understand anymore is revenge.”
“ You’re wasting your time,” he whispered and leaned against the wall, kicking the broken pieces of adobe out of the way. The clunk of stone on stone fumbled in the silence. He reached inside his shirt pocket and retrieved the square, metal box of cheroots.
The strike of the match flared briefly revealing a pair of silver eyes before they vanished around the corner once again. He strained to see more clearly but the vision disappeared. He lit the cheroot and discarded the match.
“ It’ll make me feel better and give me peace,” she whispered in the dark. “Please...what do I call you?”
A hush fell as she awaited his answer.
“ Call me Stone.”
“ Please help me, Mr. Stone. I need you.”
His body blazed to life at those words and he tamped down the urge to round the corner and kiss her. “I wish I could help you but I’ve washed my hands clean.” If only that were true . “Understand it isn’t because I don’t want to help. I do. But I can’t live that life anymore.”
She exhaled. The darkness did little more than bring his imagination to life. And every image of the mysterious woman around the corner flashed in sordid detail. Entangled limbs, melded lips, and the flush of heat on pale cheeks beguiled him. A woman he’d never even seen before fascinated him as no other ever had. A woman whom he’d only corresponded with through letters and who now stood in the darkened chamber of an abandoned church in the middle of the desert. Her persuasive attraction included more than just her sultry voice and charm. He wanted to ease the ache in her chest — one he could relate to all too well — and assure her that revenge solved nothing. If anyone knew that, it was him.
Gabriel puffed on his cigarette and blew the smoke into the air. Through the haze of smoke and shadows, she eased out from around the corner. “Is there any way to change your mind?” she asked.
Lust pounded its way through his veins. Yes . “No.” The word slipped from his mouth.
He traced the figure in the shadows with his gaze. What little he could see drew him on a sensual torture rack and taunted him for turning her down. What man in his right mind would refuse this woman anything? The deep curve of her waist intrigued him and seemed made for the span of a man’s hands. Her slender frame drew his gaze again and again. And since he remained in shadows he allowed his curiosity free rein.
“ Call me Sin,” she whispered.
“ How fitting.” He chuckled. “The sin cast among men to punish him for his weakness.”
“ I like to think of it as the pleasure of a man’s greatest fantasies brought to life.”
“ In the hands of Sin,” he whispered.
Seconds passed before she turned on her heel and headed out the arched doorway. The wind fluttered her dark red skirts in her wake. “Now that you know my name, you know where to find me if you change your mind,” she said over one shoulder.
Gabriel remained in the shadows long after she’d disappeared and finished his cigarette. And he would see her again, for the sake of Sin.
~*~
Ava Sinclair settled back into the plush seat of the carriage and tapped on the roof. Her gaze moved back to the darkened corridors of the ruins and searched for any movement within.
Was that a flash of red from his cigarette or was she just imagining things?
The door clicked shut, and minutes later the carriage lurched forward. Curiosity about the man she left behind ran rampant through her thoughts and she couldn’t seem to make herself quite forget him. Although, she should. He’d said he was no longer for hire and yet somehow, she sensed she would see him again.
Hours later her carriage pulled into the cobblestoned drive and clattered to a stop next to the enormous fountain. The trickle of water lent the Spanish hacienda a tranquility that didn’t quite reach within. Descending from the carriage, she headed for the stairs. Lamplight spilled across
“ You’re wasting your time,” he whispered and leaned against the wall, kicking the broken pieces of adobe out of the way. The clunk of stone on stone fumbled in the silence. He reached inside his shirt pocket and retrieved the square, metal box of cheroots.
The strike of the match flared briefly revealing a pair of silver eyes before they vanished around the corner once again. He strained to see more clearly but the vision disappeared. He lit the cheroot and discarded the match.
“ It’ll make me feel better and give me peace,” she whispered in the dark. “Please...what do I call you?”
A hush fell as she awaited his answer.
“ Call me Stone.”
“ Please help me, Mr. Stone. I need you.”
His body blazed to life at those words and he tamped down the urge to round the corner and kiss her. “I wish I could help you but I’ve washed my hands clean.” If only that were true . “Understand it isn’t because I don’t want to help. I do. But I can’t live that life anymore.”
She exhaled. The darkness did little more than bring his imagination to life. And every image of the mysterious woman around the corner flashed in sordid detail. Entangled limbs, melded lips, and the flush of heat on pale cheeks beguiled him. A woman he’d never even seen before fascinated him as no other ever had. A woman whom he’d only corresponded with through letters and who now stood in the darkened chamber of an abandoned church in the middle of the desert. Her persuasive attraction included more than just her sultry voice and charm. He wanted to ease the ache in her chest — one he could relate to all too well — and assure her that revenge solved nothing. If anyone knew that, it was him.
Gabriel puffed on his cigarette and blew the smoke into the air. Through the haze of smoke and shadows, she eased out from around the corner. “Is there any way to change your mind?” she asked.
Lust pounded its way through his veins. Yes . “No.” The word slipped from his mouth.
He traced the figure in the shadows with his gaze. What little he could see drew him on a sensual torture rack and taunted him for turning her down. What man in his right mind would refuse this woman anything? The deep curve of her waist intrigued him and seemed made for the span of a man’s hands. Her slender frame drew his gaze again and again. And since he remained in shadows he allowed his curiosity free rein.
“ Call me Sin,” she whispered.
“ How fitting.” He chuckled. “The sin cast among men to punish him for his weakness.”
“ I like to think of it as the pleasure of a man’s greatest fantasies brought to life.”
“ In the hands of Sin,” he whispered.
Seconds passed before she turned on her heel and headed out the arched doorway. The wind fluttered her dark red skirts in her wake. “Now that you know my name, you know where to find me if you change your mind,” she said over one shoulder.
Gabriel remained in the shadows long after she’d disappeared and finished his cigarette. And he would see her again, for the sake of Sin.
~*~
Ava Sinclair settled back into the plush seat of the carriage and tapped on the roof. Her gaze moved back to the darkened corridors of the ruins and searched for any movement within.
Was that a flash of red from his cigarette or was she just imagining things?
The door clicked shut, and minutes later the carriage lurched forward. Curiosity about the man she left behind ran rampant through her thoughts and she couldn’t seem to make herself quite forget him. Although, she should. He’d said he was no longer for hire and yet somehow, she sensed she would see him again.
Hours later her carriage pulled into the cobblestoned drive and clattered to a stop next to the enormous fountain. The trickle of water lent the Spanish hacienda a tranquility that didn’t quite reach within. Descending from the carriage, she headed for the stairs. Lamplight spilled across
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