02 Madoc Read Online Free Page B

there.”
    She shook her head. “That doesn’t even make sense! If I had embezzled half-a-million dollars, I sure as heck wouldn’t be working as a waitress in a diner.”
    Madoc didn’t answer. Though he had to admit that waitressing at a diner in some Podunk town after stealing half-a-million dollars didn’t make a whole hell of a lot of sense, he couldn’t deny that it had actually been rather smart on her part. If he hadn’t decided to stop at that diner to get something to eat, Shayna Matthews would still be back there working and no one would have been the wiser.
    “Dammit, why won’t you at least listen to my side of the story?” she snapped. “I was framed, I’m telling you!”
    His hand tightened on wheel as the tires hit a slippery patch of road. “Enough already!” he told her harshly. “Save your conspiracy theories for the courtroom, Ms. Matthews, because I don’t care. As far as I’m concerned, you’re a fugitive, and it’s my job to bring you in. Now, shut up and let me drive.”
    Madoc waited for Shayna to argue her case further, but to his surprise, she fell silent. A moment later, he heard the soft sound of crying. He swore silently. What did she think, that he would be moved by her tears and agree to let her go? Yeah, right. He didn’t buy her innocent act, or her fake tears. She could cry all the way to Billings, for all he cared.
    But a few moments later, Madoc was already trying to figure out what he could say to get her to stop crying. He tried to convince himself that it was just because he didn’t like the sounds of her sniffling, but in reality, Madoc admitted that he just didn’t like a seeing a pretty woman so upset.
    So, what was he going to do? Take the cuffs off and let her go? Cursing himself for being so stupid, Madoc turned his attention back to the snow-covered stretch of highway before him and tried to ignore her crying. It stopped soon enough, but then a few minutes later, Shayna spoke, interrupting his concentration.
    “Billings is a long drive,” she said in a tearful voice. “Couldn’t you at least take off these handcuffs until we get there? My hands are getting numb.”
    He slanted her a hard look. “No.”
    “I promise I won’t try to escape,” she added.
    Madoc let out a harsh laugh. “I’ve heard that before.”
    “That was when we were back in Flint Rock and there were lots of places to go,” she pointed out. “It’s not like I can jump out of the truck. Besides, where would I go out here in this snow? Even if I managed to get away from you, I’d probably end up freezing to death.” A pause, then, softly, “Please.”
    Madoc clenched his jaw. He had no doubt that she was playing him. But he also knew that he had a real weakness for beautiful women. And Shayna Matthews was definitely beautiful. He tried to be reasonable. If his prisoner hadn’t been so dang sexy, would he even be considering taking the cuffs off? he asked himself. Probably not, he decided. But thirty seconds later, Madoc found himself slowing to a stop in the middle of the deserted highway, and putting the truck in park. Shutting off the engine, he pulled out the keys.
    “Turn around,” he ordered Shayna.
    She blinked, clearly surprised that he had agreed, but then scooted around on the seat so that her back was to him.
    Inserting the key into the lock, he undid it, and then took off the cuffs. Rubbing her wrists, Shayna shifted around in her seat again to look at him.
    “Thank you,” she said softly.
    Madoc scowled at her, hoping he wasn’t going to regret this. If she thought that doe-eyed Bambi look of hers was going to have some sort of an effect on him, then she was wrong. It didn’t matter how damn sexy she looked in those black-rimmed glasses of hers. “Just don’t get it into your head to try escaping again,” he said gruffly.
    “Because those spankings I gave you back at the boarding house won’t seem like anything compared to the one you’d get for making