Web of Lies

by Jennifer Estep

  into flames. But evidently Mab liked what she felt beowen Grayson stepped out of the shadows. Like every cause her smile widened. I gave her another lascivious other man on the premises, he wore a tuxedo. once again, wink and kept going, even though my stomach clenched I was struck by how compact, sturdy, and strong his frame at the feel of her magic pricking my skin, even harder and was. Almost dwarven, except for his six-foot-one height. hotter this time, as if I’d aroused her.

  His violet eyes glittered in the low light, even as his blueI’d just made it to the door when Mab called out to black hair disappeared into the shadows. The white slash me again.

  of a scar under his lips offset the crooked quirk of his nose,

  “Have we met before, Candy?” she asked. “For some adding that much more character to his chiseled features. reason, you look familiar.”

  First Jake McAllister, then Mab Monroe, and now I turned and shook my head. “I don’t think so, and I owen Grayson. Terrific.

  surely would have remembered meeting you, Miz Mon“I’m not sure what you mean.” I tightened my grip on roe. You’re a legend in this town.”

  my knife.

  Estep_Web of Lies_1P EP.indd 300-301

  12/17/09 9:32 PM

  302 JENNIFER ESTEP

  Web of Lies 303

  Instead of answering me, owen Grayson’s eyes trailed

  “What do you want?”

  down my body, one slow inch at a time. Breasts, stomach,

  “I just want to talk.” owen held out his arm to me. thighs, legs. He took it all in. A smile spread across his

  “Shall we?”

  face.

  I stared at his arm, thinking how easy it would be to

  “You know, Ms. Blanco, ” he said, purposefully using brush it aside and bury my knife in his heart. He knew my name. “The dress is lovely, but I think I like the apron what I was thinking. The knowledge flashed in his violet and jeans better. Seems more like the real you.”

  eyes, but his arm never wavered, never lowered. His gaze Fuck. Despite the blond wig, owen Grayson had recnever left mine. For whatever reason, owen Grayson wasn’t ognized me. Even worse, he’d somehow heard me propoafraid of me. Which piqued my curiosity. At least enough sition Mab Monroe in the bathroom. I wondered if he’d for me to slide my knife back up the sleeve of my dress. seen me with Jake McAllister as well—and realized the Fucking curiosity. Going to get me killed one night. other man had never come out of the room.

  Maybe even tonight.

  “And what would you know about the real me?” I I took his arm. “So talk.”

  asked in a soft tone.

  owen tucked me in close to him, and the heat of his owen’s smile deepened. “I know you have a silverstone body washed over me. He smelled rich and earthy, almost knife in your hand right now.”

  like . . . metal, if metal had any real smell. His arm felt There was no way he could have seen me palm the like steel, even through the fabric of his tuxedo jacket. For knife. So how did he know I even had one? I stared at the first time, I was aware of him as a man, as someone him closer and realized the reason his violet eyes were so of the opposite sex. owen Grayson was decidedly attracbright was because they were glowing—with magic. A tive, with his strong body and chiseled features. But what faint trace, barely noticeable, but I felt it. A cool caress, really set him apart was the fact that he radiated confinot unlike my own Stone magic. Which could only mean dence the way that Mab Monroe did magic. That hint of one thing.

  power, that confidence, made Grayson interesting. And

  “You have an elemental talent for metal.”

  definitely someone worth watching.

  “Guilty as charged, I’m afraid,” owen said. “It’s a Especially since I was still considering killing him. small skill.”

  We walked down the hallway back toward the ballMy eyes narrowed. Because with every word he said, I room. At first, I thought we would go straight there, but was thinking more and more about stabbing owen Grayowen Grayson paused and opened one of the doors that son and taking the chance I could get out of the mansion led outside. We stepped out onto the stone terrace that before someone found his body. But I decided to play it lined this side of the mansion, and Grayson shut the door cool—for now.

  behind us.

  Estep_Web of Lies_1P EP.indd 302-303

  12/17/09 9:32 PM

  304 JENNIFER ESTEP

  Web of Lies 305

  The night air was cool, especially since my dress was position, and standing would have forgotten all about me still damp from where I’d scrubbed away Jake McAllisby now. ter’s blood. Antique-looking iron street lamps lined the

  “You checked me out? Why?”

  terrace, providing soft, hazy illumination, while wide

  “You saved my sister, you saved Eva,” owen said. “She’s stone steps led down to a garden beyond. Low moans and the most important thing in the world to me. I like to sucking sounds drifted up to us, and several dark shapes settle my debts. I wanted to find some way to repay you. writhed together in various gazebos in the garden. other I wanted to find something you liked, something you couples stood up against trees or used some of the stone wanted or needed, and give it to you. No strings attached.”

  statues for leverage. The party must have livened up a bit,

  “I told you that I don’t want your money.”

  if folks had already come outside to fuck on top of Mab owen waved his hand. “So you’ve said. But then I got Monroe’s prize-winning roses.

  close to you, shook your hand that night in the Pork Pit. owen Grayson meandered down the terrace, with me And I wondered why someone who runs a barbecue resat his side. taurant, even one on the edge of Southtown, would carry

  “I have to confess I was quite surprised when you five silverstone knives on her person. Seemed like overkill strolled into the ballroom tonight,” Grayson began. “I to me.”

  hadn’t expected to see you here, especially not wearing If he only knew. I had to work very hard not to reach that cheap blond wig.”

  for my knife again. So not only could owen Grayson

  “Don’t care for blondes, do you?” I sniped. sense a metal weapon in my hand, he could also tell

  “Sassy brunettes are more my style.” He grinned. exactly how many I had on me. The usual five, at the I didn’t respond.

  moment. Two up my sleeves, two more strapped to my

  “Actually, I have a small confession to make. I’ve been thighs, and one in my purse.

  thinking about you a lot these past few days, Ms. Blanco.

  “You know about my interest in metal,” Grayson conSo much so that I had a friend gather some information tinued. “I also have one in weapons as well. Making them on you.”

  is a sort of hobby of mine. So you can understand my cuSo owen Grayson had someone dig into my past. No riosity about ones as finely crafted as yours. Silverstone’s worries. My cover ID as Gin Blanco was rock solid. It not easy to shape or purchase.”

  had withstood Jonah McAllister’s scrutiny, and I had no

  “The Pork Pit’s in a rough neighborhood,” I deaddoubt it had passed muster with Grayson as well. But I panned. “The knives make me feel secure.”

  didn’t understand his curiosity. Sure, I’d saved his sister, owen laughed. A hint of sarcasm colored his throaty Eva, from being burned to death by Jake McAllister that voice. “I’ll just bet they do. But there was one more thing night at the Pork Pit. But most men of Grayson’s wealth, that intrigued me about you, Ms. Blanco.”

  Estep_Web of Lies_1P EP.indd 304-305

  12/17/09 9:32 PM

  306 JENNIFER ESTEP

  Web of Lies 307

  “And what would that be?”

  I stared at him. He must have more than a small talent owen stopped and disengaged my hand from his arm. for metal, if he could do all that. once again, the thought Before I realized what he was doing, he turned my hand struck me that owen Grayson was someone worth over
and held my palm up. “This.”

  watching, someone to be very careful around. Perhaps We stood underneath one of the antique streetlights. The even someone to get rid of. But my curiosity wouldn’t hazy golden glow covered my palm—and made the spider quite vanish enough for me to take that final step. Not rune scar embedded in my flesh shimmer a faint silver. yet. Not until I knew exactly what he wanted.

  “A small circle surrounded by eight thin rays,” owen

  “And what does the metal in my hands sound like?”

  Grayson murmured. “A spider rune. The symbol for paHe gave me a small smile. “It sounds sad. Hurt. tience. I wondered what the symbol was.”

  Lonely.”

  For a moment, I was stunned. Simply stunned. Not I kept my face blank, even as the emotions and memoonly because Grayson knew about my scars, or at least ries raged inside me. The feel of the spider rune medalthis one, but also because I never showed the marks to lion burning into my skin, the smell of my own melting anyone. only Finn and the Deveraux sisters knew what flesh filling my nose, my hoarse screams echoing in my they really looked like besides me, and I wasn’t crazy ears, the Fire elemental’s cackling laughter drowning out about staring at them myself, for obvious reasons. everything else. Somehow, I pushed the memories back oh, sometimes someone in the restaurant would get a and focused on owen Grayson’s face, on his violet eyes, quick, accidental look at them while I was working. But which were still glowing ever so slightly. the scars had faded over time, and it was hard to tell they At that moment, I seriously considered hurting owen were really runes without studying them up close—or Grayson. Even killing him. Because somehow, Grayson that I had one on each palm. Even then, I just passed had stripped away part of my defenses, part of my anothem off as burns that I’d gotten from working in the nymity. He knew too much about me, knew too many Pork Pit over the years.

  things I was so careful to conceal. He could be a threat. To Still, despite my surprise, I played it cool, as though me, to Finn, to the Deveraux sisters. I didn’t like threats. Grayson seeing the scar didn’t matter to me at all. I So I decided to get down to business.

  shrugged. “So I have a scar. Lots of people do. Hardly

  “My scar sounds sad, hurt, lonely? That sounds like a worth mentioning.”

  lame come-on to me,” I mocked. “Surely, you can do betHe shook his head. “Not just any scar. It’s silverstone. ter than that, Mr. Grayson.”

  The metal is in your skin. When I shook your hand that owen laughed—a loud, hearty laugh. I’d amused night, I felt it. And now,” Grayson cocked his head to one him. He was laughing in the face of his own possible side. “I can hear it.”

  death. Despite the stupidity of his action, I had to adEstep_Web of Lies_1P EP.indd 306-307

  12/17/09 9:32 PM

  308 JENNIFER ESTEP

  Web of Lies 309

  mire his bravado. It, and this little spark of interest, just seen the rune around my neck and realized what it of curiosity I had about him, was all that was keeping meant—that I was supposed to fuck anyone here tonight Grayson alive.

  for free. Either way, I supposed stranger things had hap“So what do you really want?” I asked once Grayson’s pened.

  laughter had died down.

  “But I wasn’t quite quick enough to catch you before

  “From you? I haven’t quite decided. But the possibiliyou left the ballroom,” Grayson continued. “And then I ties are interesting.” His eyes wandered down my body heard you speaking with Mab in the bathroom. Which again in a frank, assessing way that told me he liked interested me that much more, Gin. May I call you Gin?”

  what he saw. His gaze settled on the heart-and-arrow

  “Sure. No need to stand on ceremony at this point. As rune that hung from my black velvet choker. “Although for what you overheard in the bathroom, I can’t imagine I never would have taken you for one of Roslyn Philwhy two girls talking about getting it on would be of inlips’s girls.”

  terest to a guy like you.” Sarcasm dripped from my voice A hard smile curved my lips. “I’m a woman of many like hot gravy off a biscuit.

  skills.”

  His violet eyes glittered in the semidarkness, and he

  “I just bet you are,” he murmured.

  smiled. “of course not.”

  “Let’s get down to business,” I said. “Because I have

  “So you want to fuck me then,” I said in a blunt tone. other things to do tonight besides stand out here in the

  “That’s what this little conversation is all about. The dark with you.”

  talk about my knives, the stroll on the terrace, the handLike killing Tobias Dawson. Five minutes had passed holding and come-on about what my scar sounds like. since I’d left Mab Monroe in her own bathroom with Jake Interesting technique. Tell me, what was your next move?

  McAllister. Since I hadn’t heard any screams or scurries of Maneuvering me up against the wall here? or me acciactivity, she hadn’t found his body in the bathtub. Which dentally falling on your dick?”

  meant I still had a small window of time left to find, atGrayson laughed again. “of course I want to fuck you, tract, and kill Dawson.

  Gin.”

  owen Grayson nodded. “Very well. As I was saying, He stared at me. I saw the desire in his violet gaze, but I was quite surprised to see you here tonight. But once I it wasn’t as lecherous or prurient as the other looks I’d did, I decided to approach you.”

  been getting tonight. oh, owen Grayson seemed to be

  “Why?”

  as sexual and fond of the female form as the next man. He shrugged. “I thought you might like to dance.”

  But genuine interest also shimmered in the businessman’s I stared at him. He seemed to be sincere. owen Grayeyes, as though he was enjoying our sparring conversation son attracted to me? My eyes narrowed. or perhaps he’d as much as he would lifting up my skirt.

  Estep_Web of Lies_1P EP.indd 308-309

  12/17/09 9:32 PM

  310 JENNIFER ESTEP

  Web of Lies 311

  “But let’s slow down, shall we?” Grayson said. “As I Grayson nodded. “All right. What kind of favor?”

  said before, I’ve always had a thing for sassy brunettes.

  “Take me inside and introduce me to Tobias Dawson. I’ve decided I rather like you, Gin. You interest me. And I’m sure you know him, since the two of you are so heavno one’s done that in a very long time.”

  ily involved in the mining business in Ashland.”

  “So what are you proposing—exactly? That the two of His eyes narrowed. “I do know him. But why would us go off somewhere quiet to talk before you make your you want to meet Dawson? He doesn’t strike me as your move?” I mocked.

  type.”

  “Hardly.” owen scoffed. “Unlike some of Mab’s other I gave him a hard smile. “Because I’m here to service guests, I don’t need to depend on her generosity for my Mab’s guests tonight, and I hear he’s a really big tipper. satisfaction. I thought you might like to go out sometime. And that’s definitely my type.”

  Dinner, perhaps a movie, dancing. Whatever you like.”

  owen studied me in the hazy light. Disappointment My eyebrows raised. “You want to go out with me?

  sparked in his eyes. His free, easy lay was getting away. Even though I’m wearing this?” I pointed to the heart“You said it yourself. You owe me for saving Eva, for and-arrow rune necklace. “Even though I’m a hooker?

  saving your sister,” I reminded him in a mild tone. “Well, Even though you could have me for free tonight?”

  this is how I want to cash in. Now, are you going to inHe shrugged again. “Call me crazy, but I thought it troduce me? or am I going to have to take care of that might be fun.”

  myself?”

  Fun? I didn’t know about that. But there was cerPretending to be a prostitute. Propositioning Mab tainly more to owen Grayson than met the eye. He Monroe in her own bathroom. Hinting I was
going to go thought I was moonlighting as one of Roslyn Phillips’s fuck another man for the mere promise of money. owen girls, and he was still asking me to go out with him. Grayson had seen and heard me do all those things in the To be seen in public with him. Which meant he was space of five minutes. I resigned myself to the disgusted either genuinely interested in me or working some angle sneer that was coming my way and the harsh words that I couldn’t puzzle out. Either way, I didn’t have time for were sure to follow. No man liked being cuckolded. this tonight.

  But to my surprise, owen Grayson just smiled. A But there was something owen Grayson could help familiar emotion shimmered in his eyes, one that had me with. And I was ready to cash in on that goodwill he gotten me into trouble on more than once occasion. Cuowed me. riosity. It burned even brighter than his desire had a mo“Let’s say I believe you, that you really do want to get ment ago.

  to know me and not just my breasts,” I said. “Do me a

  “oh, I’ll introduce you to Dawson, just to see what favor, and I’ll consider your proposal.”

  you’re up to.” Amusement colored Grayson’s voice, and Estep_Web of Lies_1P EP.indd 310-311

  12/17/09 9:32 PM

  312 JENNIFER ESTEP

  he held his arm out to me for a second time. “Shall we, Gin?”

  owen Grayson’s curiosity might cause me problems later on, but this was too good an opportunity to pass up. So I placed my hand on his arm. “Let’s.”

  28

  owen Grayson escorted me back into the ballroom. We stood by the terrace door, looking for Dawson. Finally, I spotted the cowboy dwarf, standing near the long, crowded bar. Tobias Dawson drank a shot of what looked like whiskey, chased it with a mug of beer, belched, and wiped his mouth off with the back of his hand. Classy.

  “You sure you want to do this?” Grayson murmured. I paused. Grayson probably thought I was reconsidering approaching Dawson, given the dwarf’s obvious disregard for napkins. But really, I was remembering Violet Fox and the way Trace Dawson had bashed her face in. The way Tobias Dawson had spit tobacco juice on the floorboards of the country store. The way that diamond in his office safe had practically sung. The way Warren Fox’s shoulders had drooped when I’d told him what Dawson really wanted his land for.