by Cynthia Eden
Dex tensed. “Don’t talk that way about my fiancée.”
“You don’t care about her. You’re just jerking that woman around. Trying to look normal when we both know that you don’t have a normal emotion in—”
“Talk about her again, and you’ll regret it.”
Again, laughter burst from him. “The mighty Dex is revealing a weakness? A chink in his armor? I don’t buy it.”
“I don’t care what you buy. Here’s what I know. I. Have. Her.”
Silence. As if the words had finally registered.
“Did you truly think you’d find her first?” Dex continued and it was his turn to laugh. “I’ve always been better than you. More motivated. More driven. Always been willing to do whatever it takes.”
“Don’t lie to me.”
“I have her, and if you want to deal, you will stop this bullshit stuff where you’re calling and you’re hiding in shadows and you’re playing your games. I’m not in the mood to play any longer.”
“It’s not her.”
“I’m sure you heard her name when you brushed by us in the lobby.” Yeah, I spotted you. Like that required even half an effort. “Check her out. See what you discover. When you’re done, you come to me and we’ll deal. Turns out I’ll be on the slopes tomorrow with my fiancée. Maybe we’ll both see you there.”
“Dex—”
The elevator dinged. “My luggage is about to arrive.” The doors opened. Sweet. The champagne is there, too. “And my champagne is ready. I’m off to celebrate with Lacey. Chat later.” He hung up the phone.
Within moments, the luggage had been delivered, the champagne was chilling by the bed, and Dex was alone with Lacey. She stared out at the view, and a soft smile curved her full lips. “This is beautiful.”
He didn’t look at the mountains. “Stunning.”
Her head turned toward him. The faint smile was still on her face.
I love you. For a moment, he could hear her giving him that declaration again. She hadn’t meant those words. She’d been acting, just as he had been. But he’d almost wanted to believe her. He’d wondered…what it would be like to be loved by Lacey Amari?
But that wasn’t going to happen. Not today. Not ever. He was using her. And when she found out the truth…
Shit. Lacey would try to kick his ass.
“How about we open that champagne?” Dex asked. “I could sure as hell use a drink.”
“Was everything okay at the office?” She took a quick step toward him.
Okay? Not by a long shot. In his world, though, things were rarely okay. Most of the time, the world was on fire. He’d learned to deal with the heat. “All going to plan,” he assured her cheerfully. That was the truth. Nothing was okay, but everything was happening exactly as he’d intended.
He just…
He hadn’t realized that he’d started to feel this weird ache when he looked at her. Was it longing? Need? Yes, he desired her. He’d known that from the beginning. But he could separate his emotions. His lust. There was the job. Then there was her. Not like he’d get this setup confused in his head and think that they were actually a couple. Not like he’d fall for her.
He popped the cork on the champagne. Poured some into a long flute and the bubbles spilled over the side.
“Wow, I think that’s enough.” She laughed and reached for the glass. Her fingers slid over his.
He usually could do a smooth-move champagne pour in his sleep. It wasn’t like him to make a mess. “I spilled it. I gave you too much.”
“Yes, well, it’s okay.” She took the glass from him. “What’s a little spilled champagne between friends?”
But they weren’t friends.
A smile played along her lips. “You have to put some in your glass or we can’t have a toast.”
Of course. So why was he just staring at her? He poured champagne into his flute and didn’t make it overflow this time.
Lacey lifted her glass. “What shall we toast to?”
“How about…To all the things we wish we could have…but are out of our reach.”
Her nose scrunched. Cute. “All right,” she agreed slowly. “But that is a shitty toast.”
He blinked. The words had just come out of his mouth. Mostly because he was staring at her and wanting her far too much. “Shitty?”
“Toasts are supposed to be good. They are supposed to be celebrating something. If you’re longing for something out of your reach,” she stepped even closer, “then you need to do something about that. Maybe reach out and take it.”
Oh, he wanted to do something. But…
The job. Do the job. Not her.
“Know what? I’ll give the toast.” She raised her glass a little higher. “To the best fake engagement in the world and to the man who will finally give me what I’ve always wanted.”
For one crazy moment he thought…
But no.
She didn’t mean hot, screaming sex. His bad.
She meant the truth about her family. That was what she wanted. Unfortunately, it was what she would get, too. His glass tapped against hers. “Here’s to making dreams come true.”
Dreams. Nightmares. Sometimes, they were the same thing.
But I won’t let you be hurt, Lacey. I will protect you. No matter what. He wasn’t the total bastard that most people assumed. He was just a partial bastard. And when it came to Lacey, he was finding that he didn’t want to be a bastard at all.
She took a sip of the champagne. A low, sexy moan pulled from her.
Of course, his eager cock twitched.
Then she lowered the flute and licked her lower lip. “My favorite.”
I know.
“But you knew that,” she continued carefully as her long lashes swept down to conceal her gaze from him. “You must think that gives you an advantage over me. The fact that you know so much about me. That you believe you know all my secrets.”
His gut clenched. There were some secrets he knew, that he was using, that she had no clue about. “Lacey…”
“Except here’s the thing. One of the things you should have learned is that I’m really good at reading people. And I can read you.” Her lashes lifted. “For some reason, you are almost exceptionally easy for me to read.”
No way. “That’s something no one else has ever said before.” No one had been able to see past—
“You lied to me.”
His hold tightened on the fragile stem of the champagne flute. “Excuse me?”
“Things are not okay at the office for you. In fact, I suspect things are very, very bad right now. I want the truth. I want to know exactly what’s happening. Exactly how I’m involved and exactly how we are going to end this case and catch whatever bad guys are waiting for us.”
Uh…
She brought the champagne glass to her lips and downed the rest of the contents in a fast gulp. “Absolutely fantastic. I will be wanting more.”
She…
She put down the glass. “Start talking.”
Chapter Five
He’d told her jackshit and working blind really wasn’t her forte. If Dex intended for her to be his partner, then he had to stop leaving her in the dark.
Immediately.
She stared into the mirror, pulled her hair over her shoulders, straightened her spine, then nodded. Okay. She was good to go. Lacey turned and headed out of the spacious bathroom and when she stepped into the suite’s main area, Dex was waiting on her.
He wore a black suit, an expensive, white shirt under the jacket providing a flash of contrast. He was adjusting the sleeve of his jacket when he looked at her, and for a moment, she felt almost frozen.
Dex cleaned up very, very well.
She’d known that, of course, but…
He is hot. The kind of hot that could make a woman forget almost everything else and just go with the urge to walk across the room. Wrap her arms around him. And kiss him like her very life depended on it.
Not th
at she was going to do that. But she could see where some other woman might feel so inclined.
Sex and danger oozed from his pores and that powerful combination filled the air like an aphrodisiac. Why, oh, why, had she always had a thing for dangerous men?
Weakness.
His gaze slowly swept over her. “You look stunning.”
She hadn’t brought the dress. Because when he’d told her to pack, he’d left out the part about having some sort of fancy, gala-type dress at the ready. She distinctly remembered him telling her to dress for the cold…and to bring something sexy. A Cinderella ball gown had not been on her list.
But he’d waved his magic wand and gotten one to appear.
Sleeveless, the A-line, black dress fit as if it had been made for her body. It was a sweetheart, floor-length dress designed with cascading ruffles that appeared right after her waist. The material cinched around her waist before swirling loosely around her hips and legs. And that loose material was absolutely perfect…for hiding her knife.
She’d strapped her new knife and sheath to her right thigh. A lady had to be prepared when she went to the big ball.
And, whoops, she’d been staring at him too long. Lacey cleared her throat. “You look very handsome. All suave and sophisticated.”
“I do try.” He let go of his sleeve and offered his arm to her. “Shall we?”
Why the hell not? She took his arm, and they strolled from the suite. The high heels she wore gave her a little added height boost, but he still swamped her in size and as soon as they stepped into the elevator, the space sure did feel extra small.
“It’s a tradition to have this winter ball at the lodge. After the ball, you and I are scheduled to have our time on the Whisper Floor. Don’t worry. We’ll only stay at the ball for about thirty minutes. The point is for us to be seen. For us to talk to the others.”
She nodded. “Because one of them is the target.”
He’d admitted that much to her when she’d demanded that he tell her the truth earlier, so perhaps she hadn’t quite gotten total jackshit from him. What he’d told her was… The target is at the lodge. My intel told me he’d be here. Your job is to help lure him out.
Her mission, not that she had any choice but to accept it.
“I’ll be called away after our first dance,” he added. “Or, at least it will look that way. When I leave, you circulate. You’re so fucking sexy, you won’t have trouble attracting attention.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “But I thought this place was primarily for couples. If people are involved, I doubt the guys will be lining up—”
“Oh, did I say it was only for couples?”
Actually, no, now that she thought about it, he hadn’t. She’d asked if it was a couple’s retreat and he’d—
“That’s my mistake. Sorry.” Dex shrugged.
Her eyes narrowed. “It’s hard to work with you.”
He seemed to consider those words. “It may surprise you to learn that I have been told that before.”
It did not surprise her even a little bit. “It’s hard when you keep omitting important points, twisting the truth, and lying.”
“I want to kiss you.”
She blinked. “What?”
The elevator dinged. The doors were about to open.
He brought his face close to her left ear. “I want to kiss you. I thought you might appreciate a moment when I wasn’t lying.”
Her breath caught.
The doors had opened. Once more, he offered his arm, and soon they were in the ballroom, and, yes, it was as fancy as she expected. Glittering chandeliers. Elaborate arrangements of flowers everywhere. A live band played on a raised stage while white-coated waiters offered hors d’oeuvres. The smell of money seemed to hang in the air.
She’d done plenty of undercover assignments with the rich and famous, so she knew how to blend in at these scenes. But being able to blend in didn’t mean that she liked these events. They always made her feel uncomfortable. Like someone would realize she was a fraud and didn’t belong.
“You are the most beautiful woman in the room.”
Surprise rushed through her. He sounded as if he meant those words. But this was Dex—
“And, in case you were wondering, that was another true statement.” He inclined his head toward the dance floor. “Let’s dance and that will allow me the chance to whisper all sorts of secrets in your ear.”
Well, that certainly sounded interesting.
She let him lead her onto the dance floor, and when his hands curled around her hips and he pulled her close, a spark of electricity fired her blood. They swayed easily together. It was almost as if they’d danced dozens of times just this way.
“See?” Dex murmured. His head had lowered. His lips feathered over her ear. “Bet you’re regretting not agreeing to dance with me at the club when I made the offer. Now that you can see my fancy footwork in action, the regret must be weighing heavily on your soul.”
A surprised laugh sputtered out of her. She was looking to the side and, at her laugh, she saw a blond man’s head turn toward her. He glanced at her quickly, then away.
“You’re staring at the blond,” Dex continued as he kept his mouth near her ear. “He’s one of my targets.”
How had Dex realized she was—
“Name’s Roman Valentino. Money to burn, powerful connections to far too many countries, and certainly a person of interest for us.”
She noticed Roman was dancing with a pretty brunette. The woman’s dark hair was pulled back into an elegant twist. She wore a white gown that curled over one shoulder and hugged the curves of her body.
“And who is the woman?” Lacey asked.
“His bodyguard. Heather Madding. They pretend to be involved, but they’re not.” Dex’s mouth moved down until it hovered over the curve of Lacey’s shoulder. “You smell delicious.” He pressed a soft kiss to her shoulder.
“I-I thought this place was for lovers. A retreat—”
“Not exactly. Oh, sure, plenty of lovers come here. It’s the perfect place to sneak away. But others visit, too. For a variety of reasons. In order to get in, you just have to be willing to pay the price.”
She was betting the price was very, very high.
“The lodge promises complete privacy, and sometimes, people in my line of work need a location like this one.”
Now her gaze swept the ballroom. “So…are there other spies here? Is that what you’re telling me?”
“Sure, there are…others…in my line of work here.”
That certainly seemed like an extremely careful answer.
“There are also celebrities. A fashion CEO. A famous chef. And, if you take a look to my left, you’ll even see a familiar face.”
She darted a quick glance to the left. “That’s Jonathan Radcliff.”
“You mean Duke Radcliff, don’t you?”
She didn’t really bother with titles much. “I worked his protection detail about two months ago.” She’d kept him—and his new wife, Elizabeth—safe. The new wife was currently in Jonathan’s arms and staring up at her husband with an expression of utter bliss on her face.
He looked back at her the same way. As if the whole universe revolved around her.
Must be nice. The thought slipped through Lacey’s mind before she could stop it.
Just then, Jonathan glanced over and spotted her. A broad smile swept across his face. “Lacey!”
Heads turned at his call. More attention that went to him, then immediately to her.
And Lacey got the uncomfortable feeling that this entire scene was a set-up.
Wait, had Dex arranged for Jonathan and Elizabeth to be there?
Jonathan and Elizabeth were approaching, both with friendly smiles on their faces.
Dex pressed another kiss to her shoulder. “Delicious.” Then his head turned toward the approaching couple.
Jonathan beamed while Elizabeth pretty much glowed. Lacey liked the couple. They we
re both kind and real, and the idea that Dex might be using them in some way…no. I won’t let him hurt these two.
Jonathan stood at about six-foot-one, with firm shoulders and dark hair that had begun to thin just a little. His features were warm and even, and he had faint laugh lines around his mouth from frequent smiles. Elizabeth’s dark hair skimmed her cheeks and stopped just at her chin level in a stylish bob that accentuated her sharp cheekbones. Her eyes were warm and wide, and her lips were painted a sleek red.
“Lacey, it is so wonderful to see you!” Elizabeth pulled her in for a warm hug. “When Jonathan sprang this surprise trip on me, I had no idea what to expect. But this place is like a dream and seeing you here—it’s just even better!” Elizabeth was American, a teacher who’d been hired to work with Jonathan’s nephew. But once Jonathan had met the teacher his nephew raved about so much, he’d been hooked.
Elizabeth let her go and looked expectantly toward Dex.
Lacey knew she should probably make introductions.
“Are you working on a case, Lacey?” Jonathan asked as he leaned in close. “I must say, I find your work fascinating!” Then he gave a hard nod. “She saved my life, you see. Twice, in fact. I owe this woman a debt I will never repay.”
For a moment, Elizabeth’s lower lip trembled. “Me, too,” she whispered.
Lacey felt her cheeks burn. “I was just doing my job. You don’t owe me anything.” Her left hand lifted and pressed to Dex’s chest. “But I’m not here on a case, Jon. I’m here…”
“Because I can’t spend another moment of my life without her,” Dex inserted smoothly. “And I asked Lacey to be my wife.”
Elizabeth’s eyes widened. She even gave an excited little bounce. That was Elizabeth—always moving. Always happy.
Dex offered his hand to Jonathan. “Dex Ryan.”
Jonathan shook his offered hand. A faint furrow appeared between his eyebrows. “I’ve heard that name…haven’t I?”
“I’m pretty infamous in certain circles.” A waiter passed by with a tray of champagne. They all took glasses and Jonathan laughed, as if Dex had made a great joke.
He hadn’t. The man was infamous.
Lacey put the glass to her lips, and her gaze darted around the ballroom. She could feel eyes on her. And…