Heather Graham Read Online Free Page B

see this place. What’s the name of it?”
    “Annabella’s.”
    His hand had just curled over hers when he saw his secretary slipping into the restaurant, weaving his way through the tables. Ryan Martin. An earnest young man with freckles and red hair, he wore a worried look.
    Jacques cursed him in silence while keeping his smile in place for Ms. Ellie Exec.
    “Mr. Moret, forgive the intrusion,” Ryan said, breathless as he reached the table.
    Ellie Exec wrenched her hand back.
    “Ryan...you knew I wished not to be disturbed.” He kept just how much he hadn’t wanted to be disturbed from his voice.
    “This is incredibly important.”
    “Ellie...you will excuse me for just a moment?”
    He rose. The blonde rose as well. “Actually, I should just call it a day. Thank you so much, Mr. Moret. Dinner was wonderful.”
    “But, wait, it’s so early...
    “Merci, merci. We’ll talk again tomorrow.”
    She started out. Jacques was so mad he thought he would have punched Ryan if they hadn’t been in a public place. He dropped his napkin on the table and sank into his chair, rubbing his temples.
    “What is it?” he snapped icily.
    Ryan sat across from him. “Gina L’Aveau’s body was found in a dark alley tonight.”
    Jacques’ hand dropped. He stared at Ryan, started to reach across the table and grab him by the collar, but managed to refrain.
    “What—what—”
    Hell. What time had he left her?
    “When?” he said.
    “Right after eight. I—I didn’t mean to interrupt. But she is your kin, even if distant. I—I had to tell you.”
    Jacques nodded. “Yes, yes, of course.” He stood abruptly, no longer interested in Ryan.
    “Jacques—they’d be arresting that artist fellow right now if he wasn’t all cut up himself.”
    “What?” Jacques paused, barking out the word.
    “The artist—Marcel—made it to his ex-wife’s place, bleeding like a stuck pig. The cops followed him there.”
    “Oh?”
    “He may not make it through the night.”
    “Ah.” Jacques stared at Ryan. “You did right. You did right to come to me. Keep up on the situation. And pay my tab. Tip well.”
    He left the restaurant. Miss Ellie Exec had surely had plenty of time to catch a cab by now.
    But she hadn’t. She was sauntering down the street. He watched her for a moment.
    He was a gambling man. One in a wild, tormented mood. He hurried down the street, catching up with her. He grabbed her arm, spun her around. Before she could speak or protest, he kissed her with hot, open-mouthed fury and passion. He held her close, hands slipping beneath her hem and cupping her buttocks, pressing her against his sex. She was stiff for a second; then she melted like butter. He’d judged right. She’d spent so long proving herself untouchable that she was desperate for a man.
    She finally managed to break her lips from his. “Jacques, we’re on the street, for God’s sake!”
    “We can remedy that.”
    He hailed a cab quickly, urging her into the vehicle. While the driver brought them to their destination, he discreetly slid his hand between her thighs. She was wearing a garter belt.
    It was probably red. He liked garter belts, and he liked red. But it didn’t matter. Gina was dead. It didn’t matter who this woman was anymore. She was going to get what she wanted.
    Gina was dead.
    And it looked like an artist was going to fry for it. If he lived.
    He turned to his Ellie Exec again and started kissing her passionately.
    She was going to like it hard and dirty.
    Exactly the way it would be.
    The doctor was definitely a good solid man. He stood his ground while sympathizing with the difficulties of the cops. “Don’t worry about Ann Marcel having a chance to see Mr. Marcel tonight. She’ll get to look at him and hold his hand. I assure you, he can’t help you find his attacker tonight, fellows. He’s not going to say anything lucid.”
    “We didn’t have to have lucid,” Jimmy said.
    Mark cleared his throat. “You’ve been in