legitimate businessman. He pulled off the
professional look well despite his trademark Caesar wave of hair.
He leaned his
chair back and to the side. A jaunty smile formed on his face. My heart skipped
a beat, not because he smiled but rather because his gaze wasn’t on mine. It
had dropped to my lips. I fought to keep my hands at my sides rather than reach
for my tingling mouth.
The memory of
the Mexican restaurant flared to life. He’d danced like a pro, sung like a
ballad-crooning Latin star, and kissed as though he’d put his entire being into
making love to a woman. Recalling his cool touch sent my heart in a flutter. A
flush crept into my cheeks. No doubt Maximo would note these physiological
reactions as easily as if I’d announced them aloud.
Coming here
had been a mistake.
“I need your
phone number,” I said.
He bounced his
chair, gaze fixed on mine. “And then what reason would you have to visit me?”
My lips
pressed thin.
The
wave-patterned ring coiled snugly around his pinky was why I’d visit him. I
needed my mother’s ring back. But what would I have to do to get it?
My voice was
as stiff as my rigid spine. “I came by to warn you of a potential problem. If
I’d had your phone number, I could have warned you this morning when it
happened and removed the chance you’d be blindsided.”
Maximo settled
his chair on flat ground, adopting a professional veneer to match his suit and
hair. Fortunately, the indulgent smile had faded. That expression always made
me feel like a child.
“What
potential problem would that be?”
I took a quick
breath. “Early this morning I rescued six witches from Las Vegas. A vampire
kept them as some sort of supernatural harem. They’re enthralled. I expect he’ll
come here looking for them.”
Maximo leaned
his torso into the corner without shifting his attention. “And why is that a
potential problem for me?”
“Because the vampire is Nadir Khan.”
His chair
snapped forward, banging against both the floor and the desk. Maximo choked on
his next breath.
Charon, take it !
I’d hoped
dropping that name wouldn’t go as badly as this. I’d wanted Maximo to merely
wave it off as he had everything else. Choking wasn’t a good sign.
He settled his
palms atop the desk, regarding me with a steady gaze. “Where are the witches
now?”
Had that been
a calculating gaze? “They’re safe
with their covens. You’re not getting your hands on them so you can barter a
deal to further your career.”
Maximo made a
disgusted noise. “I’m content with my lot in life. I questioned you because
you’ll be in grave danger when Khan arrives in search of them if they’re
crammed into your small apartment.”
“I handled him
once.”
“I suspect he
didn’t believe you were a threat. He won’t make that mistake twice, Miss
Walsh.” Maximo leaned into his chair and set his palms in his lap. “You are an unenthralled human with impressive power. That makes you a
sought after commodity in this world. Add to it a quest for vengeance and we
have a recipe for mayhem. Do you want to risk becoming another of his toys?”
Now it was
clear where he was going with this. “I’m not letting you enthrall me, de Sole.”
His mouth
spread into his indulgent smile. “Max.”
“What?”
“Call me Max.”
His smile deepened. “There may be a compromise between Khan taking you and my
enthralling you.”
I wasn’t going
to like his suggestion, was I?
But I was in a tight spot. Khan would be
gunning for me once he figured out the African American spa employee was
actually me. And unless I was willing to kill him to save myself, I’d end up
just another member of his supernatural harem.
Maximo tilted
his head to the right as he sank the chair in a slow bounce. “City ruler’s
significant others are generally considered untouchable.”
I drew a loud
breath through my nose. Though he probably wasn’t fooling me, I didn’t like the
suggestion. Not considering
professional look well despite his trademark Caesar wave of hair.
He leaned his
chair back and to the side. A jaunty smile formed on his face. My heart skipped
a beat, not because he smiled but rather because his gaze wasn’t on mine. It
had dropped to my lips. I fought to keep my hands at my sides rather than reach
for my tingling mouth.
The memory of
the Mexican restaurant flared to life. He’d danced like a pro, sung like a
ballad-crooning Latin star, and kissed as though he’d put his entire being into
making love to a woman. Recalling his cool touch sent my heart in a flutter. A
flush crept into my cheeks. No doubt Maximo would note these physiological
reactions as easily as if I’d announced them aloud.
Coming here
had been a mistake.
“I need your
phone number,” I said.
He bounced his
chair, gaze fixed on mine. “And then what reason would you have to visit me?”
My lips
pressed thin.
The
wave-patterned ring coiled snugly around his pinky was why I’d visit him. I
needed my mother’s ring back. But what would I have to do to get it?
My voice was
as stiff as my rigid spine. “I came by to warn you of a potential problem. If
I’d had your phone number, I could have warned you this morning when it
happened and removed the chance you’d be blindsided.”
Maximo settled
his chair on flat ground, adopting a professional veneer to match his suit and
hair. Fortunately, the indulgent smile had faded. That expression always made
me feel like a child.
“What
potential problem would that be?”
I took a quick
breath. “Early this morning I rescued six witches from Las Vegas. A vampire
kept them as some sort of supernatural harem. They’re enthralled. I expect he’ll
come here looking for them.”
Maximo leaned
his torso into the corner without shifting his attention. “And why is that a
potential problem for me?”
“Because the vampire is Nadir Khan.”
His chair
snapped forward, banging against both the floor and the desk. Maximo choked on
his next breath.
Charon, take it !
I’d hoped
dropping that name wouldn’t go as badly as this. I’d wanted Maximo to merely
wave it off as he had everything else. Choking wasn’t a good sign.
He settled his
palms atop the desk, regarding me with a steady gaze. “Where are the witches
now?”
Had that been
a calculating gaze? “They’re safe
with their covens. You’re not getting your hands on them so you can barter a
deal to further your career.”
Maximo made a
disgusted noise. “I’m content with my lot in life. I questioned you because
you’ll be in grave danger when Khan arrives in search of them if they’re
crammed into your small apartment.”
“I handled him
once.”
“I suspect he
didn’t believe you were a threat. He won’t make that mistake twice, Miss
Walsh.” Maximo leaned into his chair and set his palms in his lap. “You are an unenthralled human with impressive power. That makes you a
sought after commodity in this world. Add to it a quest for vengeance and we
have a recipe for mayhem. Do you want to risk becoming another of his toys?”
Now it was
clear where he was going with this. “I’m not letting you enthrall me, de Sole.”
His mouth
spread into his indulgent smile. “Max.”
“What?”
“Call me Max.”
His smile deepened. “There may be a compromise between Khan taking you and my
enthralling you.”
I wasn’t going
to like his suggestion, was I?
But I was in a tight spot. Khan would be
gunning for me once he figured out the African American spa employee was
actually me. And unless I was willing to kill him to save myself, I’d end up
just another member of his supernatural harem.
Maximo tilted
his head to the right as he sank the chair in a slow bounce. “City ruler’s
significant others are generally considered untouchable.”
I drew a loud
breath through my nose. Though he probably wasn’t fooling me, I didn’t like the
suggestion. Not considering
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