Page 1 of Ruthless

CHAPTER ONE

Twelve Years ago

US Embassy

Paris, France

“Come on, Lina. Tell me. Please? Please? Pretty please?”

Blushing like a schoolgirl, Lina Wellingsley flashed her friend a sassy grin. For the last half hour, Shelby had been trying to get her to spill her big secret. One that she had been keeping to herself for almost three weeks. Having any kind of secret was such a unique experience for her that she had wanted to keep it to herself just a little while longer. From the time she was born, her entire life had been under scrutiny. Secrets had been few and far between.

And this secret was just so special. She was having her very first grown-up romance. Okay, well, maybe not exactly a romance. They hadn’t even had a real date. But in her twenty-one years, this was the first time she had been so attracted to anyone. Usually, her dates were chosen for her, and she appeared with him at a function and then rarely saw him again. It was the way of her world. Yes, it was old-fashioned to the point of being archaic, but it wasn’t something she had ever given a lot of thought to. But now that she was out on her own, she realized how very confining her world really was. She wanted a private life, a life where she didn’t have a litany of people who approved or disapproved of her choices. She wanted to be normal. This was a definite step in the right direction.

“Come on, Lina. You know I won’t tell anyone.”

That was true. She and Shelby Greene had become fast friends the instant they’d met last year. Other than her family, there was no one she trusted more. They were also roommates and co-workers, so there was very little that Shelby didn’t know about her already. With her strawberry-blond hair, beautiful smile, and spattering of freckles on her face, Shelby had endeared herself to Lina from the first hello. She had a calm but outgoing personality and was the perfect accompaniment to Lina’s shy awkwardness.

“I know you won’t tell. It’s just that this is the first time I’ve felt this way. I guess I just want to hang on to it a little longer.”

“Can you at least tell me where you met him?”

Since she never went anywhere alone, that was a loaded question. With the exception of when she was at work and had a little more privacy, her two bodyguards, Herbert and Francois, were with her at all times. At work, they stayed outside the embassy, parked close by in case they needed to get to her quickly. And while she appreciated their protection, she knew they reported everything to her father. If she were to start dating someone, he would be the first to know.

She glanced around the empty break room. They might be alone here, but anyone passing by would see them and might overhear. She leaned closer to Shelby and whispered, “He works here…at the embassy.”

Shelby’s pretty face scrunched up in confusion. “Seriously? I haven’t seen you talking to anyone in particular.”

Should she tell Shelby about the cellphone he’d given her? Since they couldn’t be seen together without speculation, he had gifted her with a phone so they could text each other. So far, their conversations had been about getting to know each other. Favorite colors, movies, books, all the silly and fun things one might learn on a first or second date.

He was more than aware of what their appearance in public would mean. She wasn’t the only one under scrutiny. His father was also a high-profile person. The paparazzi would have a field day if they knew they were seeing each other. At some point, they’d have to make it public, but for right now, keeping it a secret worked for them both.

“We haven’t really had a chance to be alone like that. You know what would happen if we’re seen together.”

“Yeah.” Shelby grimaced in sympathy.

The whole world knew Lina worked here. When she had first arrived in Paris and started working at the embassy, it had been all over the news. Thankfully, the media had eventually gone on to other, more important things, and she did her best to live a low-profile existence. She wanted to do good work, make a difference in the world. To be taken seriously. Too many people believed she’d gotten her aide position because of who she was. And though she knew it had given her an opening others might not have had, that didn’t mean she didn’t work hard or that she couldn’t make a valuable contribution. She had degrees in both international relations and foreign policy, spoke four languages, and was a serious student of the geopolitical climate of today.

Despite who her family was, she had insisted on being treated just like any other employee. She believed she had proven herself, but there were still many who considered her a celebrity with no real value. Since she had a stubborn soul, those kinds of opinions just made her work all the harder.

“I’ve never seen you like this, Lina. You’re blushing, and your eyes are sparkling like blue diamonds. You’re practically glowing.”

There was a tinge of hurt in Shelby’s face, and Lina quickly pulled herself out of her head. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt her friend. Shelby had been so supportive of her and had never once treated her differently than she did anyone else. Even though they came from tremendously different backgrounds, they had so much in common that their differences had never mattered. It was something Lina sincerely appreciated.

“Okay, I’ll tell you. But you have to promise not to freak out.”

Shelby’s light green eyes went wide at the warning, but she nodded and said solemnly, “I promise.”

“It’s Dirk Bennett,” she whispered.

Shelby jerked back, gasping. “The ambassador? Good heavens, Lina! He’s an old man—at least forty-five!”

Lina swallowed a snort. “Not him, silly. Dirk Jr. His son.”

“Oh.” She blew out a relieved sigh. Then as it hit her, her eyes went wide. “Ohhhhh. He’s cute!”

Lina grinned in delight. “I know! And he’s so charming and sweet.”

“So how did it start? Who made the first move? Have you kissed him yet? Where do you see him? What’s he like?”

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