Secret Sisters by Jayne Ann Krentz

dazzled. “You sure turned out great. Good to see you again.” Without warning, the too-vivid pleasure on his face metamorphosed into an expression of sincere sympathy. “Heard about your grandmother. So sorry. A real tragedy.”
    Xavier had grown up to be a shockingly good actor, Madeline thought. When he was a kid the mask had slipped from time to time. But it was clear that in the intervening years he had perfected his talent.
    â€œXavier,” she said.
    She kept her own tone as cool as possible in an effort to end the conversation before it could get off the ground. Jack watched Xavier the way any sensible man would watch a poisonous snake.
    â€œHey, is that any way to greet an old friend?” Xavier reached down, grabbed Madeline around the shoulders, and hauled her up out of her seat. “Don’t I at least get a kiss?”
    For a beat she was too stunned to react. Xavier’s hands weregripping her very tightly. She was caught, trapped, overwhelmed by his superior strength. Panic and rage flashed through her.
    â€œLet me go,” she hissed through clenched teeth. “Let. Me. Go.”
    He ignored the command and hauled her against his chest. She caught a glimpse of vicious triumph in his eyes. Instinctively she brought up her hands to try to push him away.
    There was a blur of movement at the corner of her eye. Jack was coming up out of his seat.
    In the next instant she was free, staggering backward, clutching the back of the booth to catch her balance.
    She was dimly aware of a heavy thud. She looked down and saw that Xavier was sprawled on the floor. Jack had kicked his legs out from under him.
    It was all over in a couple of heartbeats, but she knew from the icy fury in Xavier’s glacial blue eyes that there would be repercussions.
    Other people were just starting to notice the commotion. The scattered diners turned their heads, trying to figure out what had happened. Heather appeared in the tavern doorway. She took in the scene in a single glance. She looked stricken.
    â€œMy fault,” Jack said easily. “I’m sorry about that. These booths are a tight fit, aren’t they? Lost my balance.” He reached down as though offering to help Xavier to his feet. “Didn’t mean to stumble into you like that. Name’s Jack Rayner, by the way. Tell you what, let me buy you a drink by way of apology.”
    Madeline held her breath. She knew everyone else in the vicinity was doing the same. For one tense moment it looked as if Xavier might not take the face-saving way out that was being offered. Something dark and menacing flared in his eyes.
    But he did not lose control.
    Ignoring Jack’s extended hand, he rolled to his feet and dustedhimself off. For a split second his features twisted into a mask of raw fury. But in the next instant he was suddenly smiling his neon-bright smile.
    â€œClumsy bastard, aren’t you?” he said in a chatty tone. “You might want to be careful in the future. There are a lot of dangerous places on Cooper Island. We usually lose a couple of tourists every year.” He turned back to Madeline. “I’ll catch up with you later, Maddie. It will be fun, hmm? I hear you recently inherited your grandmother’s hotel chain. Nice.”
    He walked away without a backward glance and vanished through the tavern doorway.
    Madeline realized that she was shivering with reaction. She dropped onto the vinyl seat and reached for her wine. Jack sat down, watching her intently. Everyone else in the room suddenly went back to whatever they had been doing, but the conversations were a little louder than they had been prior to the small, tense scene.
    â€œAre you all right?” Jack asked quietly.
    â€œYes.” She took a deep breath. “Thank you. But I’m afraid it isn’t over.”
    â€œNo,” Jack said. “Guys like that can’t let anything go.”
    Madeline gulped a little wine and