Page 46 of Icebound

Luc looked up. “You think Maddelena would be seen dead in a kitchen?”

He laughed at the idea. His wife was many things, but she had no practical skills whatsoever. “Where is she?”

“She went and stood outside your door for a while, listening. Then she left.”

“For good?”

“Your guess is as good as mine. She doesn’t like to be ignored. How’s Chloe?”

Bastien raised an eyebrow. “How do you think she is? Well-fucked and sleepy. I doubt we’ll see her again tonight.”

“Won’t you be sleeping with her?”

“I told you, I’m sleeping on my own. I don’t need to be distracted at this late date.”

“And she’s not a distraction when she’s sleeping down the hall from you?” Luc asked with uncomfortable acuity.

“She’s always a distraction,” Bastien said gloomily. “At least I’ve scratched that itch for now.”

Luc nodded. “Everything’s set for tomorrow. You show up for work at six a.m.”

“Merde.” He moved to stand by the open French doors, staring out over the lake. The water was still and calm, at odds with the turbulence in his mind. Lake Como was bewitching in the setting sun, and for some reason, he thought of the woman he’d just left. He didn’t like thinking of her as Chloe—the name made him uncomfortable though he had no goddamned idea why. Maybe he’d known a Chloe in another lifetime, and he didn’t want to be reminded.

Not that he was reminded of much. So much of his past was vague, hazy, just out of reach. It would be funny as hell if he really were her errant husband.

But he wasn’t. For one thing, he already had a wife. For another, he expected that Chloe would be hard to forget. She’d looked so very shattered by her orgasm. A Frenchwoman would have taken it in stride and demanded more. Chloe was probably weeping into her pillow.

For some reason, he didn’t like that idea. He took no pleasure in hurting women. Maddalena, on the other hand, liked pain and humiliation. While exciting at first, he’d lost interest long ago in such games. Particularly when she felt like returning the favor.

The water was soothing to his soul. Tomorrow, he would find a way to get out on it—the boat that had come with this villa was dangerous-looking and hardly seaworthy. He would find someone else to take him, maybe a woman who would take his mind off his hostage. But first he had a job to do, and he wasn’t going to be seducing any wealthy woman dressed like a gardener with dirt on his face.

He glanced back at Luc, who was watching him with a trace of concern behind his wire-rimmed glasses. Bastien managed a cool smile. “Don’t look so worried, Luc. I know what I’m doing.”

“Of course you do,” Luc said instantly. “I was just thinking about what you were going to do with Chloe after you finish the job.”

“I haven’t decided. If possible, I could always leave her behind when I’m done.”

“She knows too much,” Luc said. “You’ve managed to stay under the radar for all these years—she could give the cops a good description of both of us. And God knows you’ve been leaving your DNA all over her.”

“Is that what it’s called?” Bastien said.

Luc glared at him. “I don’t see how you can just let her go.”

“No? You want me to kill her too?”

“It would be the smart thing to do.”

“What if I don’t feel like it?”

Luc frowned. “I can take care of it, if you like.”

“You won’t be there.”

“If you bring her back, I can kill her here. Don’t worry, I’ll make it fast and painless.”

“I’m not worried. You seem to think I’m a sentimental man. If the woman has to die, then I’m agreeable. I just don’t like killing women I fuck.”

“As I said, I’ll take care of her. She’ll never know a thing. If you can get her back here, that is.” There was a question in his voice.