A Daring Passion

Carlos closed his eyes and accepted that his promise to Raine was at an end. He would not risk her welfare even to keep his word.

“She is meeting with Seurat.”

“Seurat?” With a smooth motion, Philippe was on his feet, his expression harsh with disbelief. “He is here?”

“Sim.” Carlos struggled to his feet, his hand rubbing his abused throat. “As you suspected the bastard did not simply release Raine. She negotiated her own escape. This meeting was a part of that bargain.”

Philippe gave a slow shake of his head, as if having difficulty in accepting that he might have been mistaken in his furious assumptions. At last he turned and headed for the nearby door.

“Come with me.”

With a swift motion, Carlos was hurrying to place himself in front of the charging Philippe.

“What do you intend to do?”

Eyes narrowed, he said, “First I intend to capture the man I have been hunting for too long, and then I intend to teach Raine just how dangerous it is to cross my will.”

Carlos grasped his friend by the shoulders, his expression grim. “No.”

The finely carved features hardened to a cold, aloof mask. “Carlos, if you value your life you will release me this instant.”

“I will not allow you to hurt Raine.”

“She is not yours to protect.”

Carlos flinched at the stark truth of his words, but he refused to relent. “Nevertheless, I will do so.”

“Damn you, Carlos, I do not harm women, no matter how much they might deserve it.”

“I have your word?” Carlos persisted.

A growl rumbled deep in his chest. “Release me or discover that while I do not harm women, I am quite willing to harm any man who stands in my way. Including you.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

RAINE COULD NOT DENY an edge of unease as she cautiously made her way through the cemetery. It was not that she feared Seurat would harm her. Or at least that was only part of her unease. Instead it was a nagging sensation that thus far it was all going too smoothly.

Since the night that she had crept down the stairs to discover that her father was the infamous Knave of Knightsbridge she had managed to stumble from one disaster to another. She was coming to expect trouble.

The fact that there had yet to be any was making her skin prickle and her palms itch.

Swallowing the nervous urge to chuckle at her absurdity, Raine skirted the edge of an ancient crypt. In the same moment a dark form suddenly appeared before her.

Raine pressed a hand to her heart as she recognized the painfully thin form of Seurat.

“Good Lord, you startled me,” she breathed as she came to a halt.

Despite the shadows it was obvious that Seurat had suffered over the past few days. Not surprising considering it must have been a difficult task to remain hidden from Philippe’s numerous spies.

His hair stuck out in a bristle of gray and his face was filthy and unshaven. There was also a rather foul stench about him that made Raine wonder if he had been hiding in the sewers.

The hectic glitter in his eyes, however, had not altered. He was a man who was rapidly reaching the end of his sanity.

“You brought the money you promised me?” he demanded with a wary glance about the empty cemetery.

“Of course.” She clutched the carefully wrapped package beneath her cloak more tightly to her chest. “You have your confession?”

Seurat gave a low hiss, his hand reaching into his pocket to pull out a folded parchment. “I am a man of my