Chapter 1 #2
“Because I would very much like to fuck you, Simone,” Ryan told her. Calm. Easy. “Just getting that out there for the record.” His head inclined toward her. “But how about we settle for a tour of the gallery right now? I’ve heard that Frederick has quite the impressive collection.”
A squeak escaped her. Not quite faked. He’d thrown her off-balance.
A hard thing to do. She’d pegged him as the perfect gentleman.
Eminently controllable. Except there was something about his expression.
..The flare of heat in his eyes warned her that she might have missed a few layers when she’d analyzed him before.
Bored billionaire. He was supposed to be another one of those.
She’d carefully checked his background. He’d inherited money, just like Frederick had.
Only Ryan invested his money in other people’s companies.
His investments had allowed Ryan to double, then triple his own wealth.
Frederick currently wanted a considerable investment from him.
That was why Ryan was there that night. Why he’d been invited to the London office in the first place. Frederick wanted his money.
“Simone?” Ryan quirked a dark eyebrow at her. “Would you like to tour the gallery with me?”
Her gaze darted to the gallery doors. Doors that were blocked by two of the security staff members. “Guests aren’t permitted inside the gallery.” Her stare slid back to Ryan.
“But you’re not just a typical guest, are you?” A playful wink. “You’re the boss’s trusted administrative assistant. And I bet you know those guards or they know you, at least. Surely you can get us a quick glimpse inside? A special privilege?”
Ah, she surely hoped that she could get them inside the gallery.
Talk about a perfect opportunity. She’d hoped to be able to sneak into the gallery.
She’d just thought that she’d have to convince Ryan to enter with her.
That she’d have to work really hard to stir the man’s interest in exploring with her.
Instead, he was taking her straight to her goal.
Honestly, Simone could have kissed him right then and there.
Instead, she gave Ryan what she hoped looked like an uncertain smile. “We can try, but I, uh, might have to tell a little white lie.” Her speech was halting, deliberately so.
“I don’t mind white lies.”
Good to know. Especially since she told them all the time.
Nodding, Simone headed directly for the gallery doors. She did, indeed, know the guards. Simone had made a point to know them. So there was no particular surprise from her when Hugo Thomas stepped into her path.
“I’m sorry, but the gallery is off-limits to guests, Simone,” Hugo reminded her. He sent her a warm smile. “You know that.” The overhead lights hit his dark hair.
The second guard, Alexei Morozov, didn’t speak. Just watched them with his narrowed, light green eyes. Alexei made her nervous. There was something about him that seemed dangerous.
A vibe. Instinct. She never ignored her instincts. There was no world where she ever wanted to be alone with Alexei and his big, scarred fists. The Russian barely spoke to anyone, but he was always around at important events. Always close and at the ready for Frederick.
But she knew how to put on a show, so Simone plastered a broad smile on her face.
“I’m not a guest. I’m an employee. You know that, Hugo.
” A light, tinkling laugh. “Frederick asked me to give his dear friend and business associate a private tour.” That would be the white lie part.
Frederick would never allow her into his gallery.
Employees truly were not permitted. Guests, in general, were not, either but…
Bigwigs who were potentially giving the company billions of dollars? The guards wouldn’t know to stop someone like Ryan. Not when she was at his side, vouching for him.
“I wasn’t informed of the tour,” Hugo replied, appearing uncertain. “I need to check with Frederick.” He reached for his tux pocket. Probably going for a phone so he could call or text Frederick.
Such a bad plan. Her heart sank. “Um…”
“Forget it,” Ryan announced, sounding bored and arrogant all at once. “I told you, Simone, I have no interest in the gallery.”
He had not told her those words. Quite the opposite, in fact. Now who is telling white lies? She gaped at him.
“My interest in the entire business is waning,” Ryan continued with a sardonic twist of his lips. “Perhaps I should reevaluate all my plans.”
“No!” Her sharp cry. Her frantic gaze whipped back to Hugo. “We need to tour the gallery. A quick tour.” She swallowed. “Now.”
Hugo tensed, but he clearly did not want to be the reason why a major deal fell through for his boss. “Five minutes,” he said.
Right. Yes. Brilliant. She could do so very much with five minutes.
Hugo unlocked and opened the doors. “Five,” he repeated.
“Not a good idea,” Alexei rumbled, his Russian accent hitting hard on not. “They should not enter.”
Yes, well, she didn’t care about his opinion.
“Don’t touch anything,” Hugo warned her. “Everything has an alarm trigger.”
Great fact to know. “Look but don’t touch,” she replied.
“Understood.” Grabbing Ryan’s hand, Simone hurried inside the gallery.
The doors shut behind them, and the sounds of the party were immediately muted.
Her breath whispered out as her gaze darted around the gallery.
Finally, she was inside. Now, if she could just find her prize, she could proceed to step two.
“Well, color me impressed. I’d heard the collection was good, but this goes beyond my expectations.” Ryan began to amble around the space. “I think I recognize a Monet, and that sketch is a Rembrandt.”
She crept away from him because she had zero interest in the fine art that hung on the walls.
Though she was interested in the two security cameras she’d just spotted.
Being careful, she made sure to stay out of their range.
“Frederick fancies himself as a collector. He believes that he has an eye for beauty.”
Ryan’s dark gaze darted toward her. “Does he?”
She could see the jewelry at the back of the gallery.
A crown that had once belonged to a French queen.
A bracelet that had adorned the wrist of a pharaoh’s favored wife.
Ryan was also making his way toward the jewelry, and that was unfortunate.
Simone needed space to work. Why couldn’t he go stare at the Monet or something?
She’d gone through the gallery’s logs at the London office. She knew the items that were supposed to be there, the ones that had been heavily insured. But she wasn’t looking for the listed items. She was looking for the ones that Frederick had deliberately kept off any official record.
“Nice statue,” Ryan mused. He’d stopped nearby. “Heavy emotional intensity. Pretty sure that’s a Camille Claudel.”
Simone’s gaze had just landed on her target. A shiver skated over her body. “Sounds to me like you’re quite the expert on beautiful things, too.”
“I try,” he allowed. His voice drifted behind her. Had he stopped to view the Claudel work? Maybe it would keep him busy for a bit.
“Claudel is a favorite of mine,” Ryan continued, voice musing. “I had no idea this one was even in a private collection.”
“You should try offering to buy it from Frederick,” she said.
A quick glance over her shoulder showed her that he was about five feet away, seemingly fixated on the small bronze piece.
“Make the right offer, and you never know what you’ll get.
” Her fingers were practically itching as she darted her hand into the tiny, red bag that hung over one shoulder.
She’d been given the option of checking her bag when she arrived at the estate.
How adorable. Why would she check something that would be needed later?
She’d have to be careful with her next movements.
But she had not come completely unprepared.
She’d suspected that even a slight touch would set off all the alarms in the gallery.
It had certainly been helpful of Hugo to confirm that suspicion for her.
She’d be fast, she’d be accurate, and if she played this scene just right—
An alarm blasted, the shrill cry ear-piercing. Her bag fell to the floor as a startled scream tore from her. Immediately, she whirled, her gaze searching for Ryan.
The alarm blasted—endlessly. The shriek made her ears hurt as her heart threatened to jump right out of her chest. This was bad. This was…
Ryan grabbed her. His hands closed around her shoulders, and he hauled her against him. She caught sight of the gallery doors flying open. Hugo and Alexei bounded inside, and they both had their guns drawn.
Bad. So bad. This is—
Ryan’s mouth crashed down onto hers.