Mine Until Dawn (24 page)

“Vince Knight?” the waitress asked in a soft voice.

Vince stole a glance at Jade, to make sure she was still there then shifted his attention to the waitress. A little on the skinny side, the woman was tall, almost his height. She also wore too much make-up and appeared amused about something.

“Yes.” Vince cocked his eyebrows.

“I have a message for you.”

Vince shot Jade another worried glance. The man was now whispering something in her ear, but he still held her hand. Vince’s hand fisted, anger shooting through him. He leveled the waitress an annoyed glance. “What?”

“I have a message from Renard.”

Renard? Who the hell was Renard? Then it dawned on him. Renard was Bouchard’s first name. “Where’s he?”

“He wants to meet.”

“Where?” Vince cut in, his patience wearing thin.

“Upstairs. Suite Six. The door will be unlocked.”

“Okay. Excuse me.” He started toward Jade just as the man who’d been drooling over her hand stepped back and looked up. Long black hair in a pony tail. Gray eyes, cold and challenging. Recognition was instant. On its heel came rage. Bouchard.

CHAPTER 17

“Tell me you’ll think about my proposal,
ma cherie,
” Bouchard said urgently, his grip tightening.

Jade stilled the urge to snatch her hand away. He was hurting her.

“Of course, I will.” Oh, the things she endured for Vince. The hunk had better show her some appreciation tonight.

“We’ll discuss it over dinner,
oui
?”

The thought of swallowing food while seated across a table from Bouchard was enough to make her gag. But if it meant learning more about the man, hey, how could she say no. She worked hard to produce a genial smile. “That would be wonderful, Renard.”

“It’s been a pleasure.” He let her hand go, nodded and melted into the crowd.

Jade released the breath she hadn’t known she was holding and wiggled her fingers. Eew, she could still feel the imprint of his lips on her skin. She rubbed the back of her hand against her dress, faster and faster.

“Interesting response to such a charming gesture.”

Jade whirled around, the cranberry mocktail in her crystal glass almost spilling.

“Vince.” Was he the reason Renard had scurried away? “You just missed Bouchard.”

“I know where to find him.” His gaze shifted from the man’s retreating back to land accusingly on Jade, his eyes cold enough to freeze boiling water. “What was that about?”

Jade beckoned a waiter while she thought of the best way to explain her plans. Once she returned her untouched drink, she flashed Vince a smile. “What was what, honey?”

His eyes narrowed, not buying her innocent act. “You and Bouchard. Is
he
the man your aunt dragged you to meet?”

“Would you believe it? Someone ought to out him for the murdering thief that he is.” She ignored his scowl and wrapped her arm around his. Keeping her gaze forward, she kept her tone of voice light despite the tension oozing from Vince. “But I learned a thing or two about him that might be useful to you…us, and that’s what counts, right?”

“Do you make a habit of allowing creeps to drool all over you in public?”

Jade let out a sigh. Didn’t the ornery man know he had absolutely nothing to worry about when it came to her?
 
Not that it didn’t please her to see his jealousy-lover reaction.

“No, I don’t, so wipe that fierce expression off your face. You aren’t scaring anyone. Come on.” She tugged on his arm. “I need to tell you what I’ve planned.”

“No.” He didn’t budge.

“What do you mean ‘no’? I haven’t even explained what….” Her voice trailed off when she realized they were attracting attention. She went on her toes to whisper in Vince’s ear, “Lets’ go to the porch and discuss this.”

“There’s nothing to discuss, Jade.” His voice was firm, the muscle on his cheek ticking. “Not when it involves you and that bastard.”

His high-handedness could be so annoying. “Yes, it involves
him,
and we’re going to talk about it. Or else I’ll cause a scene the entire club will be talking about for years to come.”

He cocked an eyebrow at her. “Why didn’t you slap Bouchard when he was slobbering over your hand?”

“Because, uh…because it’s just not done. There’re social etiquettes my family expects us to stick by, Vince. One of which is suffering discomfort in public with dignity.” A knowing smirk settled on his face, and realization hit her. Oh, so he thought she was incapable of causing a scene, did he? She could scream, hurl insults, and act bitchy with the best of them…in her head. How could he read her so well? She plastered a baleful glare on her face. “That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t cause a scene.”

“Yeah, sure.”

Jade fumed as he led her toward the banquet hall. Was she such a pushover? The past year flashed through her mind. No, she’d come along away from her patsy days. She hadn’t suffered through Bouchard’s hand-kissing because she couldn’t get rid of the creep, thank you very much. The sacrifice had been for Vince, the crabby, arrogant man who now refused to listen to her. Oh, that rankled.

When they passed the doors leading to the banquet hall, Jade let go of Vince’s arm, pulled it open, and entered the room.

“Jade?”

She turned her head to glance at him. “We need to talk, Vince. You have a choice of either doing it in there,” she nodded at the crowded lounge, “or out on the porch.” Her voice was calm and firm, belying her irritation.

Not waiting to see if he followed, Jade gave the room a sweeping glance to make sure her brother Chase wasn’t around, then ignored the buzzing waiter and waitresses, and hurried along the wool patterned carpet. She skirted around rows of beautifully decorated wooden tables set for four. Leather banquettes, separated by custom height console tables, facing four leather chairs. If she weren’t too ticked off, she would have admired the dinner setting. Her brother had outdone himself.

A sigh of relief escaped her as she reached the other end of the room without anyone, including Chase’s regular employee who knew her, detaining her.

Jade pushed aside wool plaid draperies to reveal another French door. From the glass inserts, she could see Vince’s reflection as he drew closer, his dark gaze locked on her. He appeared angrier than before, and apprehension slithered up her spine. Confrontations were not her cup of tea. If it weren’t for her mother, she would forget about the whole thing.

If Bouchard didn’t spook her so much, she would carry out her plans and then tell Vince after the fact. But she needed him close by when she met with Bouchard.

Jade reached out to open the door.

“I’ll do it,” Vince said from behind her.

She threw him a searching glance as he opened it and stepped aside for her to walk out first, his expression back to the unreadable mask she hated. Muttering a soft thank you, Jade preceded him onto the porch.

The light filtering through the partially opened draperies illuminated the row of green ladder-back wooden chairs and rockers. She went around then and headed straight for the black metal rail hugging the porch. Leaning against it, her hand gripped the cold metal for support.

Overlooking the eighteenth hole, the balcony offered a spectacular view of the golf course during the day. Now all Jade saw were shadows of trees, sandpits, and sloping fields. From behind her, Vince closed the gap between and appeared in the periphery of her vision. Unlike her, he leaned back against the rail and crossed his arms. She could feel his unflinching gaze on her.

Jade took a deep breath and turned to study his unsmiling face. “I have a plan, Vince.”

“If it involves you fraternizing with Bouchard, it’s a no-go.”

She hated it when he adopted his my-way-or-the-highway attitude. “Aren’t you remotely interested in who he is? What his motives are?”

“No.” He dropped his hands to grip the rail. “I only care about one thing, Jade, and that is getting my hands on that statue before he does.”

“What if he beats you to it?”

He snickered. “Won’t happen.”

“What if he decides to come after it once you get it? What if he’s so hell-bent on revenge and targets you…us, or my mother?” Vince went quiet, furrows appearing between his eyebrows. Jade took advantage of his silence. “He’s cold and calculating, Vince. He tried to be charming and witty when we spoke, but his eyes gave him away. We’ve seen what he’s capable of. He didn’t have to kill Cohen, but he did it anyway.”

The silence that followed was heavy, and she heard wheels churning in Vince’s head as he digested her words.

“What did you have in mind?” From his tone, she knew he hated asking her even that one question.

“He wants me to study his family’s collection of antiques, most of which have never been catalogued. A few are in his house in D.C. and the rest are in his family chateau in Saint-Noel.” Vince was already shaking his head. “I’m not saying I should—”

“No.” He pushed against the rail and stepped away from her, then turned sharply to face her. “The man is unpredictable and ruthless. The situation is volatile enough without throwing you in the midst of it.”

“You didn’t let me finish,” she interjected, pissed by his hardnosed stance. She had no intention of visiting Bouchard’s home.

“Jade, the plan is ludicrous. Unacceptable.”

“How would you know since you haven’t heard the rest of it?” she asked, her voice calm despite his attitude.

“I don’t need to. The very idea of you anywhere near that man turns my stomach. Why it seems perfectly normal to you is beyond me unless—”

“I don’t think it’s normal, okay?” she interrupted him, moving closer to him. “You know what? You’re so narrow-minded I don’t know why I bothered to explain anything to you. Everything always has to be your way.” She threw her hands in surrender and moved back to the rail. “Forget it.”

“Unless,” he continued as though she hadn’t spoken, “Unless this is an opportunity you can’t afford to miss.”

She shook her head, too deflated to ask what he was talking about. A headache was brewing behind her eyes. Was it really a foolish idea to string Bouchard along while she got inside info on the man? It had seemed perfect as she’d listened him gush about his collection.

Vince moved closer, gripped her arms, and turned her around. With his face in the shadows now, she couldn’t read his expression very well.

“This could be the perfect opportunity to study the artifacts, isn’t it? I’m sure they were probably stolen years ago and had never been seen by anyone except Bouchard and his family.”

Jade’s eyes widened as the implication sunk in.

“How many articles do you suppose you could wring out of such a study, Professor? A book perhaps?”

Jade blinked at Vince, anger swelling inside her, quickly replacing disbelief. “You know what? You’re a real jerk. I was doing this for you, not for me or my career.” She shrugged his hands off her shoulders, the urge to wipe the accusatory look off his face strong. Instead, she gripped the wrap and crossed her arms across her chest. “The idea never crossed my mind. Not once.”

He looked at his hands as though not sure what to do with them, then shoved them in the front pockets of his pants. “You asked to study my statue once I find it.”

“Your point is?”
 

“Bouchard is giving you a chance to study an entire collection of them. Tens, maybe hundreds of figurines.”

And that made it okay to assume she was selfish and self-centered? Jade opened her mouth to tell him what she’d planned—which was to have a few dinners with Bouchard here in Los Angeles and pick his brain—but she didn’t think she could string a sentence. It hurt too much to defend herself.

How could she have believed his I-trust-you crap? You can’t trust someone, then turn around and accuse them of having a personal agenda. To imagine she’d put up with Bouchard’s revolting caresses and hand-kissing for him. There ought to be a run-in-the-opposite-direction signal from her brain to her feet whenever a jerk crossed her path.

Not wanting to give Vince the satisfaction of seeing he’d hurt her, Jade jerked her head toward the doors and spoke, hoping her voice wouldn’t betray her.

“Go find Bouchard and compare notes on who’s the bigger shmuck.” She moved away from him, her grip on the wrap tightening. He followed. “Go on. Bouchard won’t wait forever.”

“Jade.” He reached out a hand to touch her, his voice uncertain.

“Don’t.” Jade lifted her chin higher. “You told me exactly what you think of me, so now leave.”

“I didn’t mean….” He rubbed his nape and cursed under his breath. “I need to explain.”

She wasn’t interested. “I’ll be here.”

“Will you? Promise me you won’t leave.” He peered at her, urgency in his voice.

She wanted to tell him he’d lost the right to demand anything from her, but pain and anger blocked her throat. She had to clear it to say, “Sure, Vince.”

For a brief moment, he didn’t move, his hand clenching and unclenching with obvious frustration. Jade didn’t feel an ounce of pity for him. When he finally nodded and pivoted on his heels, she turned and gripped the rail. It was too painful to watch him walk away knowing she’d never see him again.

“I’m sorry,” he said from behind her.

So was she. He had no idea just how much. The sound of the sliding door open and close sounded unusually loud, making her wince. A giant fist wrapped around her heart, squeezing it tight. Jade pressed her hand against her stomach, as though she could stop the pain.

Falling for jerks must be more than a flaw in her character. It was a curse. With her husband, she’d been blindsided. Vince had never pretended anything but a wounded soul, yet she’d still fallen in love with him.

***

Vince didn’t understand what was happening to him. Insecurity. Jealous tantrums. Classic idiotic behaviors he’d always despised in other men. Yet, he’d let the picture of Jade and Bouchard push him there, make him paranoid. Paranoia, another big winner in the unacceptable behavior category. No wonder he’d hightailed out of the porch. He hadn’t like what he had become.

No, he needed to quit lying to himself. Removing himself from uncomfortable situation was his normal modus operandi. No remorse. No regrets. Yet the need to apologize and explain had sneaked in on him with Jade. Explaining his actions or talking about his feelings weren’t exactly his strong points.