She stepped back, the twisted expression on her face telling him how much she hated him.It wasn’t anything he didn’t already know.
He turned back to Lucheux.“Whatever game you’re playing, I want it stopped.”
Lucheux leaned back, his expression shrewd, appraising.“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Christien pushed away from the desk.“I’m talking about Madelaine Alexander.I know your intentions.”He looked at Giselle, her face curiously expressionless.“And they won’t work.However, since you sent Ms.Alexander to me and she is an innocent in this, she is now under my protection.”
“I assure you, Chevalier, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Christien eyed his nemesis, searching for deceit in him.While it was coming off Giselle in waves, he was unable get a good read on Lucheux.“She was hit by a car yesterday.”
Lucheux jerked.His eyes narrowed, then jumped to Giselle who glared back, her lips pressed tightly together.
“Is she hurt?”
“Yes,” he bit out, his dormant anger resurfacing.
Lucheux schooled his features so no emotion showed.Even his eyes were curiously flat.Frustration welled in Christien.The man was impossible to read, always had been.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Lucheux said.“Please be assured we had nothing to do with it.And please tell her to take as much time as needed to recover.”
He had to consciously restrain himself from grabbing Lucheux’s throat and informing him Madelaine would not be returning to workever,but he knew that could possibly drive her away from him so he held his tongue.
“You are being warned,” he said between clenched teeth.“If Madelaine is harmed again, I will come after you.”
Giselle sneered.“You can’t kill us.”
He took a step toward her, satisfied when she stumbled back.“There are things worse than dying.”
Lucheux was rich and powerful, but Christien was much richer and much more powerful in ways a mere mortal would never understand.Not that Lucheux or Giselle were mortals.
Lucheux’s way of life, his businesses, his livelihood, could be wiped out at a word from Christien.His entire world would collapse faster than even he could fathom.There hadn’t been a need to ruin Lucheux in the past, for his search for the treasure had been benign and, Christien admitted, entertaining.Now there was a reason.Little did he know but Lucheux was too close this time.
The blood drained from Giselle’s face, leaving her even paler than normal.Christien had touched on her one weakness.Giselle was power hungry and loved the money associated with it.To take it away would be worse than any sort of death he could conjure.
The tables had certainly turned in the last seven centuries.
He headed for the door but before he left he turned back.“Do not think I jest.I will destroy you if she so much as stubs her toe.”
As soon as the door shut behind Chevalier, Lucheux swung on Giselle, his fury nearly beyond control.“What have you done?”
“Merely what we planned.”
He had to stop himself from vaulting over the desk and strangling the calm look off her face.“We never planned tohurther.”
Giselle’s eyes narrowed.“We planned to do what it took to bring the two together.To distract Chevalier.Or did you forget?”
“I forgot nothing.Youhave forgotten what a formidable foe Chevalier is.Hurting Madelaine will incite his fury and that’s the last thing we need.”
Giselle hesitated.
“Damn you,” he said softly.“Think, woman, before you act.”
Her lips thinned and her eyes flashed.“What was I supposed to do?You certainly weren’t acting.”
“I was being patient.A trait you apparently lack.”
She took a step forward, her face so twisted with anger he barely recognized her.“I don’t believe you.I think you have feelings for this woman.”
