Will tensed and removed her hand. "Candi, please. We're in public." He frowned inwardly, knowing what a hypocrite he was. If it had been Savannah's hand on his c.o.c.k, he would have enjoyed every minute of it, public be d.a.m.ned. In fact, he'd done just that at the ball.

Oblivious to his annoyance, Candi laughed, deep and throaty. The sound of it normally turned him on. Tonight, it grated.

"Will, darling. I didn't know you were such a prude. You certainly didn't seem to have any inhibitions a few of weeks ago down at the beach. Don't tell me you've gone all shy?"

Much to his relief, a voice toward the front of the crowd directed them to take their seats, saving him from replying. He swiped another gla.s.s of champagne and gulped it down in a few quick swallows. It was going to be a long couple of hours.

Savannah watched as Will took a gla.s.s of champagne off a tray and drained it. The blonde with legs up to her armpits and b.o.o.bs only money could buy draped herself all over Will. Savannah quietly seethed.

He looked good enough to eat in his black-on-black Armani and her heart had thumped crazily from the time she realized he stood less than three feet away from her on the red carpet. He was now halfway across the room with his Barbie look alike plastered to his side. Savannah strained her neck around a large man in order to keep them in sight. Rex shot her an odd look.

"What the h.e.l.l's the matter with you?"

She blushed and forced her gaze away from them. She flashed Rex a smile. "Nothing. Why do you ask?"

"You've been staring at someone over there and it's becoming quite obvious. The thing is..." He sighed with weary resignation. "I know you've never been to one of these celebrity dos before, but you're supposed to stay cool, you know, act like they're just ordinary people, not freaks from another planet."

Her face turned to fire. She could have spontaneously combusted from embarra.s.sment. A part of her hoped desperately that she would. "I-I'm not! I know they're not freaks!"

Gathering what little pride she had left, she tilted her chin defiantly. "And I was not staring. I was just... I thought I saw someone I knew," she finished lamely, refusing to meet his eyes.

"Just as long as you have a story, that's all Max wants. I got some great shots of Hugh and Jake. Too bad that other young babe... What's her name? Maria Bello... That's right. Too bad she couldn't make it. She's hot."

Savannah looked at him. He had to be pushing sixty. "Isn't she a little young for you?"

"Young? No way," he scoffed. "She's just how I like 'em. Young, fresh and s.e.xy. And all that blond hair. It does it for me."

She turned away in disgust, grateful that the announcement for the audience to take their seats saved her from responding. Praying silently she wouldn't run into Will and his date, her hopes were dashed when she saw them coming toward her. They were less than ten feet away; she had no choice but to acknowledge them.

"Savannah." Will's voice, low and husky, sent shivers of awareness down her spine. "It's good to see you again." He held her gaze and lifted her hand to his lips. She stiffened in surprise. Barbie threw daggers with her eyes.

Will turned to the woman beside him. "Candi, I'd like you to meet a...friend of mine, Savannah O'Neill. Savannah, this is Candi."

Savannah blushed furiously. n.o.body used the word friend like that, unless they meant lover. Everybody knew that. Even Barbie, if the fierce jealousy flashing from her heavily made-up eyes was anything to go by.

A fresh wave of embarra.s.sment washed over Savannah's cheeks. She mumbled something incoherent and pushed her way through the crowd, determined to leave. There was no way in the world she'd be able to sit through nearly two hours of movie knowing Will was in the room with another woman.

She looked around for the exit. Her thoughts tumbled wildly. Why would he introduce her to his date and then make it clear to her that he and Savannah had been lovers? Why would he insult the woman like that? It didn't make sense. Unless he wanted Savannah to know he had no interest in the blond bombsh.e.l.l. Could he have been trying to send her a message?

"Savannah!"

She stopped and turned. Rex jogged toward her, his camera swinging from the strap over his shoulder.

"Where the h.e.l.l are you going? The movie's about to start."

She improvised quickly. "Rex, I'm sorry. I'm not feeling well. I think I have a migraine coming on. Do you mind if I leave you here? I'm really sorry."

"But what about the party afterwards? It's the best time to get quotes off these people. Their tongues get a lot freer after a few gla.s.ses of bubbly, especially when it's on the house."

"I'm sure you're right, but I really can't stay. Besides, I'm certain I have enough already to keep Max happy. You stay, enjoy the movie. It looks like it's going to be a good one."

Not waiting for his response, she turned away and headed toward the exit.

Climbing into bed a couple of hours later after hurriedly putting together an article on the movie, Savannah couldn't prevent the flashbacks to her evening and in particular, the ones of Will and his date.

His date.

According to Pete, Will had said he really liked Savannah. Had he meant it? She just didn't know what to believe.

Sighing deeply, she switched off the lamp on her nightstand and snuggled beneath the sheets. The familiar sound of a train rattling along the tracks outside her window calmed her scattered thoughts.

She had to talk to him. She had to lay it all on the line and tell him how she felt. The thought of doing so sent equal tremors of fear and excitement coursing through her veins, but she'd made the decision. It was done. She'd call him.

Tomorrow.

CHAPTER 19.

Thursday afternoon Will stood before the plate gla.s.s window that ran from floor to ceiling in his office at Rutledge Advertising and tried to quell his nerves. The ocean glittered invitingly in the distance. Despite his career in law enforcement, he hadn't been lying to Savannah when he told her his father kept an office for him on the top floor of the building. He could only guess his old man remained hopeful his son would see the error of his ways and return to the fold. Either that, or Robert Rutledge was doing his best to keep up the faade.

Will was no longer certain about anything. The father he thought he knew had managed to shock him to the core. Not that he was blind to the possibility that his father enjoyed intimate benefits with the bevy of socialites Robert escorted to various functions around the city, but it had never occurred to Will that he might frequent a brothel.

Will had been stunned to discover him at the Black Opal. The only thing he was thankful for was that his father hadn't blown his cover. When he'd turned his back on his father's world and had embraced the life of a law enforcement officer, relations between them had hit an all-time low.

It wasn't as if Will had anything against advertising, or even working for his father, despite their lack of closeness. It was more a case of a total lack of interest in what went on in his father's world. Advertising could never measure up to his pa.s.sion for police work. He'd always dreamed of making a difference. Police officers routinely faced life and death situations. They were an integral piece of the fabric of society. Without laws and law enforcers, he believed it was a fast road to anarchy.

His training at the Police Academy in Goulburn had left him with some of the best memories of his life. Finally, he'd found a purpose. Finally, he was making a difference. The Academy was also where he'd met his best mate, Andy Warwick.

They'd graduated together and had then gone their separate ways, being stationed as probationary officers in busy police stations in Sydney suburbs which couldn't be any further apart, but they'd kept in touch and now, with both of them living and working in the inner city, they often socialized together on their days off. Will recalled his promise to Andy to take the yacht out and made a mental note to call and confirm.

The telephone on Will's desk rang, interrupting his musings. He turned away from the window to answer it. "Yes?"

"Will, it's Carol. Your father's ready for you now."

The nerves he'd almost managed to suppress immediately rushed back to crowd his belly. He swallowed the lump in his throat and licked his dry lips. Now that the moment was upon him, he didn't have a clue what he was going to say, but to delay the confrontation would achieve nothing. He drew in a deep breath then released it slowly and strode determinably across the room and opened the door.

A few minutes later, he stood before his father.

"Will, come in. Carol told me you wanted to see me."

"Yeah, I did. The other night, at the Black Opal, I-"

"I get it. You were on a job. I'm not stupid and I'm not surprised. You think I don't give a d.a.m.n about your police career, but the truth is, I knew within a few days of the paperwork being approved that you'd transferred to the DEA and I knew why."

His father's familiar, steely eyed gaze bored into him, alight with challenge. Will did his best to conceal his surprise. "I-I had no idea."

"Of course you didn't. That's exactly how I wanted it. All these years, you thought I didn't care, but I've always cared. I'm not denying the death of your mother hit me hard, but you're my son. How could you think I didn't love you?"

Pain tore through Will at his father's words. A second later, rage surfaced. "That's total bulls.h.i.t! You didn't love me! You didn't give a d.a.m.n about me. From the very day he was born, it was all about Cole. You brought him home and I ceased to exist."

"No." The cold certainty in his father's voice gave him pause, but Will quickly recovered.

"Yes, Dad. That's exactly how it was. I was thirteen. I'd lost my mother and I might as well have lost my father, too. There was no one else for you, but Cole."

"You were jealous."

"You bet I was! I was a kid! I stood by and watched while you lavished him with love and praise. He was the golden child who could do no wrong. I was the third wheel. It was always that way." Will's breath came fast. His chest heaved like he'd sprinted up every single one of the ten flights of stairs that led to his father's office.

Pain and regret flooded his father's face. "It was never meant to be like that, Will. I swear. I-I pushed you away, I know that, but I never... Your mother died giving birth to Cole. She gave her life for him. I had to honor her sacrifice. Above all else, I owed her that much."

His voice cracked with emotion. Will steeled himself against the sympathy that rushed to the surface. He wouldn't feel sorry for his father. He wouldn't.

"It's too late, Dad. I don't care." The lie tasted bitter on his lips.

Deep sadness and grief slackened his father's features. With his head bowed, he spoke quietly. "Although I've tried to justify it, there's no excuse for my actions. I can see that now. I don't expect you to forgive me. I ask only that you think of me a little less unkindly, every now and then."

Guilt tore through him. He thought of Savannah and the burgeoning feelings he had for her. He barely knew her and yet every time he thought of her, he was filled with a fierce need to protect her and keep her safe from harm. He couldn't imagine what it would be like to be married to her for thirteen years, to be beyond besotted with her, only to lose her in tragic circ.u.mstances...

His shoulders slumped on a heavy sigh. Without conscious thought, he drew closer to where his father sat hunched over his desk.

"I'm sorry, too, Dad. I've been mad as h.e.l.l at you all these years. I never took the time to look past my pain. I can't imagine what you went through when Mom died and now Cole..." Will's voice cracked. It was too soon... Every time he thought of his little brother-the smile that lit up his face like sunshine, the cheeky glint in his eyes-he ached all over again.

"I miss both of them so much," his father said quietly.

Will's breath hitched. "Me, too."

"I'm sorry, Will. I'm sorry for all of us. I should have been there for you when your mother died, I should have been strong for you. I was the adult, the one you should have been able to rely on for help. I let you down and I let Cole down."

His father stared at him. "You tried to tell me Cole was struggling. I didn't want to listen. He was my beautiful boy, my flawless child. I couldn't bear to think of him as anything other than perfect... It was only right before the end that I realized you were right. I pulled some strings... I got him into rehab...but he wouldn't go. And then it was too late." He shook his head in disbelief. "Cole, of all people, knew how much I grieved over the loss of your mother. I couldn't believe he would... I still can't believe it."

Emotion tightened Will's chest. He cleared his throat and opened his mouth to speak. His father beat him to it.

"I've always been proud of you, Will. I'll admit I was disappointed when you weren't interested in working alongside of me in the advertising business, but I couldn't help but admire your career choice. Being a copper is a tough gig, in anyone's book. There are plenty not cut out for it. But you were determined to succeed and you've worked hard to get where you are. Apart from all of that, you love it, don't you?" Robert turned back to face him.

Will nodded, his throat tight. "Yeah, I do."

"I've followed your career from day one. At first, I thought it was a simple act of rebellion on your part. You knew how much I wanted you to be part of my business world-but the longer I watched you, the more I realized you were doing it for no other reason than because it was what you wanted to devote your life to-serving and protecting others. I was humbled by your dedication to the cause. I-I still am."

Will shook his head, flooded with uncertainty. "But what about the arguments we had, when you refused to accept my career in law enforcement? You even kept an office here with my name on it."

Robert grimaced. "It was stupid, wasn't it? I guess I wanted you to know you'd always have a place at Rutledge Advertising, if you ever felt the need for it. Cole was always going to follow in my footsteps. I-I wanted you to know you were just as welcome."

"So you didn't do it in the hope I'd come to my senses and forget all about my policing efforts?"

His father looked at him in surprise. "Of course not. Like I said, I've always been proud of your selfless commitment to others. I-I guess I'd begun to see how I'd lavished Cole with perhaps more than his fair share of attention. I wanted to somehow make it up to you; to let you know you were an equally important part of our family."

Will closed his eyes at the enormity of his misunderstanding. All these years, he'd thought his father had been ashamed of Will's career choice, ashamed of him. A torrent of emotion surged through him.

"I wish you'd told me, Dad. I wish-"

"So do I, son. So do I." He breathed a heavy sigh. "When I saw you at the Black Opal and realized you were there undercover, my heart nearly stopped. Vince Maranoa's not a man to be messing with. He's a dangerous criminal who cares nothing for the law."

Will frowned. "I don't understand. Why do you go there, then?"

Robert shrugged and looked away, a faint blush staining his cheeks. "What can I say? Your mother's been gone a long time. I get lonely. All of those establishments ride the edges of legality. I don't need to tell you that. The fact is, Vince runs a good shop. He's picky on who he allows through the door. His girls are clean and disease-free. The surroundings are more than comfortable. I can relax with a drink or two and know that my presence will go no further than the walls of the Black Opal. Whatever else Vince is, he's the epitome of discretion. You can't say that about any of the others. A man in my position can't be too careful."

Will blinked and tried to come to terms with all that he'd learned. There had been one revelation after another and it was a lot to take in. First and foremost was the need to let go of the pain from his youth and to accept that his father was just as fallible as the next man. Will was absolutely certain that until he'd made peace with his past, he'd never be able to give his all to the future. A future he hoped included Savannah...

Will stared at the blotter on his desk in Rutledge Advertising, his thoughts still in turmoil. It had been more than an hour since he'd left his father's office and he still hadn't reconciled himself to all that his father had revealed. Among the chaos that churned inside him, relief slowly trickled into his veins, followed quietly by hope. It blossomed and grew and little by little brought him peace.

The years of anger and hurt and disappointment were over. He'd managed to put them behind him. He'd even found the strength to forgive his father...and Cole.

His thoughts centered on Savannah and another surge of hope rushed through him. Was it possible she might come to care for him, like he cared for her? The way she'd left him at the brothel, he had his doubts, but he was nothing if not determined and he wasn't a man who gave up without a fight.

The phone at his elbow pealed in the stillness of his office. Rousing himself, he leaned over and answered it.

"Oh, Will. It's Carol. I have Andy Warwick waiting to see you. He doesn't have an appointment but-"

"Thanks, Carol. Send him in."

Will wondered briefly at the presence of his friend at Rutledge Advertising, but strode toward the door and opened it.

"Andy! What a surprise. How did you know I was here?"

Andy walked past him. "Hey, Will."

Will frowned at Andy's somber tone. "Are you okay, mate?"

Andy sighed and threw himself down in the chair opposite Will's desk. "Failing that negotiator's course has knocked the wind out of me. I wanted it so much I could taste it...and yet, I failed."

Will remained silent. There wasn't anything he could say that would help.

"At least I'm allowed to have another crack at it," Andy murmured.

Will returned to his seat and nodded. "That's good news. When are you going to reapply?"

"As soon as possible. There's no waiting period. It's just a matter of getting my head in the right s.p.a.ce again and going for it a second time."