Belle Gone Bad Read Online Free Page A

her back and robs her of her jewelry.”
    â€œAre you sure it’s not so he can flip up her skirts and see the shape of her ankles?”
    â€œNot in my world.”
    â€œToo innocent?”
    â€œToo much effort for too little reward. He can easily see shapely ankles by walking into any dance hall.”
    â€œBut that would suppose he wasn’t particular.”
    â€œWon’t any ankle do?”
    â€œNot for this gentleman.”
    She shook her head, feeling too warm again. When Mercy put his mind to it, he could be a charmer. If he wasn’t sick, she imagined that he’d be devastating to ladies. Fortunately, she wasn’t susceptible to charming rogues. She’d seen behind too many of their masks. She liked a straight-shooter. Unfortunately, she’d already found and lost the perfect man for her.
    â€œWhy don’t you take a look at the bar? I’m clothing the ladies, sort of.”
    â€œSort of?”
    He gave her a sly smile. “Depends on what you call clothes.”
    â€œClothes are clothes.”
    â€œI like to think there are a number of ways to accent a lady’s charms.”
    â€œMaybe I’d better have a look.”
    She stepped into the saloon with Mercy right behind her. As Tex had taught her long ago, she located the exits and everyone inside. Nothing appeared out of place. Big Jim pointed at something on top of the bar. Two drifters drank whiskey while they stroked the surface of the bar with their fingertips. Four men sat at a back table playing poker.
    â€œI hope you’ll gain a new appreciation for my art once you see the enhancements,” Mercy said.
    â€œIf it’s what I saw before, you do appear to get around.”
    He chuckled. “I have an exact memory for the female face and form.”
    â€œFor your sake, I hope all those ladies whose images you remember and draw so well are back East.”
    â€œA gentleman never tells.”
    â€œIt’s not words that’ll get you into trouble.”
    â€œIs my secret safe with you?”
    â€œNothing about you is safe with me.”
    â€œThat’s what I like to hear from a lady.”
    She glanced up into his eyes. They’d darkened to smoky gray with obvious interest. She felt an interest of her own unfurl deep within her, a hot, achy feeling that begged for relief. She hadn’t felt anything close to it since Hackett. She disliked the sensation. It made her feel disloyal. No one could ever be as perfect as her long-lost love.
    She quickly walked to the legendary bar. It was just as scandalous as ever. Each lovely lady’s face and form was unique and surely based on personal acquaintance. She could only wonder at how many women Mercy had made happy over the years. She felt a spurt of jealousy that made no sense. She had no interest in him except to find Diana.
    â€œLook what Mercy did for Lulu.” Big Jim pointed toward one of the figures. “He made her even better.”
    Belle looked where he indicated and looked again. She stepped closer, hardly able to believe her eyes. Mercy had clothed Lulu with a gold chain around her waist to fill in the cut. He’d also placed a garnet in her navel. Crimson glittered from the tip of each breast. More gold gleamed at the apex of her thighs in the shape of a small ring.
    Belle felt an answering tug in that most sensitive of places as if he’d placed a ring through her own nub. She shivered at the sensation. She could well imagine Mercy leading willing women around by that invisible ring.
    â€œSee, I did clothe her.”
    She felt Mercy’s breath warm on her face as he leaned in close. He smelled of charcoal from drawing. She could feel the heat of his body. He reached out, brushed her shoulder, and touched Lulu with the tip of one long finger. She watched, breath caught in her throat, as he stroked the figure’s face, teased the rosy tip of each breast, followed the line of the gold waist