Page 76 of The Devil Wears Orange
I whip my head towards him. “Where’d you get the gun?”
“Rashid.”
“He didn’t give me one,” I say, feeling left out, though I wouldn’t know what to do with a weapon anyway. Still, it irks me that this so-called team is a boys’ club.
“One of his men slipped it to me yesterday. We never agreed to an armed heist. Champagne?” Jack’s tone changes quickly as he offers a glass to a passerby.
“No, we didn’t.” I lift a glass, drain it, and replace the empty back on Jack’s tray. “I need to find Rashid,” I mutter and leave.
Rashid has abandoned the spot where I had left him moments earlier. Perhaps he’s gone off to our meeting place, or he’s been whisked away by someone ingratiating themselves into his circle. I float through the ballroom at a steady pace, careful not to draw attention to myself as I scan the surrounding faces in search of Rashid. A light touch on my arm brings me relief. Rashid has found me, and I spin to–
My breath catches in my throat.
“Miss Milton.” Levan’s voice is nasal and not at all what I had expected.
“Hello.” The small word sounds fragile out of my mouth. My eyes dart about. As long as I remain within this crowd, there’s no harm that he can impose on me… but I’ve seen enough films where murders occur in public.
“My name is Levan. I’m an admirer of your work.”
He looks like a rat when he smiles, and a chill shoots down my back.
Recovering from the shock, I purse my lips and say, “Really? You’ve read my magazine articles?”
Levan pauses for a moment, his rodent eyes settling on me. “Yourotherwork.”
My face is most likely ashen in color, and I’m afraid the champagne I knocked back moments ago will come back up. Fighting the urge to be sick, I smile and, in a clumsy manner, reach out to shake his hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, but I’m in the midst...”
“I’m afraid you have something of mine,” Levan says and suddenly latches onto my hand.
“Sorry?” I attempt to pull away but he tightens his grip. Whatever shade is paler than pale must be on my face now while a dark shadow crosses his.
Levan’s rat-like lips turn upward, and he indicates to the small of my wrist. “Your bracelet is entangled in my cuff link. Allow me.” He unwinds my bracelet and frees me. “Voila. Until we meet again, Miss Milton.”
Carefully, he brings my hand to his lips for a kiss.
I fight the urge to scrub him off.
Chapter 44
Leaning by a brickwall in the rear garden, Rashid inspects his watch for the time, precisely set and impeccably kept. Charlotte is nowhere to be found. It should have been a quick trip to the ladies’ room, and he tries to tamper his concern.
A patio door swings open, and he glances, expecting to find Charlotte, but it’s a couple he met earlier whose names he’s forgotten. He acknowledges them with a smile. When they pass, he wipes at a bead of sweat behind his neck. He usually doesn’t get this way, with nerves eating away at him, but she’s been gone nearly fifteen minutes now. He could go in looking for her, or–
“Rashid,” Charlotte says in a low voice. She descends the stone steps and rushes into his arms.
He knows it’s for appearances’ sake – two lovers in need of seclusion – but a small part of him, no, a big part of him, wishes it were true. Without uttering a word, he wraps his arm around her and guides her to the lower grounds. Quietly, he whisks her away toward the waterway that leads back into the castlethrough a moat running underground. The noise of the revelers fades in the distance.
Footsteps hit concrete then soften against the grass. In his periphery, Rashid sees a security guard following; their cover is undoubtedly blown. He immediately pushes Charlotte against the hard, cold castle wall and presses himself against her.
By the look on her face, he can tell she’s surprised, yet she brings her arms to his neck when he leans in for a kiss. He’s wanted to do this for a long time now, but each time the mood seemed right, something unexpected happened – like Charlotte falling off a boat or Charlotte accusing him of ruining her life. Which he did, but, in the end, doesn’t the fact that he’s trying to rectify the situation matter more than the mistakes he made? Though he’s made plenty of them, with one mistake far outweighing the next.
A sweet moan escapes her lips. He pushes his hand across her bottom, fighting to grab hold against the slippery, voluminous fabric.
The guard’s footsteps break into his thoughts, then scurries in another direction. Rashid tilts his head, gives the guard a sideways glance until he disappears toward the castle. Perhaps embarrassment overwhelmed him.
“We’re safe now,” Rashid whispers in Charlotte’s ear, then brings a hand to her neck and his lips back onto hers. He should stop, but where would be the fun in that?
“Rashid,” she pulls away slightly, then returns her lips to his and moans. “Hmm. Levan’s here,” she whispers after thrusting her hands between them to push him away.
