Total pages in book: 37
Estimated words: 34709 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 174(@200wpm)___ 139(@250wpm)___ 116(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34709 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 174(@200wpm)___ 139(@250wpm)___ 116(@300wpm)
“Sorry about that. Proper isn’t in my vocabulary.” Pressing a quick kiss to her forehead, he strode out the door, shutting it quietly behind him.
Desire trembled through her, and she nearly doubled over from need. Even now, his smell of wild forest and dark spice filled the air around her, as if even his scent wanted to claim her for all time.
She flicked on the TV to see if anything interesting was happening and waited, patiently counting the minutes.
When no noise remained in the penthouse, she carefully looked at the zip ties. For some reason, people thought zip ties were difficult to remove. She’d trained with a group once on how to get out of any bindings. Zip ties were easy.
She lifted one leg, put both arms down until the tie sat against her shin—one of the hardest parts of the body—and then slammed the ties down as hard as she could. They didn’t give. She tried again. Nothing.
She tried a third time, and they snapped open.
Did he seriously think a couple of zip ties would keep her in place? He’d underestimated her for years, and it was somewhat amusing. With the ties loose, the rope sprang free, as well. She’d waste time on an eye roll, but she really had to get going.
Gingerly, she opened the door and looked out. Nothing. Taking a deep breath, she hurried toward the outside door, careful not to step on any toys. She’d heard of Benjamin Reese, and he was the last vampire she wanted to piss off.
She opened the door to the vestibule and walked easily to the elevators to press the down button. It arrived, and she shook her head again. That man really had to stop underestimating her, but it was a problem she’d deal with at another time. Or perhaps she could use it to her advantage. Again.
Once she reached the ground floor, she walked out and smiled at the two security guards behind the front desk. They were human and didn’t know her. They nodded back. She sprinted outside into a summer day. She loved Paris.
Hailing a taxi, she paid in cash with money from her boot. Jasper really should have searched her. The cab dropped her off at her temporary flat, and she ran inside, hurriedly changing into a long, sparkling blue gown that set off her eyes. Her hair took a bit longer to tie into an intricate knot, and then she tucked her three-inch, sequined heels into her overlarge bag and wore her flats as she bolted out of the apartment.
She had a ball to attend, after all.
Chapter Four
The smell of fresh roses filled the grand convention center’s opulent ballroom as Leah strode, as gracefully as possible in three-inch heels, toward the woman currently organizing place cards.
“Oh, Leah. There you are. Good. You’re late,” her friend Mallory said.
“I’m sorry. Something came up.” Leah reached into the box on the table and took out place cards, noting the table number to the side of each name. “I’m here to help.”
Mallory leaned over and double-checked one of the silver tags. “I appreciate the assistance. You look beautiful.”
“Oh, thanks,” Leah said, looking down at her form-fitting, blue-sequined gown. “So do you.”
“Thank you. I try.” Mallory smiled. In her late thirties, she had curly blond hair and stunning blue eyes. For the charity gala tonight, she wore a long, cream-colored gown with sequins along the neckline and waist. “Thank you again for assisting me with this entire event.”
Leah thought about slipping out of her heels for a short time. “You know why I’m really here.”
“I do.” Mallory leaned forward, her eyes sparkling. “I can’t believe we’re about to catch a child trafficker.”
“I hope.” Leah had been on this guy for nearly three months and had chased him from the United States to Paris. A well-known philanthropist, he was actually a criminal mastermind—with a Kurjan partner, no less. A fact of which Mallory remained unaware. “If we take him down, we’ll get to his partner, and that’s the entire ring.” Leah had spent the last two years neutralizing an entire child trafficking ring, which had started in Los Angeles.
Mallory secured one of her diamond earrings. “The plan is to meet him in the coat check area?”
“Yes,” Leah said. “He thinks I’m a trafficker from the States and have product for him.” Oh, how she hated using that word.
Mallory clapped her hands. “I can’t wait. I’ve never been a part of anything like this.”
“There’s nothing like taking down the bad guys,” Leah agreed. While she couldn’t be a spy any longer because she hadn’t aged, she’d found many good pursuits to make life a little better for people who needed it. “Make sure Inspector Dupont is seated near the door so I can get to him as quickly as possible.”
“Of course,” Mallory said.