AllFreeNovel
Share Us
His tone was soft, careful. Next she’d read pity in his face.
Anger and pain rose through her. ‘Why would you do that?’
‘I’m an impatient man. I needed to know what had happened to you—especially if it would jeopardise your assignment.’
She come down the last step and glared up at him. ‘So you thought you’d go ahead and dig a little deeper just to satisfy your curiosity? Despite my giving you my word that I’d make finding your painting my priority? Wow, what a prince you are.’
‘Calm down.’ He took her elbow and led her to the dining room, where exquisite silverware was set out on a long, intricately designed red cherrywood table.
She rounded on him. ‘Don’t tell me to calm down. And do you seriously think I’m going to eat with you when you’ve just informed me that you’ve spent the day adding a few more pages to my glorious dossier?’
A hooded look entered his eyes. ‘There are no more pages because I don’t have the full details of your accident.’
Stunned, she stared at him. ‘You don’t? But I thought …’
He shrugged. ‘I’ve asked for the investigation to be stopped. I’m hoping you’ll fill in the blanks.’
The idea of letting him have even the tiniest glimpse of the physical and emotional wreck she’d become sent a bolt of pure panic through her. ‘If you expect me to be grateful for that, you’re going to be sorely disappointed.’ She couldn’t stop the snark from spilling over. The truth was she already felt exposed at Damion’s continued scrutiny, and she had a horrible feeling that sensation would only worsen the longer she spent in his company.
‘Sit down, Reiko.’
An unexpected spark of electricity zinged through her belly at the way he said her name, uttering the Japanese intonation perfectly.
Coming up behind her, he held out her seat. She sat, all the while feeling his gaze on her. He was still staring at her when Fabrice walked in with their first course a minute later.
She picked up her spoon but made no move to touch the chilled cucumber velouté served with braised chicken.
‘You aren’t staying with Ashton because you’re involved with him, are you?’
Her smile felt brittle. ‘No, he was my father’s friend and is a surrogate uncle to me. You made your sordid assumption. I let you run with it.’
His gaze raked over her face, probing deeper. ‘What happened to you?’
Exasperated with his relentless digging, she put down her spoon. ‘Please leave it alone.’ She stood and raked back her chair.
‘Where do you think you’re going?’
‘I’ve lost my appetite. Enjoy your dinner.’
‘Sit down.’ His voice held a ring of steel that anyone would have been a fool to dis
miss. But she wasn’t in the mood for his high-and-mightiness.
‘Unless you have thumbscrews at the ready, there’s no way I’m not walking out of here.’
‘That can be arranged.’
‘Oh? Is that growly French manliness supposed to turn me on or frighten me?’
‘I’ll find out one way or the other. I prefer to get the facts from you.’
She stared down at him. ‘Why is it so important to you?’
A look passed through his eyes before his lids descended. ‘Let’s just say I’ve learnt the hard way not to ignore warning signs. Eat your food.’
Slowly she sat and picked up her spoon with shaky fingers. She managed to swallow her first mouthful despite the lump in her throat.
‘Is that enigmatic statement supposed to make me bare my soul to you?’
