Page 14 of Midnight Secrets

“Let’s go.” I grabbed her elbow on the way past and propelled her down the hall.

I was tall, but Lucrezia came to my shoulder in her heels, a floral scent emanating from her hair in waves as it moved around her. It was the type of hair that deserved to be wrapped around my fist as her lips were wrapped around my dick.

My black Audi sat outside and I directed her to the passenger seat, holding the door open until she was inside. Her skirt slid up as she settled herself in the car, revealing a tempting flash of thigh.

Fuck me. At this rate, I would be going into a meeting with an erection.

Francis stood at the top of the steps glaring down at me in disapproval. It was his job to keep her safe, but we were as trained as he was in counter manoeuvres and had been protecting ourselves from an early age.

“Thank you for doing this for me,” Lucrezia said in a low, husky voice when I got in the car.

“No worries, that’s what we’re here for.” The car purred into life and I hit the accelerator because I didn’t want to analyse what I was feeling right now.

That was the problem. From the moment her shapely ass sauntered into the restaurant yesterday, Lucrezia made me feel. I’d turned off emotions a long time ago, and she’d somehow found the switch to turn them on.

Last night, the others were able to detach themselves from the situation, yet I found myself needing to comfort her when I saw her vulnerability as she lifted those muffins out of the oven. She was good at masking her emotions, but I’d spent a long time learning to read people until it became automatic.

“Tell me what it is you actually need,” I said to divert my thoughts from the dark pathway they were on. “Quantity of stones and quality. We’ll see what we can sort out for you.”

Her tongue swiped along her bottom lip and her hands clasped in her lap. I listened as she described the pieces she intended to make, asking questions along the way. Listening to what she’d already achieved was impressive, but it also made my blood boil. Her vendors had been taking advantage of her inexperience in business and her profits were minimal for the amount of work she was putting in.

After I went home last night, I spent a while researching the jewellery industry and who was on my contact list who could help. It had given me a few ideas for this morning. I deliberately parked far enough away that they wouldn’t be tipped off to my presence, putting sunglasses on as I slipped out of the car.

Lucrezia was even paler than before, her top teeth biting into her bottom lip. I grasped her chin and forced her head back. “In business, we show no fear and never once do we display our inexperience. They can scent it like blood in the water. Understand?”

She slowly nodded and her spine straightened.

I took her hand and tugged her into walking. She stiffened beside me and I watched out of the corner of my eye as she took several deep breaths before her body relaxed. I’d deliberately touched her, because she needed to be comfortable close to me before we reached our destination. If they thought she was mine, they could shit their pants that they’d been messing with her.

The wooden doors to Billingham’s swung open and I strode inside as if I owned the place. It was a trick I picked up from Jordan over the years. People tended to treat you the way you presented yourself.

“Can I help you?” the male behind the black marble reception desk asked, his eyes darting between me and Lucrezia.

“I have a meeting with Mr. Billingham this morning,” Lucrezia replied in a low tone.

His eyes darted to me again. “And you, sir?”

A grin spread across my face at his expression. “I’m with her.” I nodded in Lucrezia’s direction.

It was only when the infamous Mr. Billingham arrived to greet us that I bothered taking my sunglasses off. He knew exactly who I was considering that I was my father’s right hand. He would be foolish not to know who he was dealing with.

“Miss Black, pleasure to see you again. Mr. Blackwood, what can I do for you today?” His smile was fixed in place but I didn’t miss the swallow after he said my name.

I deliberately lifted Lucrezia’s hand that was still in mine and kissed her wrist. Her body stiffened at the touch of my lips, but she never fell out of character. “I was in town at the same time as Lucrezia, so decided I’d come along before we go out to lunch.”

His lips pursed for a brief moment before his smile got brighter, which meant that he got the message I sent. That smile was born from nervousness and that little demon living inside me thrived on that shit.

“The stones are set up for your inspection, if you want to follow me.” He held his hand toward a door beside the desk that was designed to look like a wooden panel on the wall.

A variety of stones were laid out on velvet display pads on the solid wooden table in the centre of the room. Lights illuminated the pads so that the diamonds sparkled temptingly.

Nigel waved Lucrezia toward the table. “Please take a look.”

I pretended not to take an interest, instead wandering around the room. Nigel watched me from where he stood, never once paying attention to Lucrezia. The stones had obviously been set out before we arrived this morning. His reaction to me being here said they were poor quality he was trying to offload onto Lucrezia since he’d been playing hard to get.

“What do you think, sweetie?” Lucrezia lifted a diamond with a pair of long tweezers and held it out to me with an eyepiece. Her eyebrow arched in challenge.

I deserved it after kissing her wrist earlier. Two could play at that game. I stepped in behind her so that I was looking at the diamond over her shoulder, my arms under hers. She froze as my hand covered hers to angle the diamond. I didn’t even bother looking at it.

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