A few thoughts from Familiar…

It looks as if Nicole is out for the night. I don’t know why I never considered that she might have a boyfriend. That’s the most likely explanation for the fact that here’s her car and there’s no sign of her in her trailer. I doubt she walked anywhere. This movie set is on the backside of nowhere. So she obviously caught a ride with someone.

Should I be worried? It just seems hard to really worry about Nicole. She’s so physically competent.

And if I’m any judge at all, I think Jax McClure is equally impressed. I get the feeling that Jax is a man who doesn’t believe he’s vulnerable to a woman’s charms. He’s one of those tough guys who believes he’s had his last romantic bronc ride. Well, I do believe he’s getting ready to learn differently.

All I can say is, “Cowboy up!”

Dear Harlequin Intrigue Reader,

Beginning this October, Harlequin Intrigue has expanded its lineup to six books! Publishing two more titles each month enables us to bring you an extraordinary selection of breathtaking stories of romantic suspense filled with exciting editorial variety—and we encourage you to try all that we have to offer.

Stock up on catnip! Caroline Burnes brings back your favorite feline sleuth to beckon you into a new mystery in the popular series FEAR FAMILIAR. This four-legged detective sticks his whiskers into the mix to help clear a stunning stuntwoman’s name in Familiar Double. Up next is Dani Sinclair’s new HEARTSKEEP trilogy starting with The Firstborn—a darkly sensual gothic romance that revolves around a sinister suspense plot. To lighten things up, bestselling Harlequin American Romance author Judy Christenberry crosses her beloved BRIDES FOR BROTHERS series into Harlequin Intrigue with Randall Renegade—a riveting reunion romance that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Keeping Baby Safe by Debra Webb could either passionately reunite a duty-bound COLBY AGENCY operative and his onetime lover—or tear them apart forever. Don’t miss the continuation of this action-packed series. Then Amy J. Fetzer launches our BACHELORS AT LARGE promotion featuring fearless men in blue with Under His Protection. Finally, watch for Dr. Bodyguard by debut author Jessica Andersen. Will a hunky doctor help penetrate the emotional walls around a lady genius before a madman closes in?

Pick up all six for a complete reading experience you won’t forget!

Enjoy,

Denise O’Sullivan

Senior Editor

Harlequin Intrigue

Familiar Double
Caroline Burnes

www.millsandboon.co.uk

MILLS & BOON

Before you start reading, why not sign up?

Thank you for downloading this Mills & Boon book. If you want to hear about exclusive discounts, special offers and competitions, sign up to our email newsletter today!

SIGN ME UP!

Or simply visit

signup.millsandboon.co.uk

Mills & Boon emails are completely free to receive and you can unsubscribe at any time via the link in any email we send you.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Caroline Burnes has written seventeen books in her FEAR FAMILIAR series. She has her own black cat, Familiar’s prototype, E.A. Poe, as well as Miss Vesta, Gumbo, Maggie and Chester. All are strays and all have brought love and joy into her life. An advocate for animal rights, Caroline urges all her readers to spay and neuter their pets. Unchecked reproduction causes pain and suffering for hundreds of thousands of innocent animals.

CAST OF CHARACTERS

Familiar—Putting aside his detective skills, Familiar signs on as a stunt double for a movie. On the set, though, he finds that mystery and intrigue aren’t far way.

Nicole Paul—For twenty years Nicole has believed her father was convicted of a crime he didn’t commit. When Nicole is also charged with stealing jewels, her job as a stuntwoman is threatened…and so is her heart.

Jax McClure—A stunt coordinator for the movie, Jax is drawn to the beautiful, reserved Nicole. And when she’s set up for a fall, Jax steps in to protect her. Together they work to untangle a web of secrets that leads back to the theft of the cursed diamond, The Dream of Isis.

Vincent Paul—Twenty years ago, renowned jeweler Vincent was about to make his mark. Instead, he wound up in prison as a jewel thief. Now that he’s out, it’s his daughter who is in trouble.

Carlos Sanchez—A powerful lawyer, Carlos defended Nicole’s father twenty years ago. Now, no matter where Nicole turns, Carlos pops up. Is it coincidence or something worse?

Monica Kane—Rich, beautiful and destined to be a success, Monica never achieved her goals of stardom. Once The Dream of Isis was stolen her career began to slide. Is it the curse at work?

John Hudson—A famed movie director, Hudson has a dark secret in his past. Does he possess a hidden motive for bringing Nicole and Monica together on the set of his new movie?

Allan Lancaster—He insured The Dream of Isis—and lost everything he valued when it was stolen. Is he out for revenge?

For Renee Paul, best friend and cat lover.

She has a tender heart for feline and human alike.

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter One

Being on a movie set is pretty cool. I mean there are babes everywhere. They bring in the food, they work on the cameras, they star in the film—and the biggest babe of them all isn’t even the star. She’s the stunt double. Miss Nicole Paul is one of the hottest bods I’ve seen in years—and she’s just the stuntwoman and body double for Angela Myers.

I’m sure Peter and Eleanor, my humanoids, would send me back to the hotel room if they knew I was developing a fantasy about Nicole. But she’s so dang gorgeous, with her long legs and silky blond hair. I mean she’s fine. And nice, too, unlike Angela. They look enough alike to be sisters, but appearances are as far as it goes. Angela’s a witch. She actually tried to swat me with a rolled-up script because I sniffed her grilled shrimp.

She was yelling at me, saying she was a b-i-g n-a-m-e and didn’t have to put up with cat hair in her food. If Peter and Eleanor weren’t consulting on the movie set about animal behavior, I would have been sent to the pound. As it is, I’ve got my own job on the movie. I’m a body double for Elvis, the kitty star. He’s a sleek black rascal with a far better attitude than his human costar. In fact, Elvis has a real sense of humor. I think we’re going to become fast friends while I’m on this gig in Tinsel town.

I hear the call for lights, camera, action. They’re getting ready to film another scene for this movie about a cat who steals jewelry to bring people who love each other together. It’s a charming plot. Reminds me of some things I’ve done in the past.

Wait, what is that? It’s the police. And they’re headed my way. No, they’re passing me by and going to the trailer where Nicole is getting ready.

They’re knocking on her door. She’s opening it. And they’re putting her in handcuffs. Let me just say that Nicole isn’t acting docile about this. She’s doing her best to get away from them, and she’s one fit woman. I wouldn’t want to take her on in a kickboxing match.

Everyone from the movie set is just standing around gawking. No one is doing a thing to help her. And we don’t even know why she’s being arrested.

This is an outrage. Why don’t they cuff Angela? Speaking of which, she’s standing in the doorway of her trailer and looking like the cat that swallowed the canary. Whatever is going on here, Angela definitely has a starring role in it.

I have two choices—to stay and perform my duties as a backup for Elvis, or to ride to the police station with Nicole. Since no one else is stepping up to help her, I guess that leaves me. My decision is made. I’m going to LAPD headquarters.

It’s just a matter of timing to make it in the door of the patrol car before they close it. Once I’m inside, I don’t think Nicole is going to give me away.

“YOU’RE ARRESTING the wrong person,” Nicole said through the screen of the patrol car. “I didn’t steal anything.”

“We have a warrant for your arrest,” the officer who was driving said wearily. “Nothing personal, lady, we’re just doing our job.”

“But I’m innocent,” Nicole insisted. “Of course that didn’t matter twenty years ago, either.”

The cop in the passenger seat turned around and stared at her. “Twenty years ago, that would make you, what, about twelve? What were you arrested for then, robbing an ice-cream truck?”

Both police officers chuckled and Nicole threw herself against the back seat of the car. This was totally absurd. And the worst part of it was that she hadn’t seen it coming. Last night when Angela Myers had staged such a drama about the theft of her precious earring, Nicole should have known that the finger of blame would swing in her direction. Angela had all but come out and said that Nicole was a thief, just like her father. She’d implied that thievery was a genetic trait. But Nicole had just shrugged it off. She didn’t think that anyone would believe she’d steal anything. Now she saw differently. That’s exactly what everyone thought, even the police.

She felt something against her leg and almost screamed. Before she could utter a sound, though, the sleek black cat put a paw on her knee and drilled her with a steady green gaze.

“Familiar?” she whispered. She knew it wasn’t Elvis. As much as she enjoyed the black cat starring in the movie, he didn’t have half the personality of the stunt cat that had been brought in with the movie consultants. Familiar was the easiest animal she’d ever worked with in setting up stunts.

“Meow,” he said softly.

“So you came with me.” She held her elbow steady as the cat rubbed against it. “I don’t know why you did, but I’m glad you’re here.” She lifted her cuffed hands and let him jump into her lap. “We have to figure out a way to make them believe I didn’t steal anything.”

She stared into the cat’s unblinking gaze and had the oddest sensation that he understood every word she said.

JAX MCCLURE WATCHED as the police officers came out of Nicole’s trailer. They went straight over to Angela’s, knocked, and when she opened the door, they held up a clear plastic bag with a glittering piece of jewelry.

“That’s mine,” Angela said. “I told you she stole it. She’s been staring at those earrings every time I put them on. I told Mr. Hudson not to hire her on this set, but he wouldn’t listen to me. Now, I guess he’ll have to find someone to replace her in the middle of the film.”

Jax ignored most of Angela’s rant. After five weeks of filming with her, he was more than ready to blow her up in some of the special effects he designed for the movie. She was one of the most difficult women he’d ever worked with—totally immune to his charm and totally wrapped up in herself. And Angela had had it in for Nicole ever since the stunt double walked onto the set of Midnight Magic.

Angela didn’t even like the cat costar, Elvis. And Elvis was an easy cat to like.

Jax waited until the dust cleared and Angela was back in her trailer before he walked over to the police detectives.

“I’m a friend of Ms. Paul’s,” he said, which was stretching the truth quite a bit. Nicole had not been unfriendly, but she’d simply been unavailable for any of the crew get-togethers that might have forged the bond of friendship. She was a real loner. “Is she going to be charged?”

“Theft of property,” the policeman said. “Ms. Myers didn’t want to press burglary charges. She just wants her property back.”

“Was there any sign of forced entry at Ms. Myer’s trailer?” Jax asked.

The policeman shook his head. “We didn’t look. No point if she won’t press charges. The theft charge will be enough to send her away for a while.”

Jax nodded. “Where is Ms. Paul being held?”

“County jail. She’ll be arraigned as soon as possible and then remanded somewhere else, unless she makes bail.”

“Thanks,” Jax said. He walked back to the trailer he shared with another stuntman, Jason Thompson. There was something about the situation that didn’t sit well with him. Nicole wasn’t overly friendly, but he’d never seen her looking at the jewelry some of the stars wore. In fact, Nicole seemed to care very little about the things that normally turned a woman’s head—jewelry, clothes, fancy cars, money. Now that he thought about it, she hadn’t shown interest in any of those things.

Something about the theft just didn’t jell.

He entered his trailer and took a bottle of cold water from the small refrigerator.

“Jason?” he called out.

“What?” His roommate came out of the back, his lean frame in cowboy boots, jeans and a button-down shirt. He was headed out on the town.

“What’s the story on Nicole Paul?” Jax asked.

“Not much story on her. She’s worked a few movie sets and done a fine job. She’s just breaking into the business. The story is her old man.”

“Her husband?”

“No, her father. He went up for some big jewelry heist back in the eighties. Seems like he was designing jewelry for all of the movie stars for the Academy Awards and some very important diamond disappeared.” Jason scratched his chin. “Yeah, it was some lavender diamond. They called it the Dream of Isis. It was supposed to be cursed or some such. Anyway, Nicole’s dad did some hard time over that jewel. I don’t think he’s been out of prison all that long. I hear he’s in poor health. Bad ticker.”

“Was the diamond ever found?” Jax asked.

“Nope. Not a hint of it. And Nicole’s old man— I think his name was Vincent—anyway, he never spoke of it again. At least that’s the gossip that blows over the set and you’d know it if you ever talked to any of the extras. It’s too bad for Nicole, though. Wherever she goes, someone resurrects that story about her dad.”

“What do you make of what happened today?

Jason shrugged. “Looks like the kid has a lot of her old man in her. Maybe she just got tired of being accused of things.”

“Or maybe someone went to a lot of trouble to make it look that way and set her up.” Jax drank the rest of his water as he watched his roommate step out into the gathering dusk.

NICOLE USED HER one phone call to let her father know she was okay.

“I’ll get you out as soon as possible,” Vincent promised her. “I’m sorry, Nicole. This is more about me than you.”

“What do you mean?” Nicole felt a sudden rush of dread. Her father had just been released from prison. His health was not good. Was something else going on?

“I mean that you’ve been tarred with the brush of thief because of me,” he said slowly. “You’re accused because of me.”

“That’s not true! This isn’t about anyone except Angela Myers. She planted that earring in my trailer. I just don’t know why. What does she gain by getting me off the set? They’ll have to slow filming until they find a new double.”

There was a long silence on the other end. “We need to talk as soon as you get out,” Vincent said. “I’ll see if I can get Carlos on the phone. You’re going to need a lawyer and he’s one of the best.”

“We can’t afford Carlos,” Nicole said tersely. The last thing she needed to do was put her father under financial pressure. “This is a mistake. They’ll straighten it out.”

She heard the silence on her father’s end. She was echoing the words he’d said twenty years before when he’d been charged—and wrongly convicted—of the theft of the Dream of Isis. Back then, they’d both been certain that the authorities would rectify their tragic mistake. But they hadn’t, and Vincent had gone to prison for a long, long time.

“We can’t count on that,” Vincent said in a voice low and worried. “Talk to Carlos. He’ll help you say the right things. And don’t talk to the police. That was one of the biggest mistakes I made. Every single thing I said was twisted and turned against me.”

“I remember,” Nicole said. She’d been twelve, and it had been impossible to forget. Her beloved father, her only parent after her mother’s death when she was nine, had been painted as a thief all over town. The only thing that had saved her was that she’d gone to live with an aunt in Nebraska. She’d been able to leave the crime behind, sort of. Her father had never had that luxury.

“Promise me, Nicole,” Vincent said.

“I promise.” She hung up the phone and let the guard take her back to the cell she shared with three other women.

As soon as the door shut, one of the women nodded toward the top bunk. “My name is Connie, and you’ve got a visitor.”

Nicole looked up to see the green eyes of the cat staring at her. “What are you doing here?” she asked the cat.

“We don’t know,” Connie said. “He slipped in here, checked things out and then hopped into that bunk. He’s been watching, like he was expecting you. What kind of cat is he?”

Nicole couldn’t help but smile. She was in jail and what she’d done wrong wasn’t the question anyone was interested in.

“If I remember correctly, he was a stray that a veterinarian and his wife saved from animal experimentation. Then it turned out he’s smarter than your average person. He’s solved mysteries all over the world, and right now he’s working as a stunt double for a cat on a movie set.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Connie said, reaching up to stroke the cat. “What’s he doing here?”

“He works with me,” Nicole said, and for some reason she couldn’t explain, just having Familiar around made her feel a whole lot better.

“The guards won’t let you keep him,” Connie said. She leaned closer to Nicole. “Neither will Lizzie.” She nodded in the direction of a tall, muscular girl. “She doesn’t like cats or dogs or people.”

“I won’t be here that long,” Nicole said. “I’m innocent.”

The laughter from Lizzie and the as-yet-unidentified woman was loud and raucous. “Yeah, we’re all innocent, sweetheart.”

Nicole didn’t argue. She knew better. She’d been stupid to shoot her mouth off, as if these women really cared whether she was a thief or not.

“What are you charged with?” she asked Connie.

“Grand theft auto.” She looked down at the floor. “The car was mine. My boyfriend gave it to me for my birthday.”

“She didn’t get the paperwork, just the key. The car was never registered in her name,” Lizzie said, laughing. “Sucker.”

“I’m sure you’ll be able to explain it.” Nicole had enough on her plate.

“Kevin says he’s going to let me rot in here because I wanted to break up with him. He has the car and I’m stuck here. He says he has the best of both worlds.”

Nicole didn’t know what to say. “Did you get a lawyer?”

“Public defender, but he seems okay.” She finally looked up, pushing her hair out of her eyes. “Awful young to be a lawyer.”

“How old are you?” Nicole found herself asking, though she didn’t really want to know. She didn’t want to be involved at even the most basic level.

“Eighteen.”

“What about your parents?” she asked.

“What about them?” Connie’s bravado faded as quickly as it had come. “They’re in Arkansas. I haven’t talked to them since I left three years ago.”

“And you came out to L.A. to be an actress, right?” Nicole asked, feeling as if she’d dropped into the middle of a really awful B movie. Women in Prison or something like that.

“I know it sounds stupid, but I really can act.”

“And pigs can fly,” Lizzie said, creating another round of laughter.

The guard came for Nicole. “You’ve been bonded out,” he said.

“Just a minute,” Nicole said. She gave one desperate look around the cell, then leaned over to Connie and whispered something.

WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT I’d end up in a cell with four prisoners. But it could be worse. Nicole is drop-dead gorgeous and I get the feeling that Connie wouldn’t look half-bad if she had a little meat on her bones and some decent clothes. Now, that Lizzie is another matter. She’d scare the paint off a fence.

Nicole is getting out of here and I’m curious to see who made her bond. There’s another little matter to consider. I’m AWOL from the movie set and by now my humanoids have missed me. Maybe I should get on the phone to Eleanor and Peter and let them know where I am.

While I’m here, it might be a good idea for me to take a look at the report filed by the detective investigating the case. And I wonder who that might be? I guess I came off a little half-cocked, but I wanted Nicole to know she wasn’t alone. I don’t know why, but I thought that was important.

Here we go. She’s scooping me into her arms. Looks like we’re out of here. But she’s giving Connie a phone number to call. She’s going to help Connie, too. Now, that’s the ticket.

I hear the chow cart. I’d say let’s stay for a meal, but somehow I know better than to get my hopes up. I am a cat with discriminating taste, and prison food just doesn’t have the appeal that a steak does.

I have to say the checkout process is fast here. But look who’s come to take Nicole home. It sure isn’t her daddy. My, oh, my, I think there’s going to be some serious trouble.

Chapter Two

Jax saw Nicole balk as soon as she saw him. He hooked his boot heel on the chair rail and cocked a hip, playing it cool. What in the hell was he doing here? He’d acted on impulse, thinking that he’d sashay up to the jailhouse and get Nicole out, and that she’d be grateful to him. Judging by the look on her face, she was anything but grateful. He made sure his body was relaxed, striking a pose as she started toward him again. He raised his eyebrows when he saw the black cat at her heels.

“What’s the cat charged with? Is he a cat burglar?” he asked the desk clerk, earning several laughs from officers in the area.

“Maybe we should book him for consorting with a prisoner,” the sergeant said. “I don’t know how he got in here, but it’s a good thing he’s headed out. We don’t have animals in the jail. At least not the four-legged kind.”

“Well, he has good taste,” Jax commented. He turned to Nicole. “I came to give you a ride back to the set. We’ve got the action shot scheduled tonight and we can’t do it without you.”

He saw a series of emotions shift across her expressive face. One was relief, the other disappointment.

“Did John Hudson put up my bail money?”

Jax hesitated. He was tempted to answer in the affirmative, even though it wasn’t true. “John doesn’t know you were arrested. He wasn’t on the set today.”

“You came on your own?” Her surprise was evident in her voice.

“I did. We need you on the set. As stunt coordinator, my butt’s on the line if we get behind schedule.”

Nicole didn’t say anything. She took her personal belongings from the envelope the desk sergeant handed her. “We’d better get this scene shot, then. Once John Hudson knows I’ve been arrested for stealing jewelry from the cast, he’s going to fire me.”

Jax couldn’t deny that. Hudson probably would fire her—if that was all there was to the story. But Jax had a hunch there was something else going on. “John Hudson’s a fair man. If there’s another side to the story, he’ll listen.”

“I was framed,” Nicole said simply.

“Who would frame you and why?” Jax asked. It was a logical question, but he saw instantly that it annoyed her.

“If I knew the answer to that, I’d know how to start clearing my name,” Nicole said, heading out the door.

“Do you have any idea?” Jax asked. Even though he took long strides, he had to hustle to catch up with her. Nicole was long limbed and moving fast. But he couldn’t help but appreciate the rear view as she stalked away.

“Well, logically, I’d start with Angela Myers. It was her earring that was stolen and found in my trailer. I know I didn’t take it, but someone did. And that someone put it right where the cops could find it. And I’d be willing to lay you some pretty good odds that Angela told the police to search my trailer. I just wonder how she knew the earring was there if she didn’t put it there herself.”

“Why would Angela want to frame you as a thief?” Jax asked. He knew the women didn’t care for each other. The truth was, Angela didn’t care for anyone except herself—and whoever was the focus of her narcissistic passion.

“Because she’s psychotic?” Nicole asked with a heaping measure of sarcasm. “Because she’s mean? Or maybe because she doesn’t want to finish this film? I hear she got an offer from Paramount for a starring role in a drama that she’s itching to do. There’s a little time problem. She can’t finish this film and be on that set, too. If this movie were to shut down, she’d be free to rush right over to Paramount and become the belle of the studio.”

Jax pushed open the outer door for Nicole. “You really think Angela would wreck the entire movie just to get out of her contract?”

Nicole stopped dead and turned. She didn’t say a word; she only raised her eyebrows.

“Well, she is pretty self-centered,” Jax admitted. He saw the first hint of a smile at the corners of Nicole’s mouth. Before he could be certain of it, though, she bent down and swept the black cat into her arms.

“This cat’s a detective,” she said. “I read all about him. He’s going to help me figure out what’s going on here.”

“I’ll help, too.” Jax almost wanted to duck when he spoke the words. Nicole’s face showed extreme surprise, and then wariness.

“Why would you help me?” she asked.

“I don’t know. Maybe because I’m a sucker for the underdog. It’s a fine Texas tradition. Started at the Alamo, you know. All Texans like long odds. Or maybe it’s because I don’t think you stole the earring.”

“And why do you think I’m innocent?”

That question alone told him volumes about the kind of life Nicole had led. Her father’s conviction and incarceration had become part of her personality. Whether folks in the past had judged Nicole guilty by association, or whether it was just her interpretation of events, he couldn’t tell. But he did know she didn’t expect support from anyone. She’d learned to live life by her own wits.

He took a deep breath. “You’re building a solid career as a stuntwoman. You’re good at your job. You do your work and you do it with pride. I just don’t see you ruining all of this over some bauble.”

Nicole’s jaw muscle worked as she listened to him. “I didn’t steal anything. I’m not a thief.”

“I believe you,” he said. “That’s why I’m offering to help you.”

“Meow!” The black cat put a paw on Nicole’s shoulder as if to say “Me, too.”

“I don’t know exactly what we’re going to do, though,” Nicole said and her shoulders slumped a little. “The police found the earring in my trailer. They’ll never believe someone else put it there.”

“I have a couple of ideas,” Jax said, pointing to a pickup truck that was parked up the street. “But first we’re going back to the set and you’re going to finish that stunt.”

“I can’t do that,” Nicole said, putting on the brakes. Jax felt the resistance of a boulder as he gently took her elbow to move her forward.

“You have to,” he said, inching her toward the truck.

“They all think I’m a thief,” she said. “I can’t go back there.”

“So prove them wrong. Don’t act guilty. We’ll finish the scene and then maybe we’ll have some time left over to ask a few questions. Maybe someone saw something.”

Nicole gave in and got in the passenger side of the truck, placing Familiar on her lap.

Jax was grinning as he walked around the truck. By the time he got in it, he’d managed to control his expression. He knew Nicole wouldn’t take lightly to the idea that he was amused by her. But for the past three weeks, since the movie had started shooting, he’d thought she was such a tough loner. Now he found out different. Her tough act was just a way to disguise her insecurities.

Oh, well, Hollywood was the town of facade. But no matter what image Nicole projected, he didn’t see her as a thief. About the only thing he’d suspect her of stealing was someone’s heart. Lucky for him he was immune in that department. He’d paid out his heart a long time ago when he’d gambled and lost. Still, it was the Texas thing to do—rescue a damsel in distress. Hell, it was just the way he was brought up.

When he felt the grin creeping back onto his face, he wiped it off. Nicole was watching him with open curiosity, as was the black cat. He’d never heard that Familiar was a detective, but after watching the feline on the set, he’d believe Familiar was capable of anything. Anything at all.

NICOLE BALANCED OUTSIDE the window of the three-story house, Familiar at her side. She didn’t look down. It was a long drop, and even though the air-filled bags were there to catch her if she fell, she didn’t like the sickening sensation of dropping that distance. Familiar, with his claws in the siding of the house, had no intention of falling.

“Just a few more steps,” she whispered encouragement to the cat.

The spotlight on the ground swept over her and she froze, hoping that she looked like a black shadow amongst the other shadows of the house. That was what the script called for, and she could only hope that the lighting was correct. She didn’t want to hang around thirty feet above the ground while John and the crew worked through technical difficulties.

The spotlight moved on, and she let out a breath. Apparently all the technical aspects were working fine. The first shots, where she’d scaled the exterior wall of the house, had gone off without a hitch. Now she was waiting for the director to signal her into the window. Of course, the exterior had been spiked with handholds and footholds for her safety. Familiar had been added to the scene later.

“Move to the window,” John Hudson called out to her.

Following his direction, she eased to the window and slowly raised it. Per the script, a gossamer curtain drifted out and surrounded her. In another moment she felt Jax’s strong arms lift her into the building and to safety. He also gave Familiar an assist into the house.

“That was terrific,” Jax told her. “John was able to get it clean with only one shot.”

“Thank goodness. I don’t want to have to do that again.”

“You’re not afraid of heights, are you?” Jax teased.

“I’m not afraid of them, but I’m not in love with them either.” Nicole found that she was smiling at him. The entire time she’d been getting ready for her action scene she’d been thinking of him. She could still recall his oh-so-relaxed pose in the jail. But he’d shown up to help her and he didn’t even know her.

“Jax, thanks for this afternoon. I’ll pay you back the bond money. It’ll take me a little while, but I’ll pay back every penny of it.”

Jax didn’t say anything. He just looked at her. “I’m not in a bind for cash right now. Don’t worry about it.”

“But I will return the money. I always pay my debts.”

“I’m sure you will.” He gathered up some rope and gear and walked to the window, signaling down to the director. “Okay?”

“Perfect!” John called up to him. “Absolutely perfect. Tell Nicole she gets the gold star for the day.”

“You can tell her yourself,” Jax said. He turned to Nicole. “This is a perfect opportunity for you to explain what happened today. John will listen and be fair.”

He was handing her a chance to save her job. Maybe. Or it could just be an opportunity to get thrown off the set in front of the entire film crew. At least Angela wasn’t around.

“Do you want me to talk to him?” Jax asked.

Once again she was amazed at his willingness to put himself on the line for her. “No,” she said carefully. “This is my problem. You’ve already gone out on a limb getting me out of jail. What if something else goes missing?”

“That’s a risk I’m willing to take.”

She felt a rush of tears and blinked them back. She hadn’t cried since she was twelve years old and had watched her father being escorted into jail. “I’ll talk to John. And I’ll do it right now.”

She lifted her shoulders and held her head high as she walked out of the set house and over to a battery of cameras. John Hudson sat among the expensive machinery, his speculative gaze focused on the house.

“Films today are all about action, Nicole. You know that, I know that, but why is it that I just long to tell a good story?” His grin was ironic as he patted the chair next to him. “The camera loves you, Nicole. Let an old man give you some advice. Start reading for the female leads. You’re good enough to get them. And a lot less trouble than our current female star.”

“John, I was arrested today for stealing Angela’s earring. The cops found it in my dressing trailer.”

John Hudson’s craggy and wrinkled face was part of Hollywood lore. He slowly turned to Nicole and looked at her. “I remember when your father was arrested for stealing the Dream of Isis. I never believed he did it. But he was convicted and sent to prison.”

He let his words hang between them.

“I didn’t take the earring. I had no reason to take it.”

“How did it get in your trailer?”

She shook her head. “I don’t know.”

“What do you suspect?”

She started to tell him that Angela was quite capable of framing her and why—her new movie offer. But she held her tongue. She had no evidence against Angela, and she knew what it felt like to be falsely accused.

“I really don’t know. All I do know is that I’m innocent. I didn’t take it.”

John nodded. “I have your word on it.”

“You do.” She almost added “For what it’s worth,” but she didn’t. John was doing his best to be square with her. He didn’t deserve her caustic remarks.

“Have you hired a lawyer?”

She shook her head. “My father recommended Carlos Sanchez.”

“He defended your father.” John nodded slowly. “Okay, then let’s get back to work. I want to finish this sequence, then you have a costume change. We’ll do the scene on the balcony with the evening gown.”

“Tonight?” Nicole wasn’t prepared for that scene. It wasn’t scheduled to be shot for at least another week, and it was one of the trickiest shots of the movie, at least for her.

“Yes, right away. I’ll tell everyone to begin to prepare. I want this scene in the can.”

He walked away to consult with a cameraman and Nicole was left sitting alone. She finished John’s thought. He wanted this scene in the can before she was carted off to jail.

JAX SIPPED the cold beer. Normally he wasn’t a beer-drinking man, but it was hard to fit in with the cast and crew without occasionally drinking a brew. Especially when a card game was as hot and heavy as this one.

He threw in another fifty-dollar chip and called the bet. His cards, tightly folded together, were held loosely in his hand. Unless the gods of luck were truly against him, he had the winning hand that would bring home a five-hundred-dollar pot. He’d always been lucky at cards, horses and escaping injury. Now, women were another story.

Two men dropped out, leaving Jax, the male lead Kyle Lancer, and O. J. Adams, the cinematographer.

“Well, well, looks like lucky Jax has done it to you boys again.”

They all looked up to see Angela standing at the door. She was wearing a red evening gown. “I thought I might find you boys here. I guess you forgot you were supposed to show up for the publicity shots, Kyle.”

“I didn’t forget. I decided not to do it. Besides, I wouldn’t want to come between you and your love affair with the camera.”

A couple of the guys started to laugh but stopped when Angela walked into the room. She moved like a panther. She was just as beautiful and just as deadly.

“You left me waiting there for you like a fool. I don’t appreciate it.”

“Sorry, Angela. I thought I was doing you a favor.”

“That’s the problem with you, Kyle. You aren’t equipped to think. That requires a working brain. You’re just one handsome hunk of muscle. So in the future, don’t think. Just show up and do what you’re told.” She whipped around and left the room, leaving a faint trail of perfume that smelled like gardenias.

O.J. took in a deep breath. “Wow, she smells like flowers, but sulfur would be more appropriate.”

The men laughed. Jax still held his cards, biding his time.

“Well, it’s show time, boys,” Kyle said, putting two pair on the table. “Who can beat it?”

O.J. threw his cards facedown. “Not me.”

Just as Kyle was reaching for the pot, Jax laid his cards down faceup. The three queens were offset by a pair of threes.

“Full house,” Jax said, pulling the money toward his place. “I was running a little low on cash. Thanks, boys.”

“Yeah, we heard you made bond on Nicole.”

Even though Jax was startled by O.J.’s comment, he didn’t show it. In many respects, Hollywood was a small town. Folks in the business heard lots of rumors, but most of them were untrue. This time someone had actually gotten the facts straight.

“I needed her to work this evening.”

“She’s good at her job,” O.J. said, grinning. “Is she good at anything else?”

“Now, that’s something I can’t answer.” Jax felt instant annoyance at the insinuation in O.J.’s comment. But he knew the cinematographer well enough to know he was only cutting up, as all the men did when they weren’t around the women. Still, he was amazed to find he was a little prickly where Nicole’s honor was at stake. “Where’d you hear it?”

O.J. looked at the pile of money in front of Jax. “I’ll play you for the details. That pot against what I know.” He grinned wickedly.

“I don’t want to know that bad. I’ll just wait for breakfast and it’ll be all over the set.”

“Rumors do fly,” another of the men commented.

“I’m out of here.” Kyle stood up, stretching. “Same time tomorrow night?”

“Don’t count on me,” Jax said, standing also.

“Hey, you can’t wipe us out and not give us a chance to win it back,” O.J. complained.

“I’ll be back,” Jax said, grinning. “Eventually.”

“Where’s the fire?” O.J. asked, eyebrows lifted. “Or should I say, where’s the hot stuff?”

“I only wish my life was as exciting as you seem to believe it is,” Jax said in his easy drawl. “I’ve got to set up a harness for that shot in the ravine.” He didn’t wait for them to tease him more, he simply left. Part of what he said was true, but there were other things on his agenda, too. Like keeping tabs on a tall, leggy blonde.

Chapter Three

Jax leaned against the side of Kyle Lancer’s trailer and waited. He’d been there twenty minutes and Angela was still inside. He could only wonder what she was up to. Sleeping with Kyle was a possibility, but it certainly didn’t seem to be her style.

Kyle was rich and handsome, but he was dumb as a post. Hollywood lore portrayed Angela as something of a black widow. She liked her men smarter—more fun to toy with before she ate them. Then again, he’d only heard rumors. He really knew nothing at all about Angela except that she was a total witch. She seemed to take pleasure in belittling people, and for the past five weeks, Nicole had been on the receiving end of her abuse. It had become a real point of curiosity to him why Angela hated Nicole so much. He suspected jealousy, but he had nothing to base that on except that he felt Nicole was a far better actress than Angela. And Nicole didn’t even consider herself to be an actress. She viewed herself only as a stuntwoman. Well, Nicole could give Angela a serious run for her money in a contest for movie roles.

The door cracked and he heard Angela’s voice.

“Don’t ever stand me up like that again, Kyle.”

If she’d gone to see Kyle for some romance, it had ended on a sour note. Jax pressed himself deeper into the shadows. The last thing he wanted was for Angela to see him. He wasn’t concerned about catching the rough side of her tongue, but he didn’t want her to know he was following her.

“Or what?” Kyle asked, his voice slightly slurred.

“Or you’ll pay a heavy price.”

Kyle laughed. “What are you gonna do, get me fired?” He laughed louder. “I’m carrying this movie. John won’t fire me, but he could damn sure send you down the road if I made a big enough stink about it. In fact, that pretty stuntwoman—”

“You shut your mouth,” Angela snapped. “You’re a fool, Kyle. Nicole Paul’s only talent is with sticky fingers. She’s an exceptional thief, just like her father. I don’t think that’s what John Hudson is looking for. And I wouldn’t count on John as an ally on this. We have a special relationship.”

“John Hudson’s far too smart to sleep with you, Angela. And from what I’ve seen on the set, that may be the only acting talent you have.”

“You’re disgusting,” Angela said with more scorn than she’d ever put into delivering lines.

“Just because you think you’ve landed a big fish from the studio doesn’t mean your career is going to take off. Take my advice, Angela. Gig that fish, get him in the boat and get a ring on your finger.”

“I don’t need a ring. I’m going to be a star.”

Kyle laughed. “You’re just another pretty face, darling. A pretty face and a bad disposition. Your days are numbered.”

“You’re a pathetic drunk.”

“I must have been drunk to sign on to this picture with you. I guess I thought you might still have a soft spot for me.” His laughter was ugly. “What do you think your powerful lover would think if he knew the truth about you?”

“You don’t have the guts to tell him.”

“Oh, don’t I?”

“No, you don’t. If you open your mouth, you’ll never work in this town again and you know it.”

“You’re just full of empty threats, Angela. Maybe I’ve had enough. Maybe I’m ready to call your bluff.”

“You’re going to be sorry!” Angela stormed out of the trailer, slamming the door shut so hard it bounced open again. In a moment she was down the stairs and striding across the parking lot in her spiked heels.

To Jax’s intense amusement, her heel collapsed and she almost fell down.

“Damn him to hell,” she raged. She slipped off the shoe and hobbled back to her trailer.

Jax followed at a discreet distance. He checked his watch. With a twisted ankle, he didn’t think Angela would be running out any more that night. He could finally go home and go to bed.

He lingered outside for another fifteen minutes, just to make sure that no one went to see Angela. He couldn’t have said why he’d chosen to shadow the star instead of Nicole. But after the arduous stunts he and Nicole had completed for shooting that night, he had no doubt that Nicole was in her trailer sound asleep. As he should be.

Sauntering across the parking lot, he took note that everyone had settled in for the night. A movie set was a lot like a neighborhood. There were good neighbors and bad. Some of the younger cast members had a tendency to stay up too late and be too noisy, but it was all part of moviemaking.

On his way to his trailer, he passed Nicole’s. He was surprised to see a light burning. When he’d gone by earlier, it had been dark. An unpleasant sensation curled through him. Had he been following the wrong blonde? No, he couldn’t believe that. And Nicole wasn’t stupid enough to advertise her movements by turning lights on and off. No, if she was up to anything, she’d be more discreet about it.

He was about to walk on when he saw her silhouette pass by the window. Her long hair was tumbled down her back and she stopped for a moment and drank a glass of something. Even in shadow form she was a beautiful woman. Beautiful and challenging. Just the way he liked them. She turned abruptly away and he was left with only an empty window.

NICOLE PUT DOWN the water glass she’d been drinking from and picked up the telephone receiver that had suddenly started to ring. No one ever called her. And certainly no one called her so late at night.

She answered and then felt her heart jolt. It was her father. She held the phone in her hand so tightly that her knuckles were white.

“Daddy, are you okay?”

“I’m not feeling well, Nicole. I hate to call you in the middle of the night, but I’m afraid I need you.”

“I’m on my way,” Nicole said, pulling on jeans and shoes as she talked.

“Drive safely,” Vincent Paul said in a weak voice. “I couldn’t take it if something happened to you.”

“I’m fine, Dad. I’ll be careful. Just try to relax. Shall I call an ambulance?”

“No, no ambulance. Not yet.”

“Can you tell me what happened?”

“I think I just got upset and my blood pressure got too high. I’m okay, Nicole, but it would be good to see you.”

She snatched up a blouse and searched through a pile of things for a bra. She was a terrible housekeeper. She could never seem to find time to put things where they belonged. It was a habit that would drive her father nuts. He was such a neat-nick.

“Dad, can you call your doctor?”

“I don’t think it’s necessary, Nicole. In fact, just talking to you has made me feel better. It really isn’t necessary that you come over here.”

“Too late to avoid me now,” she said, putting a light note on it. “I’m on my way. Besides, I want to talk to you about what happened today. I don’t want you to worry about it.” This was, she felt certain, at the root of her father’s heart flare-up. He’d been worried about her and it had affected his health.

“Okay, but just drive carefully.”

“I’m headed out the door, Daddy. I’ll be there in half an hour.”

JAX HAD WATCHED the production of her dressing, and he’d felt only a brief moment of guilt. He hadn’t meant to be a voyeur, but once he started watching, he couldn’t force himself to leave. He was still standing in the shadows when the trailer door opened and Nicole came flying out and jumped into her car.

She’d barely gotten the door closed before she was turning the key. The engine turned over but didn’t catch. She tried to start it again with the same result.

Jax hesitated. Wherever Nicole was going, she seemed in a major hurry. And she seemed upset. But he wasn’t certain she would appreciate his help. Then again, he’d never know unless he asked her.

He let her try the car several times before he walked over to the old coupe and tapped on the window.

Again he saw a wash of emotions on her face as she recognized him. At first there was what appeared to be happy surprise, then amazement and finally wariness.

“Sounds like your electrical system is out of whack. Maybe something as simple as a spark plug. Want me to check it?”

He saw the internal struggle. Nicole had a really hard time accepting help from anyone.

“My father’s ill,” she finally said. “I have to get there fast.”

He opened the door. “Forget this. I’ll drive you, or you can take my motorcycle. Come on.”

Nicole didn’t argue. She got out of the car and followed him.

“You could use the truck, but Jason borrowed it and I know he isn’t back yet. He never gets in until the wee hours.” He led the way through a maze of trailers until he stopped at a huge black motorcycle. From his jeans he pulled out the key and extended it to Nicole. “Helmet’s on the back.”

She shook her head. “I’ve never driven one of these.”

Jax nodded. He handed her the helmet that hung from the backrest and reached for another in a storage box beside the bike. “Come on, then. I’ll drive you wherever you need to go.”

He had already swung his leg over the bike and straddled it when he felt her hand on his arm. “Why are you doing this?” she asked.

“Doing what?”

“Being nice to me. Helping me. Why?”

Jax found that he really didn’t have an answer to her question. He hadn’t analyzed his reasons. At least not in any sensible way. All he knew was that Nicole had gotten more than one rough break in life. Maybe it was just a Texas thing to stand up for the underdog. It could even be that he enjoyed the courage and spirit she showed on the job. She tackled things that frightened her, and she did it without complaint. Or maybe it was simply because she was one of the most beautiful women he’d ever seen. Angela Myers and Nicole could have passed for sisters.

Angela was a beautiful woman, but she lacked something that Nicole possessed. He couldn’t pin it down—yet—but he knew one thing for certain. He wanted a chance to spend time with Nicole so that he could figure it out.

He felt Nicole swing a leg over the seat and press against him. He turned the ignition switch and felt the engine purr to life. As he pushed off, he felt Nicole’s arms go around his chest. Involuntarily she clung to him as the powerful bike surged forward.

Jax grinned to himself. Sometimes real life was even better than fantasy.

NICOLE CLOSED her eyes and pressed hard against Jax as he took one of the hairpin curves at sixty miles an hour. The bike leaned down, hugging the curve, and she did her best to shift her body weight with Jax.

Beneath the fear of the ride was a deep excitement. She’d never ridden a motorcycle like this one. In a few movie scenes she’d had to ride a smaller dirt bike for several hundred yards and then lay it down in a patch of sand. That experience hadn’t been nearly this exhilarating.

And part of the excitement was Jax. Where had he suddenly come from? And why was he being so kind to her? In her life there had been one or two men who’d made overtures of friendship and kindness, but in the end there was always a price tag attached. A big one. Nicole had made a vow a long time ago that she wasn’t about to pay that price for anyone’s help. She could do perfectly well on her own.

Jax took a left turn down a darkened canyon road, and Nicole had to admit that he knew his way around town. Vincent Paul lived in a small house tucked away on one of the cliffs overhanging the Malibu colony. When he’d first moved there, decades before, the property had been cheap. Now it was the only thing he owned that was worth anything. Several times Nicole had urged him to sell it and move closer into Los Angeles proper.

His reply had been that his canyon home was the one thing that kept him going in prison. All he could think about was getting out and returning to the place where he’d been happily married and the father of a young girl. Now he was determined to live out the rest of his life in that place.

Nicole had given up fighting the strength of his memories, but as she sped through the night on the back of Jax’s motorcycle, she wished she’d been more insistent. If Vincent was having a heart attack, the ambulance would never get there in time.

She leaned into another curve with Jax and felt the bike slow as they approached the narrow gravel driveway that wound up to the house.

Jax eased the bike up the gravel as Nicole held her breath and prayed they didn’t slide backward. But in a few seconds they were pulling up beside the house and parking.

As she got off, her legs visibly trembled. She felt Jax’s hand on her arm as he steadied her. “You’re a helluva passenger,” he said as he removed his helmet. “You balanced perfectly on the curves. You’re a natural on a bike.”

“Thanks,” she said. She watched as he rubbed one hand over his unruly blond hair. She handed him the helmet. “Let me see how bad my father is.”

She didn’t wait for an answer. She hurried into the house, using her key. “Daddy?” she called, walking through the kitchen and then the den. “Daddy?” It was a small two-bedroom house. Her former room had been on this floor and her parents had shared the bedroom beneath. It had been built so that it hung off the face of the cliff.

“Daddy?” She ran through the house, taking the stairs so fast she almost tripped.

“I’m in here.”

She hurried into the bedroom to find her father stretched out on the bed. He wore jeans and a turtleneck and looked every inch the European artist that he was, even though his face was pale.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, rushing forward to put a hand on his forehead and then to grab his wrist to check his pulse.

“I just had a little scare,” he said.

“What kind of scare?”

“I was afraid I was having a heart attack, but I feel a little better now. I’m sorry that I frightened you, Nicole. You must have flown here.”

“Almost,” she admitted with a slow grin. Her father’s pulse was elevated, but with each passing second she could see that he was recovering. “What got you upset, Dad?”

Vincent shook his head. “I can’t really say. You know how these medical things are. No rhyme or reason to them.”

Nicole noticed that her father wasn’t looking at her when he talked. Even after twenty years in prison, Vincent shared an extraordinary ability to communicate with his daughter. They’d always been able to simply sit across from each other and tell the truth about whatever was happening in their lives. She remembered clearly when Vincent had called her into the kitchen to tell her that he’d been accused of stealing the Dream of Isis. He’d told her flat out, and then he’d also told her that he didn’t do it, but that he was going to be tried as a thief. He’d never sugar-coated a single bit of it, and she’d never doubted that he was innocent.

“Dad, you aren’t telling me the truth,” she said softly. “What really happened?”

Vincent looked up at her. “Nicole, I spoke to Carlos Sanchez for you. He’s willing to take the case.”

“Daddy! We can’t afford Carlos. He’s one of the biggest names in Los Angeles. I’ll get a public defender. I’m not guilty and we don’t have the money to spend on someone like Carlos.” She didn’t bother to point out that paying Carlos Sanchez for defending her father had wiped out every bit of their savings. They’d sold cars, jewelry, tools, furnishings—everything except the house.

And Carlos had lost the case.

“I’ve already talked to him. He’s going to handle everything. He’s always felt guilty about not winning my case, though we all know that I convicted myself by talking to the police so freely,” Vincent said. “You need a big name, Nicole. Carlos Sanchez has become a man of great power. I want you to let him help you.” He sat up on the bed. “Why don’t we have a glass of wine and you can tell me everything that happened?”

“Dad, someone brought me here. My car wouldn’t start. He’s waiting out in the yard. Let me go and tell him that it’s okay to leave me here.”

“Who is this?” Vincent asked. “A boyfriend?”

Nicole shook her head, knowing that her father wanted nothing more than for her to find true love and happiness. “No, he isn’t a boyfriend. He’s a…co-worker. Actually, when you get right down to it, he’s my boss.”

She followed behind her father. As he slowly climbed the stairs, she was reminded again that she should continue to press Vincent to sell the house. He’d be safer in a one-level closer to the medical center.

Before she could stop him, Vincent went to the door and called out into the night. “Young man! Come inside for a glass of wine. My daughter, as usual, has made my ailments more serious than they are.”

“Father!” Nicole was outraged. “You called me and scared me half to death and now I’m the one who’s exaggerating things?”

Vincent grinned at her, signaling Jax into the house. “Leave an old man his pride,” he said loudly enough for Jax to hear. “I scared myself and then I scared you. I’m sorry. I’m feeling much better now. You’re like medicine, Nicole. I look at you and I see your mother and I remember my youth when I was strong and virile and had the whole future ahead of me.” As he talked he opened wine and poured three glasses.

“Let’s sit in the den. I want to know about your movie and the work, and then I want you to tell me all about this earring they say you stole.”

Nicole handed Jax a glass of wine but couldn’t meet his gaze. She wasn’t used to talking about her personal business in front of anyone. Vincent didn’t have that problem. He had always been open about his business, his ideas, his plans for the future. And now he was just as open about hers.

She watched as Jax took a seat directly across from her father. She took a chair between them at the small table.

“So, you’re Nicole’s boss? Tell me a little about yourself,” Vincent said to Jax.

Nicole felt a warm flush begin to creep up her neck. She’d never had the experience of having her father grill one of her prospective dates. Vincent had been in prison throughout her entire teenage years. Now he was acting like Jax was her high school prom date.

Jax flashed Nicole a grin. “I’m from Texas,” he said in his slow drawl, “and I coordinate the stunts on Midnight Magic.”

“My daughter is beautiful, is she not?”

“Daddy!”

Jax only laughed. He seemed to be enjoying her father’s company, though Nicole felt extremely uncomfortable.

“I have to admit, sir, that Nicole may be the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.” Jax carefully avoided making eye contact with her.

“I can’t believe this,” she said. “I rush over here because I think my father’s sick, and now the two of you gang up on me and try to embarrass me to death.” She was outdone with both the men. And they were just sitting there, smiling at each other.

“I’m an old man,” Vincent started out.

“Daddy, don’t you dare start that old-man stuff. Whenever you do that, you’re going to say something outrageous and then think you can get away with it because you pretend to be old. You’re only sixty-two. That’s not even old.”

“I’m an old man,” Vincent said again, ignoring everything Nicole had just said. “And my daughter’s happiness is the most important thing to me.”

“Daddy!”

“So I want to know what your relationship is to my daughter?”

“Good lord,” Nicole said, putting her head down on her arms. “I think I just might die of shame.”

“At the moment,” Jax said, ignoring Nicole and staring Vincent right in the eyes, “I’m not sure what kind of relationship Nicole would be interested in.”

“That’s a dodge, young man,” Vincent said with a sparkle in his eyes. “A clever one, but a dodge nonetheless.”

“Daddy!” Nicole wanted to sink through the floor.

“Your daughter is one of the loveliest women I’ve ever met,” Jax said, and this time his gaze lingered on Nicole. She felt as if her lungs had shrunk. “But I think she isn’t a woman who would appreciate being pushed. So I’m going to have to decline to answer your question, Mr. Paul, because I think the only person who should answer it for you is Nicole. But I can tell you that I’d be very, very interested in hearing her answer.”

Nicole found it nearly impossible to look away from Jax’s intense gaze, but she dropped her gaze to the floor and took a deep breath. “Then both of you will just have to wait. I’m not prepared to give an answer. And that’s the end of the discussion.”

Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.