Page 21 of Sacrifice

Lucien radiated confidence, seeming to know just the right thing to say to everyone at the table and with every glance or brush of his hand against her thigh as he spoke to the other guests, she wanted to be alone with him more and more.

“Ah, Lucien, what a pleasure to have you at my table,” Petrovsky said, eyeing him thoughtfully. “I have some interesting stories to tell you about my recent acquisitions.”

Lucien nodded and took a sip from his wine.

“I have come into some interesting new artefacts,” Petrovsky said between mouthfuls of food. “Babikov found a tomb in Kazakhstan! Says it was full of talismans of an ancient king. Thinks it’s cursed.” He slapped the table, sending food in all directions. “That fool is a sucker for a local legend.”

Lucien raised his eyebrows. “Is that so? How did he come by that?”

“He was surveying for oil deposits.” Petrovsky stuffed another forkful into his mouth. “I told him I take them off his hands for a small fee.”

Lucien smiled, but Eve could feel the effort behind it. “That is interesting. Send me the catalogue. You never know. There might be a piece or two that takes my fancy.” He smiled simply at Petrovsky, who narrowed his eyes.

“I think you confuse me with someone who needs your money, Dr Knight.” Petrovsky dabbed at his mouth with his napkin and threw it down onto the half-finished plate.

“Not at all, Konstantine, but aren’t we already talking about a purchase?” said Lucien

“You mean the sun stone?” Petrovsky huffed out a laugh and pulled down the corners of his mouth in a sneer. “It’s no longer for sale.” He pushed his plate away in an act of dismissal.

The hairs stood up on the back of Eve’s neck. Lucien adjusted his posture to sit a little taller.

“We are men of means, are we not? Sometimes we can lay our hands on things of great value to another.” He leaned back in his seat, allowing Petrovsky’s line of sight to include the necklace around Eve’s neck. “Quid pro quo.”

Petrovsky’s gaze slid from the necklace into Eve’s cleavage, and he licked his flabby lips. “There will be other stones,” he said.

“That particular sunstone greatly interests me right now. It’s the centerpiece of the exhibition I’m putting together. I’ve already offered you well above market value.”

Petrovsky’s nostrils flared. “There are other ways to pay.” His eyes ran over Eve’s body and she realized with horror that he meant her.

Lucien huffed and looked down to examine his own hands, now rubbing slowly together, palm to palm. “You go too far.”

Petrovsky suddenly slammed his hand down onto the table and made everyone's plates rattle. “What does money mean to me?”

“Oh, Konstantin.” Lucien pushed his own plate away. “You should know better than to disappoint me.”

Petrovsky's eyes narrowed. “Is that a threat, Lucien?”

Eve’s skin prickled with the rising tension. Lucien leaned in toward Petrovsky and spoke in a low voice.

“Your filthy hands will never touch her,” he hissed, and the woman sat between them slunk backward in her seat. Lucien clasped Petrovsky’s forearm and his expression changed. A glimmer of uncertainty crept into the Russian’s eyes.

He shrugged, maintaining his bravado. “There is nothing I can do. The buyer has very powerful friends.” He swallowed hard. “More friends than you, I think.”

Lucien glared at him. “I don’t need friends,” he said in a hiss.

Petrovsky smiled coldly, but Eve couldn’t help feeling that each man took a different meaning from those words.

Lucien released him and got to his feet. He buttoned his jacket and held his hand out to Eve. “We have an early start,” he said. The words were calm and his demeanor as polite as it had been all evening, but Petrovsky was rattled, sweat sparkling on his brow.

Eve stood and slid her hand into Lucien’s. Her palm buzzed with energy at his touch.

“A pleasure to meet you all,” he said to the table at large, “Konstantin, another time.” He nodded curtly, then led Eve away, out of the ballroom and into the lift.

She tried not to trail behind. He was fast on his feet and the combination of champagne and high heels slowed her down. Her heart pounded in her chest. Unless she was very much mistaken, Lucien had just staked a claim on her, had shown Petrovsky that she was under his protection. A thrill of pleasure ran through her veins. His hand in hers, the energy radiating from him was palpable. She stole a glance at him. Never before had she met a man with such an alluring combination of qualities.

Supremely knowledgeable in his field, he was so passionate about it, it made her heart ache. Lucien valued her knowledge and appreciated the hard work that had gone into her degree. As a worker in the gift shop under Gilbert’s derisory eye for the last couple of years, this was like balm to a burn. To be more than an expendable temp, a pretty face to brighten up the place, and a lesser human for no other reason than she could not find the way to break through, was so welcome, so needed. It was a lifeline. He’d given her a lifeline.

She steadied her breathing and willed her heart rate to settle. Was she the only person he had this effect on?

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