“Charming though that would be, I merely wish to talk to you.”
“I will never betray my husband,” she said in a low growl, the calm no longer evident in her tone.
“Very commendable I’m sure, but I have not asked you to. If indeed it is true that you are a widow.”
“How dare you suggest I would lie about my love for Elian!”
Zach studied the now outraged woman. What was it about her that piqued his interest?
“I can’t work out if you are lying, as I cannot see your face.”
“I would never lie about the death of my beloved husband!”
“Yes, yes, I’m sure he was a saint. Why are you in here, Madame Lucienne?” He went for honesty. “You’re either a lady of the night, or you’re searching for something. I very much doubt the first, as you clearly have a lot of money, according to Mr. Thompkins who said you gambled a great deal away. Which leaves me with the second option.”
“Clearly, you are here soliciting pleasure.” She spat out the last word. “So, get about your… your business.” She flicked her gloved fingers at him.
Zach did not like to be dismissed.
“If you do not work here, then why are you in this room going through that desk?”
He watched her lovely chest rise and fall as she drew in a large breath. The rattle of the door handle had Madame Lucienne making a small sound in her throat. Zach took action and moved toward her.
“Back away,” she whispered.
He didn’t. Taking a quick look around the room, he located a screen. Grabbing her wrist, Zach dragged her with him behind it. He maneuvered her back to his front. Wrapping his arms around her, he held her.
“Be still, if you do not wish to be detected.”
Her struggles stopped.
Zach hoped that whoever had entered the room did not wish the privacy of the screen, or they were lost. His thumb ran across her knuckles, calming her, and he felt a small ridge on the gloveless skin.Was it a scar perhaps?
“Get on the bed.” This was followed by the slap of a hand hitting flesh. Madame Lucienne jumped.
“The light, my lady,” a man’s voice said.
“It makes things harder when I cannot see a hand in front of my face, my lord.”
“And yet, I have no wish for someone to enter mistakenly and see us. As I have said many times before, I will allow moonlight only.”
A tsking sound was followed seconds later by the lamp being extinguished, plunging them into darkness. Zach’s eyes took a moment to adjust. The curtains were parted slightly, which slanted in a weak shaft of moonlight.
“Don’t move,” Zach whispered into Madame Lucienne’s ear. Drawing in a breath, he smelled her scent. Rich and elusive, it went to his head. Holding her before him, he could feel the swell of her lovely round bottom, and his body stirred.
Zach attempted to concentrate and did a quick run-through of the Greek gods he knew, and when that didn’t work, he remembered the hideous dress the Duchess of Yardley wore the other night. Anything to fight the desire taking over his body.
The top of her head came to his nose, and every inch down to her toes intrigued him far more than it should. Was her real name Madame Lucienne? Was she one of the women who had stolen secrets and was blackmailing his king? Right then, none of those things mattered, all he could think about was how she made him feel.
“Have you been a very bad boy, my lord?”
Zach bit back a snort. He would pay a lot of money to find out which lord in particular was lying on that bed.
“Very bad,” a voice panted. “You must discipline me, Lady Louise.”
So, the owner of the brothel also partook in the pleasures, Zach thought. Was this her room? Which gave him further proof that Madame Lucienne was searching for information.
The sound of a slap made her twitch in his arms. Her body brushed his. The feel of her round bottom brushing his groin had him wanting to groan.
