“I see.” Gregory, one of the other owners, would no sooner discuss business than he’d cut off an arm. But he would seduce any woman who looked at him for longer than two seconds, married or not.
“Mr. Fallon, I really don’t think it matters whether I was with your cousin, or what we were doing.” Elizabeth’s tone had turned defensive and her voice loud. “My necklace is missing.”
Leo fixed her with a neutral expression. “Of course, Mrs. Stanton. I’m merely trying to establish a timeline so we can get to the bottom of this theft.” If it was a theft. Most of these reports turned out to be a guest forgetting where she’d put an item, or never unpacking it in the first place.
When she realized Leo wasn’t going to judge her, the muscles in her face relaxed and she lowered her voice. “Very well. I haven’t been in my suite since early yesterday morning. I’m assuming one of your housekeepers was there because my trash is cleaned up. And now the necklace is gone as well.”
“Where in your suite did you last see it?”
“On my dresser in the bedroom. I was planning on wearing it yesterday evening.”
All he’d have to do is ask Gregory if Elizabeth had been wearing the necklace and her story would be corroborated. “Thank you, Mrs. Stanton. I promise you we’ll look into this.”
As soon as she left, Leo went down the hall and knocked on Zach’s office door. Neither he nor Andras were in the office, so Leo went to the filing cabinet and pulled the housekeeping schedules for the week.
Even before he scanned them, a sick suspicion had settled in his mind that was soon confirmed. Blair had been assigned to that floor the entire week. It wouldn’t be necessary to ask Gregory anything, after all.
Chapter Two
Blair was running late. Bad dreams had woken her in the middle of the night, and by the time her alarm clock rang, she’d been so tired she accidentally turned it off and fell back to sleep. As she opened the gate on the elevator, hoping she could retrieve her supplies without seeing anyone, she nearly ran headfirst into the hard-muscled chest of Andras Neville.
“Oh…Mr. Neville…forgive me. I overslept. I’ll get to work right away.” Blair found it difficult to look into Andras’s eyes. They were so blue they reminded her of the sapphires on Mrs. Stanton’s necklace. A quick jolt of fear shot through her. She had the necklace in her pocket and planned to return it this morning. If she hurried, Mrs. Stanton would still be at breakfast. No one would ever know.
“Blair, don’t worry about your duties right now. Come with me.”
“Why?” What was going on? Had Frankie or her father found out she was here? Blair’s heart began to hammer in her ears.
“Leo and I need to discuss something with you.”
If they’d found her, Andras wouldn’t be so calm right now. It must be something else. As she followed him to the maze of offices behind the front desk, thoughts of Frankie Fillipone were temporarily pushed aside as she admired the cut of Andras’s suit. The tailored linen enhanced his tall, muscular build, and the robin’s-egg-blue of the fabric accentuated his hair and eyes. He was one of the most handsome men she’d ever seen and strictly off-limits of course. But that didn’t mean she hadn’t fantasized about him.
What would it be like to have a man like Andras in your life? Someone who didn’t work for trigger men, who smelled delicious, and dressed like a million bucks? When he ushered her into a large office with leather furniture, she inhaled the scent of peppermint, which always seemed to hang about him like a cloud.
The scent of sage combined with Andras’s smell, and Blair’s eyes swept the room to find Leo Fallon already there. He wore a scowl, but that didn’t distract from his eyes. Gold with flecks of brown, they always reminded Blair of the colors of a sunset. This morning he wore a light-gray pin-striped suit. His dark, wavy hair hung over his shoulders, so unusual for most men these days, but on him it was enticing as hell.
“Sit down, Blair,” said Leo, waving her into the chair next to his.
As she took her seat, Andras pulled over a chair and sat across from her. The last time she’d been in a room with both men was the day they offered her a job. What if her first impression had been right? Why else would they have brought her in here if not to discuss Frankie or her father?
She swallowed against the sudden lump in her throat and tried to take deep breaths so her heart would stop racing. “What’s going on?” Her voice came out shaky and soft.
Leo picked up a piece of paper from the desk. “A guest has reported a theft, and you were assigned to her room yesterday.” He held her gaze. “Is there something you’d like to tell me?”
Blair blinked a few times, confused. This wasn’t about Frankie or her father. The relief that they hadn’t discovered where she was hiding nearly overshadowed Leo’s words. She’d been too late after all. Mrs. Stanton already knew her necklace was gone. But she was safe. That thought ricocheted through her brain as she pulled the necklace out her pocket.
Blair tried not to laugh at the looks of incredulity on their faces. “I was admiring it yesterday.” She handed the necklace to Andras, who stared at her with a mixture of disbelief and sadness in his eyes. “I dropped it in my pocket when I heard a door slam. It was purely a reflex reaction. Then I found…I became distracted by something in Mrs. Stanton’s room and forgot about the necklace until I finished my duties. I thought about asking for the passkey to return it last evening, but then I decided the best thing to do would be to wait and return it this morning. I’m sorry.”
She glanced from one man to the other, wishing they would say something, anything. The silence was uncomfortable because she couldn’t interpret the expressions on their faces. “I shouldn’t have tried it on. I shouldn’t have even touched it. It won’t happen again.”
The two exchanged a quick glance. Leo reached behind himself and picked up several news clippings from the desk then handed them to Blair. A gasp escaped her throat before she could stop it. Her fingers trembled, and her eyes filled with tears, making it difficult to read the headlines, let alone the text.
Her father—her own father—had accused her of stealing from him and his clients? His clients? They were all crooks! And Frankie Fillipone was in on it. Blair wiped tears from her cheeks as she tried to understand everything she read. She hadn’t stolen anything, at least not intentionally. And, to be fair, the damn jewelry that Frankie had sent his goons to retrieve in the alley was most likely hot to begin with. She should have known better than to take it, but there was nothing she could do now to change her past decisions.
“Blair?” Leo’s deep voice was full of concern. “The only way Andras and I can help is for you to tell us what’s going on.”
She looked from one man to the other, searching desperately for a sign that she could trust them. What if they knew Frankie or one of the other bosses? Chicago wasn’t that far away. For all she knew Frankie was a regular here. They had a speakeasy on the property, after all, and she’d spied more than one guest drinking bathtub gin.
Blair tossed the news clippings on the desk behind Leo. “These are a pack of lies. I didn’t steal from my father or his clients.”
“Then tell us what did happen,” said Andras, leaning close. Blair breathed in the scent of peppermint and tried not to stare into his eyes. She didn’t want to appear rude, but they were so dark right now they looked more indigo than sapphire. It fascinated her the way they’d changed color.
The air in the room became charged, as though it were about to lightning. As Blair continued to gaze into Andras’s eyes, everything around him seemed to fade until they were the only things she saw, shimmering like deep pools of water. All she had to do was fall in and all her troubles would disappear. Frankie and his men would no longer be after her, and the newspaper stories would fade away as though they’d never been written.
Her gaze traveled to his lips, full and slightly parted. What would it be like to kiss him? Certainly not like the sloppy, rough kisses Lenny Wilson had
forced on her. Memories of Lenny’s unwanted groping snapped Blair back to the present. She blinked a few times, trying to remember if Andras had asked her a question.
What the hell had just happened? She had no idea, but she suddenly couldn’t stop thinking about being in Andras’s arms. They looked strong and powerful. Strong enough to pick her up and carry her to bed.
Hellfire. She needed to stop this train of thought and quickly. These men were her employers, and they’d caught her with jewelry that belonged to a guest. She’d better start explaining or they’d fire her, not kiss her. If she lost this job she’d be in a world of trouble.
Swallowing again, Blair gathered her thoughts. “What do you know about Frankie Fillipone?” She might as well find out if they were in league with him before she spilled her guts.
Andras cut his gaze to Leo for a brief second. “We’ve had dealings with him. Apparently you have as well.”
“My father works for him.”
“Go on,” urged Andras.
“You know what he is, right?” Blair held her breath as the two exchanged another veiled glance. This would be much easier if she could simply say what was on her mind and get it all out in the open. A horrible thought occurred to her. What if they worked for Frankie as well?
She wiped her damp palms on her apron and took a couple of deep breaths to slow her heartbeat. Surely they could hear it by now.
“Let’s just say we know he’s done some things that are on the wrong side of the law and leave it at that,” said Leo. Blair frowned at the way his mouth turned up at the corners. Was he acknowledging the fact that Frankie was a crook or laughing at her?
“Blair, tell us the rest of your story,” said Andras. When he placed a hand on her knee, Blair nearly jumped. It was just a light touch, but it sent a jolt up her thigh, straight to her clit. Blair swallowed and wiped her hands again, but this time the dampness wasn’t from fear. Lust shot through her, unexpected and unfamiliar.
Her sole experience with a man’s touch had been Lenny’s unwelcome groping and his attempts to shove his tongue into her mouth. She was the only one of her friends who was still a virgin. Four years ago on the day she’d turned twenty-one, still unmarried, her father had called her an old maid so many times she’d fled the house for three days and stayed with friends. She’d only returned when he threatened to kick her out for good. If she could have found a better job in a hurry, she would have moved out, but free rent was free rent.
Andras’s touch didn’t repulse her as Lenny’s had done. His hand lightly brushed her knee, caressing her as a lover would. “We’ll help you if we can,” he said softly, “but you need to tell us what’s going on.”
Blair didn’t understand her sudden decision to trust him, but she knew it was right to do so, just as sure as she knew if Frankie or his men found her, she’d be dead. “Two of Frankie’s men are looking for me.”
Leo muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like “fuck.”
“Go on, Blair.” Andras gave her kneecap a tiny squeeze, and Blair’s uniform suddenly felt too tight. Her nipples tingled, and her face became hot.
“My father has been trying to get me to…make deliveries for him and Frankie for a few years, but I’ve refused. I had a part-time job in a bakery near where we lived. One day I took a different route home because—” She didn’t want to tell them about Lenny. It was too shameful. Every night the man would wait outside when she worked late and insist on walking her home, but after he’d whispered the acts he planned to commit with her once they were married, she’d had enough. “Because I thought someone was following me. I hid in an alley and something caught me eye.”
If she told them she’d stolen a satchel full of jewelry, would they still believe her about Mrs. Stanton’s necklace? It was too much of a coincidence. These men weren’t stupid.
“What was it that caught your eye?” asked Leo. Blair was mesmerized by the golden color of his eyes. They reminded her of the topaz ring she’d found in the satchel. A smile played at the corners of his mouth again, but this time instead of thinking he might be mocking her, she was positive the gesture was meant to be seductive.
The room suddenly felt so hot she asked for a glass of water. When Leo rose to pour her one, she stared at his ass, wondering if it looked as trim naked as it did under his suit. He handed her the glass, and she drained it before speaking. “The moon was full that night, and the light caught the gold clasp on a satchel behind a trash can. When I picked it up, the first thing I noticed was how heavy it was. I can’t even explain why I took it. I…I wasn’t thinking clearly that night.” Blair had been so focused on hiding from Lenny that she hadn’t been thinking at all. She’d merely reacted. “I didn’t open it until I got home.”
Leo turned his chair to face her. Andras’s hand was still on her knee, and now Leo touched her arm lightly. A shock wave of desire coursed through her body, and the air took on that odd electrified charge again. She wanted to glance toward the open window to see if a storm was approaching, but his eyes held her captive. She couldn’t look away.
“What was in it?” he asked, his deep voice soft and enticing. Blair had a sudden urge to tell him her deepest, darkest secrets.
“Jewelry. The entire satchel was stuffed with it.”
“Jewelry,” said Andras, nodding slowly.
“I know how this must look to you both, but I swear to you I didn’t steal Mrs. Stanton’s necklace. I need this job. I’m not stupid. And I’m not a thief.”
“Your actions would appear to suggest you are,” said Andras.
“What did you do with the jewelry you found in the alley?” asked Leo. His fingertips stroked her forearm, and a shiver ran through Blair’s body.
“I pawned a few of the pieces. I thought it was my ticket to freedom. I wanted to get away from my father and his life and…and everything. But the owner of the pawnshop must have known Frankie or his men. Somehow they got wind of it, and next thing I knew, two goons were standing in my living room, asking my father what I was up to.” She’d been on the verge of telling them about Lenny, but she just couldn’t. And what did it matter now? He was dead. He could never hurt her again.
The men exchanged a dark glance. “When was this?” asked Andras.
“The same day I showed up here,” she whispered. “I didn’t know what to do, so I shimmied down the fire escape and just ran. When I reached the city limits, I went into the woods and kept walking until I found this place.”
“Where’s the rest of the loot?” asked Andras. “Is it still in your father’s house?”
Blair shook her head and blinked back fresh tears. “I took it with me.”
Leo raised his eyebrows, and this time it was Andras who swore under his breath.
“It’s here in your room?” Leo asked, resting his hand on her forearm. His touch warmed her skin until it grew uncomfortably hot, as though his fingers were made of fire.
“No. No, I swear. It’s not in this building.”
“Where is it, Blair?” Leo’s eyes were so intense a shiver of fear ran through her. Was he asking because she’d been right in the first place and they worked for Frankie? Her heart began to race again, and she found it difficult to take a full breath. What the hell was wrong with her? She’d let their damn sexy eyes trick her into telling them about the jewelry, and now they were going to alert Frankie. She’d be dead by nightfall.
“I’m not telling you that.” Blair shook off Leo’s hand and stood up so quickly she bumped her knees against Andras. As she turned to leave, Andras caught her arm, but she shrugged out of his grip. “I’m leaving. And don’t try to follow me. I can take care of myself.”
“Blair, settle down. We don’t want you to leave.” Andras put his arms around her from behind, and she gasped as his erection brushed against the back of her skirt. Images of them both naked and sweating filled her mind. She squeezed her eyes shut against the onslaught of lust that overpowered her senses. All she wanted
to do was lean into his embrace and let him ravage her. What the hell was going on here?
“You’re going to tell them where I am. You work for him, don’t you?” She couldn’t twist around to see his face. His strong arms held her too tightly. Blair tried to blink away the tears, but her breath hitched in her throat, and they came, unbidden.
Andras gently turned her to face him and touched her cheek, brushing it free of wetness. “Where did you get such a crazy idea?” he asked softly.
“Why else would you ask me where I hid the jewelry?”
Leo sighed loudly. “I’m sorry, Blair. I didn’t mean to frighten you. We’ve had bad dealings with Frankie Fillipone. But we’re not working for him, and we’re certainly not going to tell him you’re here.”
Blair looked from one man to the other, trying to ignore the touch of Andras’s finger on her face. It sent a delicious tingling sensation down her neck, across her nipples, and straight to her soaking-wet pussy. “What?” She couldn’t seem to comprehend what Leo had just said.
He stepped closer and stroked her arm again. Blair bit back a moan. “You’re safe with us. We’re not going to tell anyone where you are. But we have to know where the jewelry is.”
“In the woods,” she whispered. “I hid it in a giant oak tree with lots of holes in the trunk, just on the other side of the lake out front.”
The men exchanged a glance, and Andras nodded. “I know exactly where it is. I’ll get it later.”
“No, don’t touch it,” she said. “I’m sure it’s stolen. Frankie’s men came looking for it. It was a drop, don’t you see? It was a payment, and I took it.”
“Don’t worry about it, Blair. We’ll take care of this.” Andras wiped away the last of her tears then cupped her face in one strong hand. “But there’s still the little problem of you taking Mrs. Stanton’s necklace to deal with.”
She swallowed, her gaze locked on his face. “Are you going to dismiss me for that? I have no place to go. If they find me, they’ll kill me.” Blair hated the begging quality her voice had taken on, but she was telling Andras the truth. There was no place for her to go if they fired her.
Seducing the Chambermaid [Notorious Nephilim 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 2