Read an Excerpt
Chapter 1
Sebastian lounged wearily in the chair opposite Sir Colin Atwater’s desk and watched his contact in the Office of Intelligence shuffle papers.
“We have a new mission for you,” Atwater said.
“I recently came off a mission.”
“We are aware, but this is urgent.”
“They’re all urgent.”
“This one is even more urgent.” Atwater tapped the papers together, avoiding eye contact.
“How so?” Sebastian asked.
“You’ll, uh, be working with someone.”
“I don’t work with other people.”
“We must insist that this time you do.”
“I work alone. I always have. It’s best that way.” Frustrated that he’d been called in for this, Sebastian stood and turned toward the door with every intention of leaving the silly conversation.
“We are aware that you prefer to work alone—”
Sebastian sighed in exasperation and turned back. “There is no preference to it. A preference implies that you have a choice in what I do. You don’t.”
“Yes. Well. In this instance the king requires it. This particular mission needs two operatives. It’s highly—”
“Then find someone else. I’m off to my country estate to see to neglected business.” Such as looking over ledgers, meeting with his steward, and reading a good book in front of a roaring fire with his dogs at his feet. It had been far too long since he’d done any of that. His steward and his dogs were feeling forsaken, and his body ached to take a rest. At this point he didn’t care whom he angered.
“You can’t leave, my lord. The crown forbids it.”
Sebastian paused, his lips quirking in amusement. “The crown forbids it? Now you have me intrigued. But not enough to remain and discover what this mission is about. As much as it pains me to admit, there are many other excellent operatives. One of them will surely do.” Deciding to be generous, he added, “Pick that Harrison fellow. He will be pleased to accept such a mission.”
“Harrison is otherwise occupied.”
Sebastian frowned. “Then Kristoff. Hell, I don’t care whom you pick as long as it isn’t me.”
Atwater yanked on the bell pull.
Immediately the door opened. A woman’s voice drifted through, not loud enough that Sebastian could hear the words; more the sound, the cadence. And it stopped him cold. He’d been in many tight situations in his career, but he doubted he’d ever broken into such a cold sweat. “What the hell is this about?” he asked Atwater in a furious whisper.
“Your partner.”
His partner, who had yet to step around the door, said something to the footman, then laughed. The sound sliced through him as precisely and painfully as a saber. He’d had that feeling only one other time. Seven months ago, to be precise.
She stepped into his line of sight, and Sebastian’s stomach twisted into a knot.
Her smile was wide, her dark, dark eyes sparkling. All that black hair was piled atop her head with tendrils escaping and curling around her face and down her neck. Sebastian’s entire body clenched in memory as his gaze swept over her, cataloging everything from the tops of her creamy breasts to her waist, which he could span with his hand, to her navy blue shoes that peeked out from the hem of her navy blue gown. She executed a quick, almost impertinent curtsy. Just the way he remembered.
“My lord.”
For a long moment Sebastian couldn’t breathe, couldn’t speak. All he could do was withstand the tidal wave of emotions and memories breaking over him. Emotions he’d fought so hard to overcome.
Sebastian spun on his heel and pierced Atwater with a glare. “What is the meaning of this?”
“I would like to introduce—”
Sebastian slashed his hand through the air, cutting off Atwater’s words before they formed. He didn’t want to hear her name. He didn’t want to hear her voice, and he certainly was not going to work with her. It had taken him seven months—seven months—to get her out of his system. He would not allow Atwater to ruin his hard work. What were the chances that when they finally decided he should partner, it would be with her? Why her? She wasn’t even an operative, damn it.
“If for some reason I did decide to partner with someone—which I would never do—that person would be an operative.” And never a woman. The words were left unsaid but resonated through the room.
“Yes, well.” Atwater darted a quick glance at her. “As I was saying, Lord Claybrook, may I introduce Contessa Gabrielle Marciano. The contessa is an operative for the crown.”
