That was something she was going to have to work out. Philippe had been much more forward than he’d been years ago. Though that might have been because they’d been much younger and he’d been a whole lot less arrogant, she had a feeling there was more to it than that. Was he perhaps in the market for a wife? If so, couldn’t she play on that? Lead him on to get even closer but stay out of his bed, too?
A bark of rusty laughter brought her head up. “What?”
“From that look on your face, I’d say Philippe Ricard won’t know what hit him when you’re finished with him.”
Stupid really, but she suddenly wanted to kiss him. In a few hours she would be back with Philippe, listening to him toot his own horn. But just for a few moments, she wanted to spend some time with the man who alternately fascinated and infuriated her.
She got to her feet and held out her hand to him. He didn’t ask what she wanted … just pulled her into his arms. Mia tugged his head down, and Jared did the rest. Sighing into his mouth, she gave herself up to the incredible sensations this man created in her. When this case was over, these moments would be just memories. Why that thought hurt her chest, she refused to consider. All she knew was that she wanted to create as many of these moments as she could.
One week later
Mia lay in bed, listening to the sounds of Jared preparing breakfast. This had become their routine over the last week. Seven days of working undercover to discover if Philippe Ricard was a sleaze and guilty of what they suspected. So far, she had nothing to show for it except dark circles beneath her eyes and a couple of blisters on her feet.
The dinner dates were exhausting. Even if she wasn’t trying to uncover Philippe’s secrets, dressing to the nines and going out every night wasn’t the lifestyle she enjoyed. An occasional dinner out was made special because of its rarity.
Back home, her lifestyle was active and full. She had several close friends she could call at a moment’s notice to go white-water rafting or skydiving, grab a burger, or see a movie. Those were the activities she enjoyed. Sitting in an elegant restaurant being treated as if she were royalty and listening to inane babble was much more tiring than all of those other activities put together.
Philippe had wined and dined her every night. They’d had their photographs taken by all the paparazzi in Paris. Everywhere they went, so did the press. On their third date, Mia began to suspect that someone was tipping the press off. No one, except perhaps a president or prime minister, could command that much attention. Not even the famous Philippe Ricard.
On their fifth date, it was confirmed. They’d just gotten out of the limo when a photographer shouted something at Philippe and he bent down and kissed her as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Her first instinct had been to jump away from him, but that had been impossible. He was putting on a show, and she was part of his act. So she’d smiled and tried to look both excited and flustered by the kiss. She’d apparently played it well, because he’d given her a delighted smile and had tightened his arm around her waist as they had entered the restaurant.
So, the question was, why was he showing her off so much? The answer was obvious, if disturbing. The man was out to show the world that he had a serious relationship going.
And still they had learned very little from him. Each night, she tried to steer him in the direction of the foundation, and though he definitely enjoyed talking about it, his stories still somehow revolved around him and his accomplishments.
Staying clear of Philippe’s more amorous moves hadn’t been as difficult as she’d thought it would be. Oh, he still wanted to kiss each night, and she’d had no choice but to allow that, but he never tried to take it any further.
She had the distinct impression that Philippe had a timeline and planned to stick to it. So many dates, so many chaste kisses, and then on to something more serious. The question was, could she get what she needed before they reached the next level on his timetable?
After dinner each evening, she returned to her apartment and to Jared. Not since that first night of extreme crudeness had he done or said anything unkind. He’d actually been a huge comfort. After the second date, she had come home and dropped her clothes on the floor. Without a word, he had picked her up and taken her to the bathroom, where he’d drawn her a hot bath filled with fragrant bubbles.
Each night since, he had repeated the same kindness. She never mentioned it and he never said anything, but she had a feeling he understood that her need to remove Philippe’s touch was of extreme importance.
After her bath, she would crawl into bed and Jared would hold her. They rarely talked; he would kiss her good night, and they’d fall asleep. The next morning, they would make love. Then, while they ate breakfast, they’d listen to the recording of her night out with Philippe.
The entire situation had become a routine. Not a comfortable one, nor one that could continue. Something had to break. And soon. Mia just hoped to hell it was something in their favor.
twenty
Cleveland, Ohio
The girl walked aimlessly through the store, her distraction obvious. She had appeared on his radar last week. A friend had steered him in her direction. A young, single mother of an infant, she waitressed at a diner during the day, and three nights a week, she worked at a strip joint, serving drunks. The girl was broke, thin to the point of emaciation, and so obviously exhausted he’d seen her stumble a couple of times. She had no help or family support; she took the baby with her everywhere. The boy was only about four months old and seemed perfectly content to be hauled around. It was obvious her life would be better without the kid. And the kid would be better off with a family that wanted him. She was his perfect prey.
He hadn’t yet decided how it would go down. She didn’t look like she’d be able to fight back, but he wasn’t crazy about leaving any witnesses. Neither, however, did he want to kill her. That was just asking for trouble. Besides, he’d already developed a soft spot for the girl. Getting rid of her kid would probably make her life a lot easier. He saw himself as a problem solver. Killing would definitely defeat the purpose.
Hell, she didn’t even know she was being followed. He’d been stalking her for three days now, learning her routine. Last night, he’d sat in his car across the street from her dumpy apartment and watched her fall asleep on the sofa, with the kid sleeping on her shoulder. She had no concept of how dangerous the world was … how dangerous he was. It was time she learned.
The Ricard estate
Philippe clicked on his email. The message he read brought a smile of satisfaction to his face. Another deal complete; more money to do good work and more accolades for him. Life was good.
He exited out of the email account and clicked on another account. As was his usual style, he typed out an oblique sentence: Please tell the Martines that all of their dreams are coming true.
Each time a deal was about to be completed, this was the carefully worded email he sent to his special “attorney.” The man would handle payment and delivery, along with the necessary signatures on the papers. They weren’t legal papers, of course, but they served the purpose. Each person who entered into such an agreement with Philippe knew these weren’t legitimate adoptions. They knew exactly how their precious infants had been obtained. It was Philippe’s insurance policy. If he went down, so did they. His clients made sure no one ever discovered their shared secret.
Satisfied with the morning’s accomplishments, Philippe walked over to his closet and mulled over what he should wear for his date with Mia. Things were going superbly well. He’d almost forgotten how witty he could be. She laughed at all of his jokes, and those warm looks she gave him from time to time told him she’d do a lot more for him if he would let her.
He planned to let her, and soon. There was no real reason for a long courtship. If anyone questioned the brevity of their romance, he would explain how they’d dated years ago and had only just found each other again. All the romantics would sigh about such a
reunion.
With his many commitments and busy schedule, cultivating a relationship wasn’t easy. Multitudes of women had tried to entice him, but other than a few discreet liaisons, he hadn’t had the time or energy for romance. Now that he’d found Mia, he didn’t have to. He didn’t question whether she would be interested in anything permanent. The connection they had made these last few nights proved not only that she was attracted to him physically but that she admired him. And he was most certainly attracted to her. When the day came that she no longer satisfied him, he’d continue with his discreet affairs. If she wanted to do the same, he would be a gentleman and let her. As long as she brought no taint to his family’s name, he had no problem with her finding pleasure elsewhere. He was a man of the twenty-first century.
The luncheon today was one of those obligatory affairs he attended on a regular basis. But taking Mia to such an event would be seen as significant. A dinner date was one thing, but an obligatory lunch? That screamed relationship and duty. Thanks to his good rapport with the press, they were already an item. The luncheon today would confirm that they were so much more. When they announced their engagement a couple of weeks from now, it would come as no surprise to anyone.
Once she accepted his proposal, he would call her parents and officially ask for her hand. Their families had never been close, but they were of the same social class. They would be nothing but thrilled. What parents wouldn’t want their daughter to marry someone as wealthy and admired as the famous Philippe Ricard?
The Ricard-Maxwell wedding would be the social event of the year, if not the decade.
Jared started pacing earlier this time. Mia was still in the bedroom, getting ready for her lunch date with Philippe. Even though there would be dozens of people at the luncheon and lots of eyes on them, Jared still felt antsy about it all. This cat-and-mouse game was driving him crazy. He wasn’t used to this kind of inactivity. When he was on an operation, he was in action. Listening to Philippe boast about himself and having to hear Mia pretend an attraction and accept his kisses each night made this about the shittiest assignment he’d ever had.
His cellphone rang just as Mia emerged from her bedroom. Hell, she looked even more beautiful than she had last night. The dark blue dress made her creamy skin seem almost translucent, and the length, though respectable, emphasized her long, sleek legs. They’d just had sex less than an hour ago, and dammit all, he wanted her again.
The phone shrilled again, reminding him why the hell he was here in the first place. He grabbed it and growled, “Livingston.”
“Another one’s been taken,” McCall said, his voice sounding both grim and tired. The man was at home now, still recovering from his injury, but from what Jared could tell, he hadn’t slowed down a hell of a lot.
Mia sat on the edge of a chair while Jared clicked on the loudspeaker and placed the phone on the coffee table so they could both hear.
“Where and when?” Jared asked.
“Cleveland, Ohio. Yesterday.”
“How did it happen?” Mia asked.
“The mom worked at a bar, but there was a room in the back where she kept the baby while she was on duty. She went to get him and he was gone.”
Jared frowned at the phone. “You sure this is our guy?”
“The child is the right age … it’s too damn similar to the others not to consider it. And we caught one minor break—surveillance cameras picked up the guy’s face. Problem is, so far, he can’t be identified.”
“I believe Philippe and I are establishing a good, solid relationship.” Mia glanced up at Jared and back at the phone. “We’re moving toward—”
McCall’s hard voice cut her off: “That’s not good enough, Mia.”
Jared jerked. “What the hell is that supposed to mean? She’s doing everything—”
“This is going too damn slow.” McCall sighed. “You’re going to have to speed it up. Find out something. I don’t care if you have to tie the bastard up and drug him.”
Jared had never heard McCall’s voice that cold and determined before. He thought he’d seen the man as furious as anyone could get. This was more.
“What aren’t you telling us?” Mia asked. Apparently, she had the same concern.
“The baby’s mother … She ran out into the street. Got hit by a car … She’s in critical condition. If she dies, that’s five deaths, including your informant, Mia, that we know he’s responsible for. And that’s not even counting the additional deaths at the spa or that Fuller sleaze in Chicago. The bastard’s not going to stop until we stop him.”
“I’m seeing him in just a few minutes.”
“I’m sorry as hell to ask you to do this, Mia, but you’re our only hope now. Can you handle it?”
“Yes.”
“Dammit, McCall, you can’t ask her to—”
“It’s okay, Jared. Really. I knew it might come to this.”
Jared grabbed the phone, took it off speaker, and stalked away from Mia. “McCall, are you crazy? You can’t expect her to fuck somebody on your orders.”
“Livingston, I don’t want it to come to that, and hopefully it won’t. And if you think this is easy for me, you’re wrong. Mia knew the risks; so did you. Would you feel the same way if you weren’t sleeping with her?”
With his teeth clenched together, Jared said, very quietly, “Fuck you, McCall.”
“Either get on board or get the hell out of there and I’ll send in someone who can handle the job. She needs your support, not your anger.”
Jared ground out, “I can handle the job.”
“Then do it. Be there for Mia, Jared. No matter which way this falls, she’s going to need you.”
Before Jared could come up with another fitting reply, Noah ended the call.
Whirling around, Jared turned to a white-faced Mia. The dull thudding of his heart and the twisting of his stomach were reflections of the turmoil he saw in her eyes. “We’ll find another way, Mia.”
She shook her head. “There may not be another way. Not if I’m going to get the information quickly. If I’m sharing his bed, his confidence might not give me what I need, but it’ll get me into his home, inside his private office. I’m a fairly good computer hacker. If the information is there, I’ll find it.”
Feeling helpless wasn’t an emotion Jared had a lot of experience with. If he didn’t like something, he either changed it or he figured out a way not to care. There was no way in hell he was going to not care about this. So how was he going to change it?
A soft hand caressed his arm, soothing him. He looked down to see that Mia’s expression had changed from distaste for the job to something else. Hell, was she worried about him?
Her next words proved that. “It’s going to be okay, Jared. I promise.”
“How do you know that? The man is lower than a slug. The things we know he’s responsible for are bad enough. There’s no telling what else he’s capable of. If he finds out what you’re doing, he—”
“He won’t.”
Jared wanted to hold her, tell her he’d find another way. The rational side of his brain told him there was no other way. That if she could get the information quickly, she could save lives. He knew all about sacrificing yourself for others. That had been part of his code in his previous undercover job. And as an LCR operative, it was no different.
Another part of him, however, refused to believe he could do nothing. There had to be something he could—
The doorbell rang. Their eyes met, and he knew time had run out. “I don’t want his hands on you.” The words came out soft and strained.
With a gentle but resolved smile, she whispered, “It’s not your choice.” She looked at the door and then turned back to him. “You need to hide.”
“I’ll be listening to every word. If you need me, say ‘sandy beaches’ and I’ll be there. Okay?”
She reached up and pressed a quick kiss to the corner of his mouth. “I’ll be fine. Now go.”
Jared t
ook one last look at her and then did one of the hardest things he could remember ever doing: he disappeared into the bedroom, leaving her to face the devil alone.
The trembling in her legs wasn’t a good sign, but Mia was relieved to be able to open the door to Philippe with a bright, welcoming smile.
“Darling, you look even lovelier in the daylight.”
Keeping the smile on her face was difficult, but she managed as she accepted the light kiss to her lips. The kisses he’d given her before hadn’t been enjoyable, but she’d had no real difficulty accepting them. Today the game had changed, and she had to work harder. This would not have been her choice, but Noah was right. Saving lives was more important than her personal comfort.
As Philippe offered her empty compliments on her apartment, Mia smiled and answered questions automatically, her mind on weightier issues. Just because this was an option she could—and, if necessary, would—take, it didn’t mean it was a done deal. If she could figure out a way to keep him at arm’s length and still get what she needed, that’s what she intended to do.
She prayed that she wouldn’t have to go to such dire lengths to get what she needed, but if she did, she prayed for the courage to see it through.
“So, shall we go?”
Taking his arm, she allowed him to escort her out of the apartment. As the lock clicked into place, she could just imagine Jared coming out of the bedroom and staring at the door. That first night, their argument had been about this very thing and he’d been cruel, even when she had told him she wouldn’t have to go this far. Now that it was a possibility, what would happen? Would he be even crueler or leave altogether?
“Mia, are you not feeling well?”
Sweet Reward: A Last Chance Rescue Novel Page 21