Billionaire's Accidental Wife

Chapter 3 Even though she believed she was ready to face him again, her first glimpse of Dave standing barely inches away from her stunned her.

Her terror was replaced by an intense sense of incredulity... and uncertainty as she lifted her fingertips to her lips. Although she recognised his voice and perfume, she couldn't place the harsh, disapproving face staring back at her.

The flowing golden locks that would have accentuated his slim, pointed cheeks and hard, square jaw were hidden beneath a black knit skullcap. While she knew he had dimples on either side of his sumptuous mouth when he smiled, his sculpted lips were kept in a cruel, unforgiving line right now. His brown eyes were focused, his brow furrowed as he held her in a measuring stare that seemed as threatening and unyielding as his grip on her a minute ago.

"What in the worla!" Dave exhaled sharply and muttered. His face stiffened even more. "It's truly you, Chelsea. I needed to be certain. I refused to believe it."

She frowned. He seemed as astonished to see her as she was to see him.

They hadn't seen each other in over a year. Since her best friend's wedding. He broke her heart and walked away a year ago, never to return. Why is this so? She had no idea. Now he was there, clothed like a nightmare in black battle gear, accusing her, as if she were the one to blame. His gaze scorched her, leaving her chilly and exposed in the curve-hugging golden silk gown she was forced to wear tonight. She knew what she had to look like and what Dave was thinking. As much as everything inside her urged her to explain, she had bigger things to worry about than his opinion of her now.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? How did you get in here?" She couldn't hide the shock in her voice or her dread. If any of her guards discovered Dave inside the mansion, they would kill him. And Chelsea didn't doubt for a second that she would be made to suffer too." Are you insane? Get out of here now, Dave. You have no idea how dangerous it is for you to be here."

He gave her a smile that chilled. "I'm not the one in danger. Your lover and his cronies are. I rigged this place to blow sky-high as soon as I hit the detonator in my pocket."

Oh, my God. She swallowed, shocked to hear him say what she had already suspected. He had come to kill Hermano. And she was not going to let that happen. Because if he died, he had sworn to kill her and her remaining relatives and friends. The salon downstairs was filled with stifled laughter. And his visitors would soon become restless. She'd been gone for far too long. She couldn't risk anyone looking for her. No more than she could risk allowing Dave to do what he'd come here tonight to do.

"I'm sorry," she murmured, shaking her head as she took a step away from him. "I'm sorry... Dave, I have no choice."

Before he could stop her-before he probably even guessed what she was about to do Chelsea screamed at the top of her lungs. There was hardly a second of silence between

Chelsea's scream and the chaos that ensued. Male voices could be heard shouting from the salon below. Outside, perimeter floodlights began to flash on, illuminating the mansion and its surrounding gardens in a brilliant daytime glow.

Oh my god. He couldn't believe she'd done it - let the entire mansion know about his presence.

However, this should not come as a surprise. He'd certainly earned her disdain. Chelsea owed him nothing anymore, not even an explanation for how she'd landed herself on the arm - and potentially in the bed of a crook like Hermano.

No choice, she'd said. What the hell did she mean by that?

"Chelsea-"He reached for her, but she jerked out of his grasp, putting several paces between them. "Get out, Dave." Her soft brown eyes were desperate beneath her furrowed brows. And outside the closed door of her quarters, it sounded as though several of Hermano's men were already rushing up the stairs to the second floor. She threw an anxious glance over her shoulder at the pounding of approaching feet in the hallway. Her voice was a tight, fearful whisper. "Please, go. Get out of here while you still have a chance!"

Jesus, she was terrified.

And it wasn't directed at him.

What the hell had that bastard done to her?

Dave ground out a curse, feeling precious seconds tick by. He had a mission to carry out tonight-and he would-but not until Chelsea was safe and secure. Whether or not she intended to cooperate with that plan.

"Come with me." He grabbed for her again, this time snagging her wrist. "No. Let go of me!" she cried, projecting her voice louder than necessary. For who? Hermano and his goons? "I said stay away from me!" "Listen to me, damn it." Dave took hold of her shoulders and forced her to meet his gaze. "I'm trying to save you, Chelsea." She scoffed bitterly. "You can't save me. No one can." Christ, she really believed that. He knew her too well to think otherwise. He'd always been able to read her emotions in her eyes, in that lovely face that had haunted his dreams for longer than he cared to admit.

When she tried to break free from his hold, he realised there was only one way he would be able to get her out of the mansion without fighting her every step of the way. She might hate him even more for this, but he had no choice either. He wasn't about to leave her behind.

He placed his hand to her lips and gave her a small white cloth with substances on it that put her into an instant and deeper sleep.

The door to her chambers slammed open, revealing two armed guards. Dave was hunched low on the rug, having just assisted Chelsea's motionless body onto it. His revolver was already drawn and ready as the men surged into the room. He took them both out with sniper precision, firing two headshots between the eyes of each guard.

There would be more behind them. By the sound of the chaos unravelling all around the mansion now, Dave expected he'd have to take on Hermano's entire army of thugs as soon as he stepped out of the room. Fortunately, he had another plan. He ran to the opposite side of her suite, where a wide window viewed the circular driveway below, carrying Chelsea over his shoulder in a fireman's carry. A swarm of armed guards dashed across the paved bricks, some hurrying into the mansion as backup, while others fanned out to police the grounds.

The odds of getting past the security detail down there weren't great, but they were a hell of a lot better than charging into the fray inside the mansion.

He lifted the glass, swung his legs over the sill, and then dropped to the ground with Chelsea held securely in his arms. He opened the nearest vehicle, smiling to himself when the Ferrari rumbled to life. The gullwing doors lifted, and Dave hurried over to slip Chelsea into the passenger seat and fasten her in.

One of the outside security personnel noticed him and alerted the others. Bullets flew in all directions. Dave swerved into the driver's seat of the sleek sports automobile and slammed the doors shut. He sped away from the mansion, shifting into high gear, just as Hermano and several of his flunkies appeared behind him. Dave already had the detonator in his hand, and the safety was turned off. He pressed the trigger, gazing in the rearview mirror as a fireball erupted and the entire structure burst against the night sky. The percussion caused the Ferrari to skid on the pavement, but he grabbed onto the wheel and pushed the pedal all the way to the floor.

He couldn't help but smile as he saw the blazing plume and cloud of black, seething smoke behind him. He could only pray that the bombs completed their job. Normally, he'd stay to ensure his target was neutralised, but not tonight. Not with such valuable goods in tow. His eyes were drawn to Chelsea. She slept as softly as a cat, draped in her golden silk robe on the seat beside him, her mind still trapped in the web of the hypnosis he'd set on her. The desire to touch her was too strong to resist. He stroked a straying blonde tendril off her cheek, reaching over.

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