East End (Hear No Evil Trilogy #1) - Nana Malone Page 0,22

the door when my phone rang. "Jesus Christ, Amelia, now is not the time."

"Oh, this isn't Amelia." The voice on the line was deep. Husky. Lazy, like a drawl, but accented. French? Maybe Portuguese, but I wasn't super familiar with that accent.

"Who is this?"

"It's someone who wants to see you succeed."

"Look, I have my hands full with creepers and arseholes. You have the wrong number, and you should know that you’re calling an Interpol agent. So if you were trying to harass me or anything of that sort, you will be sorely disappointed."

"I know exactly who I'm speaking to. Agent Nyla Rebecca Kincade. All you have ever wanted in your life is to please your father. I am about to give you that opportunity."

Icicles formed in the lazy rivers of my blood as it traveled through my veins and arteries. “Who the hell am I speaking to?” I quickly glanced at my phone before replacing it at my ear. Had I been hacked? Was this some idiot hacker's way of attempting to get money from me? I had none to give. I was paid civil servant wages.

"Oh, perhaps you'll forgive me. It's been so long since I've spoken to a beautiful woman."

"Right you eegit, this conversation is about to be—"

"How would you like the biggest arrest of your career, Agent Kincade? Francois Theroux."

I choked out a laugh. "You’re not serious."

“I am, in fact, very serious.” There was something so melodic and soothing about the voice.

“Everyone on the planet has looked for Theroux, and you want me to believe that you can find him. Also, you could just have him pay you off. Why turn him in? Why would you do that?”

“I have my reasons.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“I understand your trepidation.”

I wove through the crowd. “What’s in it for you?”

There was a momentary pause. “There is plenty of time of time for that. I’ll be in touch. Think your answer through very carefully.”

“So you’re going to dangle a carrot and not tell me what the stick is or what human I’m going to have to sacrifice? Who the hell are you?”

His chuckle was low and melodic. “It seems I can rectify the first part of your hesitance. My name is Francois Theroux. Welcome to my game. Chat soon, Agent Kincade.

Then the line went dead.

Holy.

Fucking.

Shit.

I scowled at my phone. As I stared, a text came up from a blocked number and it contained one image.

A man only partially in shadow sat forward. While his hair was all white, his face was handsome and barely lined. Strong jaw. Cleft chin. A nose that was the definition of Roman, and full lips.

Everything about his countenance screamed gentleman.

I knew exactly who he was. Francois Theroux. And on the table next to him sat the newspaper. I zoomed in and then my breath caught and lodged in my throat.

That was today’s date. He wasn’t lying. I’d just spoken to Francois fucking Theroux.

The hairs on the back of my neck tingled, and as I turned slowly around, my gaze collided with East’s. What was it about that man? Even as I turned from him in the crowd, eager to get as far away from him as possible, I could still feel the heat of him behind me. The pull toward him. I tried to keep my eyes on the prize as I focused on the exit and getting the hell out of there.

But I underestimated him. Out of the banquet hall, I made a right down the hallway, and he just came out of nowhere, tugging me into a little alcove next to the restrooms. "Agent Kincade."

I jerked my body straight, desperate to get his hand off of me so I could avoid that zinging pulse of electricity. He released me easily, but we were still close. Too damn close. I felt his heat wrapping around me like a warm cocoon, promising stress release and safety, and many, many orgasms.

I shook my head a little to try and clear the fog. "What is it you want, Mr. Hale?"

The corner of his lips tipped into a wry smile. "So formal. Mr. Hale, or Lord Hale, is generally my father. My friends call me East."

"Are we friends? Is that what this is?"

"I don't know what this is. I feel like once you fight someone you have a window into their soul. I think we got off on the wrong foot. Maybe we can start over?"

I swallowed hard, trying to get a clean crisp breath that wasn’t pine and leather