Page 6 of 1001 Dark Nights: Bundle Forty-Two

“And my life?” I ask. “Are you willing to bet my life?”

Simon has been looking at Ryan, but now he turns back to me.Whatever friction was between us in the kitchen, it’s gone now. The man is pureprofessional. “I am. But only because it’s a bet I don’t expect to lose. Ialready told you about the timing, but that doesn’t mean we won’t have precautions. Like not walking into your kitchen whenthe security system is down.”

I cross my arms and glare, but I get the point.

“And as for the con, there will be metal detectors at thedoor and a full team of undercover and uniformed security. I checked.”

“Really?” Despite myself, I’m impressed. I didn’t realize heknew about the con, much less that he’d researched it.

“So I guess the question is for you,” Simon says. “Are youwilling to bet your life on my judgment?”

I draw in a breath, letting hiswords roll over me. I could issue an apology. I could disappoint all thosefans. But the thing is, I think this Simon must be right. No one’s going tocome after me this soon. Because I really don’t know whatthe threat refers to. You tell, or you die. But tellwhat? And who’s going to do the killing?

I only hope I can figure that out soon enough.

“Well?” Aaron says, his voice likea gunshot in the silent room.

“Yeah,” I say, looking only at Simon, and hoping like hellhe can really help me. “Yeah, I’ll take that bet.”

Chapter Two

He didn’t want to like her.

He really, really, really didn’twant to like her.

She was a self-involved, conceited, money-hungry star wholived in a fantasy world and didn’t know a damn thingabout real people or real problems. Just like every other actor in thisfucked-up town.

He knew it. Was certain of it. He was familiar with thetype, after all. Hadn’t they destroyed his childhood? Ripped away his fiancée?

Oh, yeah. He knew better than to like or trust this breed,and Francesca Muratti was no exception. She was justone more spoiled actress who’d caught the eye of a nut job with a grudgeagainst spoiled actresses.

And yet…

He bit back a grimace, hating that he had to acknowledgethose two little words. And yet…

And yet this spoiled, insufferable star was willing to puther life on the line to keep her fans happy.

This self-involved woman who made a living play-acting actually understood that the only reason she could enjoy theprivilege of the life she had built was because she’d been lifted onto herpedestal by those fans. More than that, she not only understood it, but she waswilling to risk literally everything to offer her thanks to those fans the onlyway she knew how—by being there for them.

He didn’t have to like her. Hell, he didn’tlike her.

But he damn well respected her.

“All right,” he said, hopping down from the buffet andmoving to stand opposite her across the table. “We’ve settled that you’re goingto the con.” He glanced around the room, making sure no one intended to keep upthe argument. When all remained silent, he nodded. “Good. That means we’re tothe final point on today’s agenda.” He met Francesca’s eyes. “Who sent thenote? And what does he want you to reveal?”

He kept his attention locked on her, so there was no missingeither the way her eyes widened just a hair or the slash of fury that cutacross her undeniably beautiful face.

“Do I need to write you a song?” she snapped. “Do a tapdance? Or maybe you want me to tattoo the answer on my forehead. Some asshat wants me to say some magic words or else he’s goingto kill me, and I. Do. Not. Know. What. They. Are.”

A tear snaked down her cheek, and she swiped it away, thegesture both angry and impatient.

“I can’t tell what I don’t know.” She spoke directly to him,and he took the challenge, moving closer until he was breathing her air andcould smell the lilac in her perfume.

“That’s kind of my point, sweetheart,” he said, studying herexpression. Every tiny tick, every movement of her eyes. “I think you do.”

“Excuse me?” She glared at him. The kind of look designed tomelt a lesser man.

Too bad for her, he wasn’t a lesser man. “You heard me,” herepeated.