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He wanted to give her joy.
Give her the necklace. Give her his dried-up husk of a heart.
“If Lucy saw you with that diamond around your neck, she’d insist on painting your portrait,” he said, moving closer, drawn by her beauty.
She wasn’t looking at him; she watched her own reflection in the glass, so he allowed himself to gaze at her with all of the longing and regret filling his mind, expanding his heart.
“Isn’t the necklace in high demand by collectors?” she asked.
“Many have attempted to purchase it from me.”
She turned abruptly and he struggled to mask his emotions. “I have an idea,” she said, her eyes shining brighter than the diamond. “You said that Le Triton’s estate is impenetrable.”
Had he said that? He thought back to their conversation in her brother’s study. She’d accused him of being friends with Le Triton, and he’d responded by saying that Le Triton ran a criminal organization from his impenetrable stronghold in Paris... Gods! What was wrong with him? He really was cocking this up.
“Ah,” he cleared his throat. “I think you’re right to focus on the Russian ambassador, Mr. Petrov. He’ll be here tomorrow and—”
“Raven, I have an idea.” Her smile glowed with excitement. “I know how we can solicit an invitation to visit Le Triton’s estate. I’ll wear the Wish Diamond to his gaming house at the Palais Royal. He’ll see me wearing it, you’ll offer to negotiate a sale, but only if he shows you his prized collection.”
“Absolutely out of the question.” Raven stalked to the fireplace and rested his hands on the mantelpiece. “I won’t use you as bait.”
Malcolm had made the same suggestion and Raven had refused. The word was already out that he wanted to sell the necklace.
Indy approached him from behind.Don’t turn around. She could persuade him to do anything with those eyes of hers.Don’t look at her.
“You’re right, Raven. You won’t use me for anything. I won’t beused. Ever. I demand to be respected, listened to... trusted. I’m asking you to meet me halfway in this endeavor. You keep making these decisions that you think are for my own good and I will not have decisions made on my behalf.”
“I won’t put you in danger.”
“Put me. Use me. You seem to think that you control everything and I control nothing.”
He turned around and then wished to hell he hadn’t. The hurt in the depths of her eyes made him want to bash his head against the marble mantelpiece.
She wanted him to meet her halfway, to trust that she knew what she was doing and that her skills on this mission were as valid and valuable as his own.
She demanded his respect and he could give that to her. She demanded that he trust her enough to involve her in the plan to topple Le Triton. As much as his entire being railed against the idea, perhaps it was time to trust her skills, and her ideas.
“Indy,” he began, but had to pause for breath, for calm. “You’re drawn to these powerful women in history because you’re proudly carrying their standard into the modern era. A queen such as Cleopatra would have worn a jewel such as this into battle.”
Her challenging gaze faltered. “You’re agreeing to my plan?”
“I’m saying that I... that I trust you.” And he trusted himself to protect her. They’d go to the gaming house for an hour, no more. She’d display the diamond, he’d bring her home safely.
The pain in her expression receded. “The necklace will dazzle everyone into spilling their secrets tomorrow.”
“You’ll dazzle them.”
“Not I. I’m not much of a seductress. I don’t have any feminine wiles, as my mother loves to remind me.”
He drew another deep breath. Move this conversation back to surface topics. Keep everything light and joking between them.
“You don’t require feminine wiles with a bosom like yours,” he said in a joking voice.
She glanced down at her chest. “That’s not enough. I may have to use feminine wiles to encourage the suspects to talk. I should practice the art of seduction. I know that’s one of the tools in the espionage arsenal.”
“No, no.” Not a good idea. “You don’t require practice. You’re quite seductive enough already.”
“Flattery will get you nowhere, Raven. You know that’s a load of horse droppings. I’m about as seductive as a porcupine.” She tilted her head to one side. “Though with the right accoutrements... perhaps I could pass for a coquette.”
