’d never been the kind of man to openly ogle women, or to salivate over centrefolds.
But he was on the verge of salivating now, not to mention succumbing to an increasingly forbidden fantasy.
Perhaps he’d been too long without a woman…
On the whole, Russell didn’t find his mainly celibate lifestyle too much of a hardship. Working twenty-four-seven absorbed his energies to a large degree. But at least once a month his male hormones would rebel.
Despite not being traditionally handsome, Russell never had any trouble attracting women, especially when he put himself in an environment conducive to seduction. Sydney nightclubs always had a plethora of beautiful young things who were only too willing and eager to accommodate him, first on the dance floor and then in his bed.
Possibly, some of these girls had hoped things would progress beyond the kind of brief, strictly sexual liaisons Russell indulged in, despite his always having made it clear right from the start that it wouldn’t.
And it never did. Relationships were definitely not on Russell’s agenda. Never had been, never would be. Something had happened to his heart after his father’s death: it had lost the capacity to love and to trust. His heart had become hard, he knew.
However, another part of Russell’s body was hard at this precise moment.
Frustration raged as he continued to look at the naked nymph in the shower. Frustration, plus the wickedest of temptations.
When her hands lifted to smooth her soapy hair back from her forehead, she tipped her face up into the spray, turning it this way and that.
Russell’s fascinated gaze fastened on her face. She was beautiful, with delicate features and clear skin. Of course, he couldn’t see her eyes, which remained tightly shut. But it seemed impossible that Mother Nature could have fashioned a creature so lovely, then given her ugly eyes.
No, they would be beautiful, like the rest of her.
Once she opened them, however, and saw him standing there, staring at her, all hell would break loose. She would probably scream the place down.
I should