No Turning Back (29 page)

Both men stood, taking it in turns to grasp my fingers and press their lips to the back of my hand. I automatically smiled, though I was trembling inside. Neither one introduced themselves, though they graciously invited me to sit. Simone drifted away and I found myself sitting next to one of the men.

"You are quite lovely," he said quietly, and I noticed the other man had begun conversing in an undertone with the Scarlet Ibis. What the heck was an ibis anyway, I thought, panicking. And why was Simone calling me Lorelei?

"Thank you," I said just as quietly. I didn't know what else to say so remained silent.

"I do believe you're new," he said in a somewhat bemused tone.

"Is it that obvious?" I asked and he smiled.

"A bit," he answered. "But don't worry. We're really all quite harmless." Then he seemed to think that over. "Well, most of us are harmless." His lips curved in another smile. He had dark eyes and dark hair and seemed familiar, but I brushed it off. He fit the description of a lot of men.

He talked to me of inconsequential things and was quite charming, even making me laugh a bit. I was beginning to relax and I ventured to ask his name.

"I'm called Mercury," he answered. I wasn't sure if I was relieved or disappointed. My purpose here was to try to find Enigma, but I wasn't sure what I was going to do if and when I actually did.

Mercury gently laid his hand on my shoulder and I jumped. I hadn't been expecting him to touch me. His fingers trailed lightly down my arm.

"I would like very much to get to know you better," he said. "Would you like that?" I thought I knew what he was asking and inwardly I panicked. I didn't want to refuse him outright without knowing what the consequences would be. Would he get angry and tell Simone? Would she make me leave? So I thought of an excuse.

"I just need to get something to drink," I improvised, standing quickly. "I'll be right back." I didn't wait to hear what he had to say and quickly walked away. Glancing around, I noticed people had drinks in their hands so there must be a bar around there somewhere.

I wandered aimlessly through the darkened room, trying not to look too closely into some shadowy alcoves, especially after one I passed had a woman with her dress around her waist as she straddled a man. It didn't take a genius to figure out what they were doing. I quickly rushed by, my cheeks flaming in embarrassment.

Finally, I found the bar. Sighing in relief, I asked for a glass of champagne. I didn't want to cloud my head with any more hard liquor and champagne didn't have much of an effect on me.

"Well, hello, beautiful. What's your name?" The voice made me choke on the champagne. A hand appeared with a handkerchief and I gratefully took it, dabbing at my mouth. Reluctantly turning, I saw Kade behind me. He was wearing a mask but I would know those eyes anywhere. I wondered why a man like him would need to be at a place like this.

"Sorry about that," he said with a crooked smile. "Didn't mean to startle you." I searched his eyes for any sign of recognition, but couldn't tell if he knew who I was or not.

"I'm Omen," he said. "And you are?"

I decided to try and disguise my voice as much as possible so when I replied, I poured on the southern accent, trying to make it more
Designing Women
than
The Beverly Hillbillies
. "They call me Lorelei."

"Ah," he mused, his eyes raking me up and down, "the fatal mermaid siren, luring unwary sailors to their deaths with her irresistible song. It seems fitting.

"Are you here with someone?" he asked, taking a sip of his own drink as he glanced around the room.

I shook my head. "No, but I'm looking for someone." I decided to chance it. Finding Enigma was going to be a needle in a haystack. Maybe if I just asked, someone could point him out.

"Who is that, Lorelei?" he humored me, his eyes dropping to my lips when I nervously wet them.

"Enigma." Kade's eyes narrowed slightly and he didn't answer. I felt myself break out into a cold sweat under his scrutiny. Finally, he moved so he stood beside me.

"Look over there," he said in my ear. "He's standing in the corner by the fireplace, watching you." I looked where he said and felt my blood run cold. Even from a distance, I recognized the frame. Wide shoulders, blond hair, and even the way he stood were all too familiar to me.

It was Blane. My hand started to shake and I hurriedly put down my champagne glass before I spilled it everywhere. My mind reeled. It couldn't be. Gracie had to have been wrong. I turned and ducked into the nearest path away from him, relieved to see that Kade did not follow.

I walked quickly, my head down, as I tried to regain control of my emotions and think logically about what I'd learned. Both Kade and Blane were here which only emphasized my suspicions that the firm and Blane were in league with the Santini brothers. I sincerely doubted they were here to pick up escorts, though I was at a loss as to what the election fraud software had to do with prostitutes. Gracie had said the man who had been seeing Sheila was code named Enigma, which according to Kade, was Blane.

I wasn't looking where I was going and was brought up short when I collided headlong into someone. Jerking my head up in alarm, I would have stumbled had he not grabbed my upper arms, steadying me. I closed my eyes in relief when I saw it was the man who had called himself Mercury.

"There you are, Lorelei," he said. "I was afraid you'd gotten lost on your way back to me."

And just like that, I realized why he seemed so familiar. It was James, of all people. "I...I'm sorry," I stammered, trying to conceal my surprise. "I got a bit turned around."

"Let's find somewhere private where we can...talk," he said with satisfaction in his voice. I gulped and plastered a smile on my face. I didn't see how I could refuse without making a scene. He didn't seem to know who I was and I couldn't believe I hadn't recognized him earlier. Though, to be fair, it's not like I'd been expecting to actually know anyone here tonight besides Gracie.

He led me through the maze of trees until we came to an empty private alcove. A wide loveseat and a table with a few candles scattered on it occupied the space. Uneasily, I sat on the couch while he sat close beside me. I decided talking would be better than anything else he might have in mind.

"So how long have you been coming here?" I asked, my voice too breathless for my liking and I tried to steady my nerves.

"A while," he said vaguely, sliding his arm over my shoulders and resuming touching my bare arm.

"Do you see a lot of different women?"

"Not usually," he answered. "I like to find one I really like and stick with her." He pressed his lips to my shoulder and I clenched my fists. I focused on a silver candlestick on the coffee table in front of me, its candle having burned low and the flame flickered out as I watched.

"Maybe I should go," I said, trying to squirm away from him but his arm tightened around me.

"No, don't go," he insisted, mistaking my reluctance. "I'm not with anyone now. The last woman I paid for is no longer with us. I'm looking for someone new. I would be quite, quite content with you." His fingers bit into my shoulder as his mouth moved to my neck. I was so intent on trying to push him away that it took a moment to realize what he had said. When I did, I went utterly still in shock.

"No longer with us?" I repeated dumbly.

"Mmm," he murmured against my skin. "It seems her boyfriend didn't like her...occupation. Jealousy is a powerful emotion, Lorelei."

I didn't know what this meant, but I knew he was talking about Sheila. How Blane fit into this, if they both had been paying for her services, I didn't know yet. But I did know I had to find out more. I slid my hands inside his tuxedo jacket to touch his chest, pretending to be as wrapped up in the moment as he was. James' lips moved to mine. I evaded him so they ended on my cheek.

"What happened to her?" I asked. But before he could answer, we were interrupted.

"Mercury."

I jerked back in surprise. Blane stood in the alcove with us. My heart stuttered, then started to pound.

"Mercury," Blane repeated, and James reluctantly lifted his head from my neck.

"What do you want?" he said snidely. "Can't you see I'm busy?" He made to pull me close and kiss me again, but I quickly turned my head away, pushing against him. I heard a snarl of anger and then Mercury was lifted bodily from me.

"Patron wants to speak with you," Blane growled at him, giving him a shove out of the alcove. James' eyes shot daggers at him but he left. Then Blane turned to me and I inwardly quaked at the look in his eyes, while trying not to admire how amazing he looked in his tuxedo. The coat was cut perfectly, emphasizing his broad shoulders, and the black mask only served to enhance the green of his eyes and the strong curve of his jaw.

"Lorelei, I believe?" he asked cordially, his tone belying the anger in his eyes, and I nodded. A spark of hope ignited inside me that he didn't recognize me.

"I was told you were looking for me," he said, moving to take Mercury's spot beside me on the couch, his arm draping behind me. The loveseat suddenly felt much smaller than when its previous occupant had been there.

I adopted my accent again when speaking, hurriedly trying to think up an excuse for why I'd been looking for him. "Yes, I was. I was told you might be looking for someone with whom you could spend some...quality...time." I didn't know how well I was pulling off the femme fatale thing, but I was giving it the best I had.

"Are you offering?" he said, his eyes sliding to my mouth and further down to where the curves of my breasts were revealed by the cut of my dress.

"Perhaps," I said ambiguously, smiling as flirtatiously as I could manage.

"I can be quite demanding," he cautioned, and my breath caught and held as he lowered his head. "And I don't share." This last was a low growl before his lips met mine. My arms lifted to curve around his neck as I buried my fingers in his thick blond hair. His tongue touched my lips and I willingly opened my mouth, sighing with pleasure as he deepened the kiss.

I couldn't think of anything but Blane as he kissed me, his arms wrapping around my waist. His mouth trailed kisses down my neck, and unlike with Mercury, this time I burned. Blane's tongue dipped into my cleavage and I gasped, wanting more. I felt him tug the bodice of my dress down, my breasts spilling over the top. He groaned and tugged one nipple into his mouth, palming my other breast. I bit my lip to keep from making any noise.

The heat between us grew in intensity as Blane's mouth and tongue traced my skin. His hand drifted under my skirt and between my thighs. I whimpered when I felt his hand slip under my panties and his fingers part my folds to slide inside me. His slick fingers stroked the tight bundle of nerves that set my veins on fire and I parted my legs wider, wanting to feel him inside me.

"God, Kat, what you do to me," he murmured in a pained voice as his lips reclaimed mine. My eyes flew open. He knew who I was. I tore my mouth from his, struggling against him as his weight pressed me into the couch.

"Let me go, Blane," I hissed, pushing ineffectually at his shoulders.

"Did you think I wouldn't know it was you?" he whispered in my ear, ignoring my struggles. His hand stroked me again, his fingers leisurely moving in and out of me, and I dug my fingernails into his shoulders. My traitorous body responded to him as more wetness pooled between my legs and my hips lifted to meet his fingers.

"Did you think I wouldn't recognize this body?" he continued, his words slithering inside my ear. "The way your skin tastes, the softness of you against my fingers, the sounds you make when I touch you?"

Bending his head again to my breasts, he took me in his mouth, his teeth gently tugging on my nipple. Against my will, I gasped again and I felt his mouth curve in a smile. His hand moved fast and sure inside me, stroking me knowingly. I was rapidly losing any will to get away and it made me want to cry in frustration. I couldn't let him do this, not after he'd lied to me, betrayed me and used me.

My arm reached out blindly and my hand fell on the candlestick I'd observed earlier. With a quick motion, and trying not to think too much about what I was about to do, I grabbed it and hit it against the back of Blane's head. He immediately went limp on top of me.

He was heavy and it took some squirming and pushing before I was able to get out from under him. I hurriedly readjusted my dress and combed my fingers through my hair. Blane still wasn't moving and a niggle of worry made me lean over and press my fingers to the pulse in his neck. Its beat was strong under my fingers and I released a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. Grabbing my purse, I knew I had to get out of there. Now.

Chapter Twelve

I wondered where Gracie was and if I could find her so we could leave. Or, at least, so I could leave.

I made my way as quickly as possible to the two doors through which I'd entered, slipping out in relief when I found them. The two sentries were still there and neither spoke to me. It was eerie and I shivered.

I walked down the hall, turned a corner and stopped abruptly when I saw James standing mere feet away.

"There you are," he said with a smile, walking toward me. "I was just coming back to find you. Let's get to know each other better, shall we?"

He took hold of my elbow, guiding me toward a door. I resisted, trying to pull myself loose.

"Let me go, James," I demanded, then cursed my own stupidity.

He froze. "You know me?" he asked.

I kept my mouth firmly shut this time.

He abruptly pulled me inside a nearby room, closing the door behind us. It was some kind of den or library. A large mahogany desk sat in one corner and an entire wall was covered in shelves filled with books. A curved window ranging from the ceiling to the floor looked out onto the darkened grounds.