Page 62 of Scarlet Angel

She hands me a highball glass. I lift it to my nose and take in hints of orange, chocolate, and nuts.Glenfarclas.She poured the same for herself.

“Scotch?” I raise an eyebrow. “Wouldn’t have picked that for you.”

“Then you don’t know me well.”

“That’s true.” I hold the glass up to the light, taking in the caramel hue before sipping and savoring the burn down the back of my throat. “I believe you were more generous with my pour than your own. Are you trying to get me drunk?”

Her eyes widen and her cheeks flush.

Bloody hell. Is she?

“If you want me, you don’t need to get me drunk.” I take a large swallow, nearly emptying the crystal highball.

“Shall we sit?” She gestures to the chairs by the fire.

“Let me get a refill.” The liquor is already working its magic through my veins. The world’s amok, but there’s not much to be done until we’ve got a better grip on the situation.

“Let me. You sit.”

I do as she says. If Paolo is right, and someone within the syndicate is behind today’s events, then we’ve got a much bigger problem. But it fits. The plane explosion was definitely a ground-to-air missile. No one took credit, but plenty of doubt was cast. Doubt seeds instability.

“It doesn’t take long for your serious face to take over.”

She’s before me, serving me a refilled glass. She’s a vision before the fire.

The room spins, and I rest my head against the back of the armchair.

“Come sit.”

“On your lap?” She releases a girlish noise of amusement. Not a giggle, but delightful all the same.

“I won’t bite.”

“No, you won’t, will you?” She’s introspective.

“Only if you ask.”

To my delight, she steps forward and sits on my thigh. She’s perched tentatively, and I shift, letting her fall behind my thigh, so her arse is planted on the chair, with her thighs draped over mine.

“That’s better,” I say.

She smells of soothing eucalyptus and mint. It’s probably the shower gel in the guest bath, but having her near is like stepping into a spa.

“Was I hurting you?”

“No.”

She raises a skeptical eyebrow.

“Well, your arse bones were digging into my thigh bone.”

She laughs out loud. It’s a beautiful, relaxing sound, and I knock back a little more of my scotch.

“This is more comfortable, though, isn’t it? It’s better than sitting across from each other.”

“Well, I do want to get to know you.”

“What a gorgeous coincidence. There are things?—”

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