“I’m so sorry, Philippe. I think I had such a wonderful time last night that I feel drugged from giddiness today.”
The delight on his face told her he’d bought her totally lame excuse. Which, considering his ego, shouldn’t be such a surprise.
“I feel the same way, my love.” He took her hand and raised it to his mouth. “Fate has given us another opportunity, and I don’t intend that we waste this one.”
His warm breath against her hand felt moist and uncomfortable; Mia gave a little gasp, as if it were turning her on. Mistake. The next instant, he pulled her from her seat and into his lap. The little gasp gave way to a small yelp. Knowing Jared was listening and imagining the worst, Mia had no choice but to reassure him. As Philippe’s mouth trailed down her neck, leaving wet kisses on her skin, she sighed and said, “Oh, Philippe, that feels so good.”
“Mia, my love, you have no idea how good I’m going to make you feel.”
Wishing she’d had a lighter breakfast, Mia swallowed back the omelet that was headed up her throat. Throwing up on a man who was trying to seduce her would most definitely ruin the romance. And while that was tempting, she couldn’t let it go that far.
“Philippe, I fear my hair will be all mussed when we arrive.”
The startled look in his eyes surprised her. The man truly had forgotten himself. Good news, since it appeared that trying to seduce him was no longer necessary. Bad news also, since his passion could very well hurry things along faster than she wanted.
Either way, she was glad when he loosened his arms and let her return to her seat. “Don’t tempt me so, then, chérie.”
She almost snorted. So his lack of control was her fault. What was it about men and apologies these days?
Grateful for the reprieve, she opened her small purse and proceeded to repair her appearance. She took extra time applying lipstick, smoothing her hair, and checking every area of her face and neck. Philippe might think her the most vain person in the world, but that was just fine with her. The extra breathing space away from him was the respite she desperately needed.
The glance in the mirror also gave her a much-needed wake-up call. The expression on her face resembled that of a condemned prisoner headed to the death chamber. If she was going to convince Philippe that she was as enamored of him as he seemed to be of her, she damn well better put on her game face.
Mia drew in an inner breath and steeled her backbone. The smile she gave herself in the mirror was convincing to her … hopefully, it would be to Philippe as well. Closing her jeweled compact, which also happened to have a small knife beneath its glittery surface, she dropped it back into her bag and flashed her practiced smile. “I’m so glad you invited me to this event.”
“I plan for you to attend all of these events with me. What do you think about that?”
“That things are working out just the way I want.”
He turned his wrist to check his watch. “The luncheon should be over around two. We’ll go back to my house when it’s over, and I’ll show you around.”
That dull thud of dread grew sharper. “You’re still in your family home?”
“Oh, absolutely. Before Maman passed away, she made me promise to live there and raise my family there. I know you will love it, too.”
So he really was quite serious about this relationship. Could she convince him that though she was serious about him, she wanted to wait until after their wedding to have sex? That wouldn’t fly with most men. With Jared, he’d probably just kiss her and she’d forget any kind of argument. Stupid to think about Jared and marriage in one sentence, anyway. The man had been clear about his intent: sex and nothing beyond.
“I visited your home years ago, when Dad was in Paris on business. You were away on a trip, I believe. I remember how very lovely it was … especially the gardens.”
“Excellent. I haven’t changed anything. I’m sure you’ll find it just as breathtaking as before. In fact …” His eyes went bright. “Why don’t you come stay there with me? I’m sure you’d be more comfortable there than in that small apartment.”
Well, crap, she hadn’t seen that coming. But living there with him would give her access she would never get otherwise. Steeling herself with another inner breath, Mia took the plunge. “Philippe, you can’t know what your invitation means to me. I would love to come stay with you.”
Desire and something else glinted in his eyes. “Excellent. Though we’ll need to keep the news to ourselves for a while. Some of our contributors are quite staid and old-fashioned. The foundation’s work is too important to jeopardize.”
His response gave her pause. Were they wrong about Philippe? The evidence seemed overwhelming, but his response didn’t seem like the sort that would be made by a man so callous as to arrange for the abduction of infants, for the selling of those infants, or for having people murdered to hide his deeds. This man acted as if he truly wanted his foundation to help people.
Before she could speculate too much further, the limo stopped in front of the Hôtel de Luce. As she waited for the chauffeur to open the door, Philippe took her hand again. “You may not be able to move in with me until this weekend, but that doesn’t mean you can’t spend the night with me, does it?”
Thankfully, the door opened and she didn’t have to answer. Spend the night with him? Tonight? Oh hell.
Jared parked his motorcycle across the street from the hotel. A couple of minutes after the limo carrying Mia and Ricard had left the apartment, he’d jumped on his bike and followed. His earbud apprised him of every word that was said inside the limo. Ricard had not only invited Mia to come live with him—something Jared was still reeling from—but the man intended for Mia to sleep with him tonight. How the hell was she going to get out of that?
He watched as they emerged from the limo. Ricard was only average height for a man, but beside Mia, he appeared quite tall. They made an elegant couple, looked as if they belonged together.
While Philippe was saying something to his driver, Mia took a quick glance around. Jared knew the moment she spotted him. Her gaze stuttered briefly before she turned to the man beside her and gave him a dazzling smile.
Jared told himself he shouldn’t be worried about her. This wasn’t her first undercover operation, and though most ops didn’t require sleeping with the enemy, it wasn’t unheard of. Saving lives sometimes involved moral ambiguity. He’d dealt with that in his previous work with IDC. And though he hadn’t yet been required to sleep with a woman to maintain an LCR cover, Jared knew he would if necessary.
The couple, surrounded by several members of the press, along with city dignitaries, went inside the building. Jared switched on his cycle again. He’d stay within a few miles of the hotel so he could be close if she needed him. No way in hell could he go back to her apartment and wait. Listening to the bastard touch and caress Mia while he paced through her apartment, helpless to do anything, would be impossible right now, especially considering what lay ahead. If he had to listen, then he’d damn well be on his motorcycle, racing with his demons.
Jared took off. Zooming down a side street, he zipped around parked cars and weaved in and out of traffic. What he wanted was to find an open road and race full-throttle until the very breath was sucked from his lungs. Once, long ago, the thrill of speed had been the only thing that could soothe him. As a kid, he’d been stuck in one hellish home after another. He’d run away so many times, they’d finally given up on him and placed him in an orphanage. That’d been a thousand times worse, and that’s when his imagination had taken flight. He could be anyone and go anywhere. No one told him what to do, and he answered to no one.
Speed didn’t do it for him the way it once had, but on a day like today, he needed an outlet. The exhilaration and the heart-pounding, belly-dropping moments could still ease his demons. And though he couldn’t quite grasp why the demons were howling even louder today, he had to find some kind of peace.
The conversation Mia and Philippe were h
aving with their luncheon companions was mundane, but Jared kept his ears open to any kind of clue they might be able to use. Between him and Mia, they would find it, if it was there.
Odd how he’d come to trust her in such a short amount of time. It usually took him months, if not years, to give the kind of trust he’d given Mia. Hell, he’d shared the truth about his marriage with her. Not even Lucas, his best friend, knew all the facts. Telling Mia had just seemed natural. Damned if he could explain why.
The buildings blurred as he sped through the streets, his grip tightening as he listened to Philippe’s excessive compliments and Mia’s seemingly shy acceptances of his flattery. How the hell did she stand it?
A whispering and shuffling noise sounded, and then Philippe, his voice more strained than Jared had ever heard it, said, “My dear, if you’ll excuse me. I need to take this call.”
“Not sure what’s going on. He got a phone call and looked distracted, then angry.”
She was talking to him, not Philippe or anyone else at her table. Jared skidded to a stop in the middle of the street, twisted the bike around, and headed back to the hotel. He might not be needed, but just in case, he wanted to be close.
As he sped down the street, he heard Ricard say, “Something has come up and I must leave. Please stay and enjoy your lunch. I’ll have Davies, my chauffeur, return to pick you up and take you back to your apartment.”
Rolling on full-throttle, Jared lowered his head and focused on getting back to the hotel before Ricard left. He heard Mia ask him if everything was okay and Ricard’s unusually abrupt “Oui.”
Just as Jared turned onto the Rue de Sinclair, Ricard’s limo pulled out. Jared hauled back on his speed. Trailing wasn’t a big deal, but his bike always attracted attention. If there was something going on, the last thing he needed was for Ricard to get the idea that someone was on to him.
In his ear, he could hear Mia laughing and chatting as if her date hadn’t abandoned her. Ricard would probably get glowing reports on her graciousness from his friends. Fifteen minutes after he left the hotel, the limo turned into a private drive: Ricard’s estate.
Jared pulled into a shaded area behind a giant elm and waited. Five minutes later, the limo pulled out of the drive. Most likely going to pick Mia up.
Since he couldn’t knock on Ricard’s door and ask him what was going on, Jared’s only recourse was to leave. He took another route back to the hotel and arrived in time to see Mia exit through the hotel doors. She air-kissed several women, accepted two hand kisses, waved at a couple of people, and then got into the limo.
Jared sat on the bike, tensely. Was Ricard in the limo with Mia? He waited until he heard her say, “Glad I’m headed home. My feet are killing me.”
The breath he hadn’t known he was holding whooshed from his lungs. He hadn’t been sure the reprieve Mia had been given was for real. Apparently, it was. Mia was headed home, and Ricard was nowhere around.
A twist of the wrist and he was headed back to her apartment. They’d left things unsettled and uneasy between them. They needed to talk and to plan. But first, he had some stops to make.
twenty-one
The Ricard estate
Philippe paced through each room in the master suite. The curses he spewed would have astonished even his closest friends. Only when he was alone and properly motivated did he let the expletives loose.
His mind returned to the conversation that had pulled him from the luncheon today.
“We’ve got problems, Mr. Ricard.”
He hadn’t bothered to chastise Kinsey for calling him. The man knew better than to contact him unless something dire had occurred. He had quickly excused himself from the table, found an empty office, and closed himself in. “What’s wrong?”
“Our man in the U.S. has been identified.”
“Identified how?”
“When he picked up the package, there was a surveillance camera. His picture is all over the news.”
“I’ll call you back.”
Philippe hadn’t had a choice … he’d had to leave. A delicate matter of this nature had to be dealt with in private. If anyone overheard even a whisper of a word, he could be ruined.
Leaving Mia behind had been painful. They’d been having a delightful time, and their plans for the evening would have been even better. However, he was a very important man. Their relationship would be much smoother if she learned up front that while he enjoyed her company, the foundation’s business would always come first.
Philippe collapsed into his chair and took even breaths. The fury finally at a manageable level, he picked up his phone and placed another call. “I have use of your services.”
“Where and who?” an emotionless voice said.
“Tom Moore, a resident of San Francisco, California. I’m texting you his information. The one you handled in Chicago was found … I do not want this one discovered. Understand?”
“Yes. I’ll take care of it.”
“Let me know when it’s done. Payment will be forthcoming.”
Philippe pressed End. Then, texting quickly, he sent the information the man needed to ensure that the problem of Tom Moore was permanently removed. The elimination of a human being was a messy business he’d never intended to get into. Unfortunately, when humans were involved, mistakes were made. And often, the only way to deal with a mistake was to eliminate the person who’d caused it. A matter of business, nothing more.
The texting complete, Philippe put the disposable phone down and then pounded his fist furiously on the arm of the chair to release the anger still surging inside him. Tom Moore had been his last North American supplier. He’d had to eliminate Boyd Fuller in Chicago because of his unbelievable recklessness in taking the child of a wealthy couple. The news had been everywhere, had even made it to Paris. And then a detailed sketch of Boyd’s face had suddenly appeared. An easy bullet to his head had been too good for the stupid idiot. He had been nothing but a pain in the ass almost from the moment Philippe had met him years ago. Because of that, along with Fuller’s sheer stupidity, he had paid an additional fee for extra punishment before the bullet was delivered.
Now he would have to find a new supplier, and that was a difficult and time-consuming process. His time was already limited, but the demand for healthy babies was too high and his profits were too great to stop. The foundation’s work was more important than the irritant of having to locate a new supplier.
Perhaps Garwood Kinsey would be interested in a promotion. He already handled some of the European transactions. Next week, Philippe would contact the man and see if his considerable talents could be put to an even broader use. If Kinsey could find another supplier without Philippe having to be involved, it would make his life much easier.
Somewhat mollified that he’d come to a solution quickly, he still felt anger burning within him. Perhaps it was a good thing Mia wasn’t here. Her learning of his temper might inhibit their blossoming romance. There would be time enough, once they were married, for her to realize that he wasn’t quite as perfect as he appeared.
Within minutes of entering her apartment, Mia had changed into her workout tights and sports bra. The anxiety of the last few hours had created a surge of adrenaline that desperately needed an outlet. Jared had called and said he was on his way; if he didn’t get here soon, she would leave without him. The gym at LCR headquarters was as well equipped as any professional gym in the city. An hour of lifting and then maybe a long run would eliminate this pent-up energy.
If something hadn’t interrupted Philippe and pulled him away from the luncheon, she might well be at his home right now. Would she have been able to put him off or would she have acquiesced, knowing she had no choice?
She didn’t question why this new scenario had her so uptight. Of course she didn’t want to sleep with the man. If he was guilty of what they suspected, she didn’t want to be within a thousand miles of him. But that wasn’t the biggest reason she was having such difficulty. Tha
t reason had one name: Jared.
How could she do it after having been in Jared’s arms? Okay, yes, they’d agreed: no ties, no strings … only passion. But to have to be with Philippe after what she and Jared had shared twisted her stomach into giant knots. It felt wrong on so many levels.
Asking another operative to step in for her was impossible. She was the only one with a connection to Philippe, the only one he seemed to want right now. Yes, another woman could probably attract his attention, but how many operatives would be able to get into his home, possibly see his files? Only her.
Philippe wanted her to move in with him. While at his house, she would have access to his private quarters. If any information existed, she would find it. And if she couldn’t find it in his home, then she would have to keep digging. How long and how far would she have to go? Move in with him? Have sex with him? Hell, if he proposed marriage, would she consent in hopes of nailing the bastard? Just how deep would she have to dig before they had what they needed?
That led her to another conclusion. Jared needed to step back and let her work with another operative. Someone she wasn’t involved with … someone who could stay emotionally detached. He wouldn’t like it, but she had no other choice. Bottom line? She couldn’t have Jared listening to her having sex with another man. She just couldn’t.
The door to her apartment swung open, and he was there.
Mia faced him, her mind whirling, her body trembling. “I need to work out.”
Jared eyed her carefully. Her eyes were dilated and slightly wild; the skin on her face was pulled tight, as if every muscle was strained. Her agitated movements indicated she was teetering on the edge. Fortunately, he had a cure.
“I’m taking you to my place.”
She nodded quickly, not arguing for once, which concerned him even more. Mia not arguing meant she had something major to discuss. So did he, but it could wait. What she needed—what they both needed—was his first priority right now.
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