He tugged the knot of his tie loose and unbuttoned his top collar button.
I refrained from grabbing the loose tie and strangling him, but only just barely. “Yes, she made that clear. She also informed me about your arrangement.”
“Clara.” He placed hand on my arm. “Whatever you think—“
“I don’t think! I know! You hired a hit man. Woman. Whatever!” I jerked away from his grasp.
His shoulders relaxed, and I knew then that he was relieved. He thought she hadn’t told me any more than that. Comprehension crashed into me—he had no intention of ever revealing the true nature of his past relationship with Georgia.
“Oh,” I continued, my lower lip beginning to tremble, “she also told me that you used to tie her up and whip her.”
Alexander drew a sharp breath. “Clara—”
“I knew I was forgetting something,” I said, ignoring him. “We had a lovely conversation about it. She was under the impression that we had all shared our stories.”
“Before a few weeks ago, I hadn’t spoken to Georgia Kincaid in years.”
“And now you’ve hired her to commit murder,” I seethed. “What kind of sick bond do you two have exactly?”
“I asked for assistance. I did not ask for her assistance.”
“Yeah, who knew the family jeweller was also the Royal cleaner?” I shook my head in disbelief. “Is this who you are? How far are you willing to go, X?”
“When it comes to protecting you, I will go as far as I have to. No one will touch you and I don’t care if I have to get in bed with the devil himself,” he roared, anger flaring like the tip of a flame in his blue eyes.
“Call it off,” I demanded in a low voice. “Call Hammond and tell him you will find another way.”
“I can’t do that.” He pressed forward, backing me into the wall. “Not until I’m sure this threat has been dealt with.”
“Call it off,” I pleaded. “I won’t have blood on my hands—or yours.”
He straightened, an angry tick pulsing in his jaw as he withdrew his mobile from his breast pocket and dialed.
“Hammond, close the show.” There was a pause. “I’m certain.”
Even as I heard him give the order, my heart pounded. Avoiding one mistake didn’t erase the others he’d made. It also didn’t erase the danger I’d placed my friends and family in unknowingly.
“Happy?” He dropped the mobile back in his pocket.
“No,” I whispered.
“Clara, I needed information. There was no standing order.” His words reeked of excuses.
“That’s not what she said.”
“Whatever Georgia told you, please trust that I am acting in your best interest.”
“How can I trust you, X?”
“What else did Georgia Kincaid say to you?” His voice was measured, but the demand was clear.
She told me something I didn’t want to hear. She told me exactly what I’d feared to be true. I tried to meet Alexander’s eyes and answer his question, but in the end, I couldn’t. “Sorry, X.”
I sidestepped him and reached for the door, but his hand shot out to hold it closed.
“Does it really matter?” he asked. “She’s in my past.”
I laughed hollowly. “If you have to ask that, then you already know the answer.”
Alexander’s hand dropped, allowing me to open the door. “Where are you going?”
“I don’t know,” I answered honestly. “But don’t follow me, okay?”
“I can’t allow—”
“You can,” I stopped him, “and you will.”
I darted out the door and to the street, hailing a taxi before he could send for Norris. Part of me wanted to believe he’d let me go, that he’d give me a chance to think.
And part of me watched out the window as rain began to fall, hoping he was right behind me.
Rain danced across the Thames, making the lights of London sparkle with a frenetic energy. I clutched the stone rail until the rough surface had nearly rubbed my fingertips raw. Turning my face to the charcoal sky, I let the downpour shower over me. A chill ran up my neck but I
I refrained from grabbing the loose tie and strangling him, but only just barely. “Yes, she made that clear. She also informed me about your arrangement.”
“Clara.” He placed hand on my arm. “Whatever you think—“
“I don’t think! I know! You hired a hit man. Woman. Whatever!” I jerked away from his grasp.
His shoulders relaxed, and I knew then that he was relieved. He thought she hadn’t told me any more than that. Comprehension crashed into me—he had no intention of ever revealing the true nature of his past relationship with Georgia.
“Oh,” I continued, my lower lip beginning to tremble, “she also told me that you used to tie her up and whip her.”
Alexander drew a sharp breath. “Clara—”
“I knew I was forgetting something,” I said, ignoring him. “We had a lovely conversation about it. She was under the impression that we had all shared our stories.”
“Before a few weeks ago, I hadn’t spoken to Georgia Kincaid in years.”
“And now you’ve hired her to commit murder,” I seethed. “What kind of sick bond do you two have exactly?”
“I asked for assistance. I did not ask for her assistance.”
“Yeah, who knew the family jeweller was also the Royal cleaner?” I shook my head in disbelief. “Is this who you are? How far are you willing to go, X?”
“When it comes to protecting you, I will go as far as I have to. No one will touch you and I don’t care if I have to get in bed with the devil himself,” he roared, anger flaring like the tip of a flame in his blue eyes.
“Call it off,” I demanded in a low voice. “Call Hammond and tell him you will find another way.”
“I can’t do that.” He pressed forward, backing me into the wall. “Not until I’m sure this threat has been dealt with.”
“Call it off,” I pleaded. “I won’t have blood on my hands—or yours.”
He straightened, an angry tick pulsing in his jaw as he withdrew his mobile from his breast pocket and dialed.
“Hammond, close the show.” There was a pause. “I’m certain.”
Even as I heard him give the order, my heart pounded. Avoiding one mistake didn’t erase the others he’d made. It also didn’t erase the danger I’d placed my friends and family in unknowingly.
“Happy?” He dropped the mobile back in his pocket.
“No,” I whispered.
“Clara, I needed information. There was no standing order.” His words reeked of excuses.
“That’s not what she said.”
“Whatever Georgia told you, please trust that I am acting in your best interest.”
“How can I trust you, X?”
“What else did Georgia Kincaid say to you?” His voice was measured, but the demand was clear.
She told me something I didn’t want to hear. She told me exactly what I’d feared to be true. I tried to meet Alexander’s eyes and answer his question, but in the end, I couldn’t. “Sorry, X.”
I sidestepped him and reached for the door, but his hand shot out to hold it closed.
“Does it really matter?” he asked. “She’s in my past.”
I laughed hollowly. “If you have to ask that, then you already know the answer.”
Alexander’s hand dropped, allowing me to open the door. “Where are you going?”
“I don’t know,” I answered honestly. “But don’t follow me, okay?”
“I can’t allow—”
“You can,” I stopped him, “and you will.”
I darted out the door and to the street, hailing a taxi before he could send for Norris. Part of me wanted to believe he’d let me go, that he’d give me a chance to think.
And part of me watched out the window as rain began to fall, hoping he was right behind me.
Rain danced across the Thames, making the lights of London sparkle with a frenetic energy. I clutched the stone rail until the rough surface had nearly rubbed my fingertips raw. Turning my face to the charcoal sky, I let the downpour shower over me. A chill ran up my neck but I
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