Dangerous Love

by E. B. Walters

  Some woman gave a brief speech about the opportunity to give back and the wonderful surprises in store for the attendees tonight. Applause followed, then music picked up tempo. The first model walked on stage.

  Sean stiffened beside her.

  Faith’s jaw dropped.

  Monique VanderMarck strutted down the catwalk in her sixty-eight-year-old, size-fourteen glorious body in a dress Faith had created for her. The only dress she’d finished before Barbs made her aware of Sean’s thievery.

  Faith held her breath as the room went silent. Whispers followed. Cameras clicked. Faith wasn’t sure whether the dress caused the stir, or the former model. Some in the fashion industry still insisted she was the first supermodel before Twiggy. Art connoisseurs probably heard about her from the events of the past year. She’d been embroiled in a scandal involving her deceased husband’s paintings, some of which turned out to be forgeries. Faith’s cousin and his fiancée authenticated the rest of her collection a couple of months ago, and the pieces drew the media’s attention when they sold for millions.

  Faith didn’t realize Sean had left until Barbs leaned forward and whispered, “We got him.”

  “What?”

  “Sean. One of the dresses he planned to showcase tonight was an exact replica of Monique’s dress. The man is a fool. He even used the same print. As soon as we got here and saw it, Monique sent her assistant to bring hers. Why do you think he’s disappeared? Probably to replace the gown and do damage control.”

  Faith almost felt sorry for Sean. Almost. She was so proud to have these wonderful women in her corner. She must find a way to thank them. On the other hand, she wasn’t sure about the ramifications of their latest stunt. The designers who worked hard to put this show together would be pissed if Faith upstaged them. Even though the gowns featured tonight were to be auctioned afterwards and the money added to the relief fund, the designers banked on the exposure. As for Sean, she wondered what he was telling his people right now.

  Before Sean returned, the lights went out. Bumps and cries of shock, or pain came from backstage where the models were changing. Someone reassured the audience the generator would kick in any minute. The lights were out on the entire block, he explained.

  One minute became two, then three. People removed their cell phones and used the LCD screens to light up their surroundings. A buzz filled the room, which became applause when flights flickered back on.

  Sean just happened to be on his way back and assumed the rah-rah was for him. He waved and grinned. But when he sat, his mood changed.

  “Did you know Mrs. VanderMarck planned to sneak in your design and steal my show?” Sean hissed in Faith’s ear.

  “Your show?” Faith leaned sideways to create space between them and thought of the best way to answer him, her gaze fixed on a model in a stunning magenta outfit. “I thought this was a group effort.”

  “Did you know?”

  She turned her head and studied him. Funny she once thought his sharp features, piercing gray eyes, and curly hair were gorgeous. Now he reminded her of a weasel, his belligerent voice grating.

  “No, Sean. I’m just as surprised as you.”

  “I’ll make sure the stage manager is fired,” he added.

  Faith refused to comment, the smile on her lips close to cracking as he continued to berate the stage manager. “I’m happy you didn’t plan this, Faith. I would have been very disappointed.”

  When she didn’t dignify his comment with one of her own, he turned his attention to the runway. His hands clenched and unclenched throughout the show, though it went on without a glitch. Faith couldn’t relax either or enjoy the show. Monique wasn’t the only famous face to walk the catwalk. Singers and sports figures, actors and actresses pranced behind the models. Where was Ken? They must be done by now.

  Some of the tension leached out of Faith when five renowned male TV and movie stars boldly paraded in kilts then paused at the same time and mooned the audience. Laughter filled the room.

  “Walk with me in the finale,” Sean urged.

  Why couldn’t he just leave her alone? “No, thanks.”

  “Everyone will want to know who designed Mrs. VanderMarck’s gown,” he said through clenched teeth, a fake smile on his lips. “It may have escaped your notice, but it caused quite a stir.”

  “Mrs. VanderMarck on the catwalk caused the stir,” I corrected him.

  “Listen, Faith—”

  “How did you explain the fact that your gown looked exactly like hers?” she asked before she could stop herself.

  Sean cursed softly under his breath, got up, and escaped backstage to join the models and the other designers. For the finale, all the models, minus Mrs. VanderMarck, wore Levis and T-shirts with Fashion for Relief written diagonally across their chest. While she clapped with the audience, Faith tried to locate Ken. She wanted to leave before Sean came back.

  “You should be up there,” Barbs whispered.

  Faith smiled. “One day.”

  “But we showed them, didn’t we? Tomorrow, everyone will be talking about Monique, her outfit, and you, the person who designed it. Wait and see.”

  If only the publicity would secure her a financial backer. She was in the red and her Fashion Week debut might still not happen. Faith finally spotted Ken. He was behind a throng of people on the other side of the catwalk. She waved him over, turned and saw Sean staring at her. Ken was taller than the average guy and stood out. Sean noticed him, recognition instant. Both men started toward her.

  Sean acted like it was a race. He waded through the crowd, hurriedly shaking hands and patting backs, his gaze volleying between her and Ken. Ken didn’t seem bothered. He seemed pleased with himself, which meant tonight’s operation was successful. He sauntered toward her then hopped on the catwalk. Faith returned his grin. He could give tonight’s male models a run for their money with his superbly proportional body and gorgeous face.

  Faith touched Barbs’ arm. She was talking to the other two women and some of their friends. “I’m going to leave now.”

  “You’re not attending the auction?” Barbs asked.

  “Or the after-party?” Sissy asked, naming a trendy club as the venue.

  She and Ken had their own after-party. The sooner they left the faster they could start it. “Not tonight. Thank you for what you did. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you.”

  “There’s nothing to repay,” Barbs said dismissively. “The past week has been fun, a real life spy mission. Besides, we all need a helping hand now and then.”

  “Don’t listen to Barbs. Repay us by kicking ass during Fashion Week,” Sissy said sassily then pressed her cheek against Faith’s.

  “Make us proud,” Eliza added, giving her a hug.

  “I promise,” she heard herself say. She really must get a new sponsor.

  “Faith?” Sean said breathlessly behind her.

  Irritation surged through Faith. “Excuse me,” she told her friends then turned and faced Sean. “Yes?”

  “Can we go somewhere privately and talk?”

  Her first instinct was to say no, but she needed to make a few things clear to this man. She nodded and moved aside with him.

  Her eyes widened when Ken stopped on the catwalk behind Sean, arms crossed, legs apart, and a cocky grin on his lips. She’d bet that if she gave the signal, he’d drag Sean out of the building in front of all these people and toss him out like a sack of rotten potatoes. He cocked his brow in question. She shook her head and turned her focus on Sean.

  “What is this about?” she asked.

  “Us. First, I want to apologize for grabbing you the way I did earlier.” He smiled, hands tentatively reaching out to rub her bare upper arms.

  Faith felt rather than saw the change that came over Ken. She looked at him and shook her head again. She glanced around first to make sure they weren’t drawing unnecessary attention. Even though most people had left to view the items being auctioned, a few lingered behind in g
roups, chatting and catching up. Carefully, Faith jerked her arms, forcing Sean to let her go.

  The smile disappeared from his lips. In her high-heels, she was now taller than him. There was something to be said about not being intimidated by someone shorter than you. She moved closer.

  “How about you start by apologizing to me for stealing my designs?” Behind Sean, Ken’s grin widened. “For vandalizing my store and beating up my assistant? After that, turn yourself in to the police and confess to everything. Only then can you and I talk.”

  Sean sputtered, his mouth opening and closing.

  Her chin lifted, gaze connecting with Ken’s. “Now if you don’t mind, I have a prior engagement.”

  Sean followed her gaze and his hands fisted.

  “Done, sweetheart?” Ken ignored Sean, stepped down, and swaggered to her side, hand coming to rest possessively on her waist.

  “Yes.” She sagged against him. “Let’s go home.”

  Without looking at Sean, Ken looped an arm around Faith, staking his claim, and led her toward the entrance. He hadn’t been thrilled about leaving Faith alone with O’Neal, but with Barbs and her friends close by he’d known she’d be okay. He’d watched her for signs of distress after they finished with their mission. Her smile had stayed in place, but he’d known she was uncomfortable. She tended to rub the pad of her thumb over her other nails when tense. Still, she was a tigress. His tigress. He chuckled.

  “What?” she asked, the first genuine smiled touching her lips.

  “I’d hate to be your enemy.”

  “Let’s not discuss him tonight.”

  Ken grinned. He’d like nothing better. “Does that mean you don’t want to know whether I was successful tonight or not?”

  “You were.”

  He stopped walking right in the middle of the foyer, where the show’s attendees were placing bids, forcing her to stop too. “How do you know?”

  She reached up and touched the space between his eyebrows. “You tend to have a wrinkle right there when you’re pissed or disappointed, but a special swagger and a cocky grin when you’re pleased with yourself.” She reached up and planted a kiss on his lips. “I don’t want to think or talk about business tonight. I need you to make the rest of tonight perfect.”

  He leaned forward and nipped at her bottom lip then ran his knuckles down the silk of her cheek. “One stop then I’m all yours.”

  “Boss,” an accented voice said from behind them.

  He turned to face the Cuban, but Rod’s eyes were locked on Faith. Ken made the introduction, albeit reluctantly.

  “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Ms. Fitzgerald.” Ron lifted Faith’s hand to his lips and pressed a kiss on her knuckles. “That was a nice trick you pulled with your shoe.”

  “Thank you.” Faith smiled.

  Rod laughed softly, still not letting go of Faith’s hand. “I liked his expression. It was—”

  “We were leaving, Rod,” Ken reminded him impatiently.

  “You’re not going to the after-party?” Rod finally let go of Faith’s hand.

  “No. But feel free to go. Good job tonight. I’ll see you in the office on Monday.” He led Faith toward the door.

  “You were rude to your employee,” Faith reprimanded him.

  “First, Rod might call me boss, but he considers himself a partner, not an employee. Second, he knows you are off limits, but he still flirted with you.”

  She chuckled. “He’s quite the charmer. He was watching me earlier, and I thought he was Sean’s man.”

  “He was keeping an eye on you while I finished in the vault.”

  They made it to his SUV without being stopped by his men or the paparazzi. He made sure Faith was seated, closed the door and hurried around the hood. The hairs at the back of his neck rose, causing him to look around. His gaze connected with Sean O’Neal’s. The designer was being interviewed near the entrance, but his hate-filled gaze stayed on them. Ignoring him, Ken hopped behind the wheel

  Faith covered his hand before he could turn on the ignition. “Thanks for everything, Ken. I wasn’t sure how tonight would turn out, but once again, you did it.”

  “That’s me, smooth operator, and I know just how you can thank me properly,” he teased.

  “Me too.” She sunk her fingers in his hair and pulled his head to hers. Their lips meshed, tongues danced. Smoldering heat shot straight to his groin. The taste of her, the feel of her body against his was enough to make him forget where they were.

  Tonight, he wasn’t letting her set the pace. She had to know from the word go that he was in control. It took effort to gentle push her away from him and back into her seat.

  “Buckle up,” he commanded.

  She blinked then she gave him a playful pout. “You’re no fun.”

  “We’ll see about that.” He wrapped a hand around her nape, brought her face close to his. Their breaths mingled. Her lips parted. He fought the temptation to taste her again. If he did, he wouldn’t want to stop. He dropped a kiss on her forehead instead, let her go and gunned the engine.

  “I never figured you for a tease, Kenneth Lambert,” she purred in his ear.

  Ken’s body hummed. He took her hand and planted a kiss on her knuckles. “Unless you want to make love in here right now, behave.”

  She chuckled and moved closer until her head rested on his shoulder. He pulled out from the side of the building, where he’d parked, and started for his place.

  “So what did Rod mean by the trick with your shoe?”

  She sighed. “Sean tried to manhandle me earlier, but I put a stop to it.”

  Rage surged through him, most of it directed at himself. He shouldn’t have let Faith anywhere near the bastard. “What else did he do?”

  “Why? So you can torture yourself with guilt?”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “You’re cutting off the circulation to my fingers.”

  Ken let go of her hand, and immediately wished he hadn’t. She ran it up and down his thighs, causing his muscles to flex in response. “Sean is an ass, and I’m sorry you were anywhere near him tonight.”

  “The evening was a success, so you’re off the hook for saddling me with him.” She turned her head and planted a kiss on his cheek. “Let’s not discuss him again tonight.”

  “Okay, baby, but this,” he lifted her hand from his thighs, “is driving me crazy. I need to focus on driving.”

  She giggled and appeared content with resting her head on his shoulder.

  “Where are we going?” she asked when he flicked on his indicator and exited the street.

  “I want to show you something before we go home.” He entered South Los Angeles Street and pulled into the entrance of a private parking garage, a block from Sean’s building. He spoke briefly with the guard manning the booth and drove through. Faith recognized the logo on the guard’s uniform. He worked for Ron Noble’s security company.

  “We planted video and audio transmitters inside Sean’s vault tonight,” Ken explained as he pulled up beside a nondescript white van. “It’s more efficient and practical than photographing the clothes.”

  “I thought we weren’t discussing him or business tonight,” she said.

  “Humor me. I want to make sure the trans-receiver is picking up the signal loud and clear.” Ken stepped down and walked around the SUV to open her door. Instead of letting her out, he gripped the body and the door of the vehicle and boxed her in. “When we’re done here, you’ll have my undivided attention.”

  CHAPTER 14

  She wanted his undivided attention too. Ken was meticulous, liked doing things his way and hated loose ends. If they went home right now, he’d be preoccupied with whether the bugs he’d planted were working or not.

  “Okay,” Faith said. “Show me.”

  He chuckled, stepped back and allowed her to step down.

  She studied his handsome face, the twinkling green eyes, the sharp planes of his beautiful face. �
�What is it?”

  “You really had to think twice about it?” he teased. “The result of a well-executed plan, which would have been disastrous if it weren’t for my brilliance and top-notch team?”

  Faith chuckled. He could be so full of himself sometimes. “Actually, I paused to remind myself why I came to your firm in the first place.”

  “Which is?”

  “Your brilliance, of course, and attention to detail, very admirable qualities in a business partner,” she said, watching him steadily for his reaction. Men tended to puff out their chests and straightened their shoulders when she complimented them.

  Ken laughed instead. “I thought you used this case as an excuse to lure me back to your bed.”

  “That too,” she quipped.

  Laughter disappeared from his face. “Empty compliments don’t mean anything to me, but the truth, now that’s something I can work with. I like that you want me and are not ashamed to admit it because I want you too, very much.”

  Heat crawled up her cheeks. Only Ken had the ability to make her blush, something that had mortified her during Ashley’s wedding. “They weren’t empty compliments. I admire your diligence.”

  He chuckled. “You haven’t seen anything yet. Come on.” He took her arm and started for the van. He rapped on the door and waited. Bumps and curses followed, then Hailey opened it and stuck her head out. Her eyes widened when she saw them.

  “Boss, we weren’t expecting you,” she said slowly.

  “I’ve been inside your bat mobile, Hailey. And I’m sure Faith won’t mind a little mess.”

  “Uh, just a sec.” Hailey disappeared inside, closing the door behind her. More bumps and muted voices came from inside then she reappeared with a plastic bag filled with soda cans and a large pizza box then hopped down. “Sly is ready for you now.”

  Ken chuckled and climbed inside first then offered Faith his hand. The van was spacious though Sly’s wheelchair took up quite a bit of space. On his lap was a computer tablet of some kind, and he appeared to be adjusting his shirt, indicating he might have been shirtless when they arrived. His face was flushed and brown hair mussed.