Buch lesen: «The Hill»

To all the ladies at GIAMx2

Contents

Cover

Excerpt

Title Page

About the Author

Cast of Characters

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Epilogue

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

“Your father was murdered. You could be next.”

London Breck jerked her head up from the slip of paper and caught the waiter’s arm as he turned away. “I’m sorry. Who gave this to you?”

The young man’s eyes widened and London released her death grip on his white jacket.

“Like I told you, Ms. Breck. I found the folded piece of paper on my tray with your name written on the outside. I—I don’t know who put it there...and I didn’t read it.”

She crumpled the note in her fist and dropped it into her evening clutch, trading it for a ten-dollar bill. “That’s okay. Thanks for delivering it to me.”

The waiter pocketed the money and scurried away without looking back.

Someone had decided to play a joke with that note, or it signaled the opening gambit of some sort of scam. London tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. If this con man believed he could pull a fast one on her or Breck Global Enterprises, he hadn’t met their legal team.

She straightened her spine and turned to face the room, smiling so hard her cheeks hurt. It was an occupational hazard—if one could call glad-handing and raising money an occupation. But it was the only one she’d ever had, the only one she’d ever trained for.

She swept a champagne flute from a passing tray with practiced ease and turned her attention to the crowd jamming the Fairmont Hotel’s ballroom. Which well-heeled donor or wannabe had left that note? Scanning the room, her gaze tripped over the hottie in the corner.

Even though his crisp tux conformed to the dress code for the evening, he had outsider scribbled all over his amazing body. The tux couldn’t mask the sheer power of the man, and it had very little to do with the way the material puckered and stretched across his massive shoulders, crying out for a good tailor.

His stance, his demeanor—okay, the dark sunglasses—marked him as a member of the bevy of body-and security guards that littered the room, jealously watching their clients or their clients’ jewels or both. Probably not the author of the note, but definitely worth a closer inspection.

The note almost forgotten, London squinted at the pretty people bedecked in diamonds and designer duds and wondered which one had invited that powerful panther into the midst of the pampered trust-fund babies and oily politicians.

“Don’t you know squinting like that will bring on the wrinkles, my dear?”

London rolled a sip of champagne on her tongue as she eyed her cousin. Speaking of trust-fund babies...

“Have you seen Roger tonight?”

“Your square-jawed, preppy suitor?” Niles shook his head. “For someone practically running the company, he sure misses a lot of soirees, doesn’t he?”

She drew her fingertip around the rim of her glass. She didn’t want to talk about the company. “Did you bid on something fabulous, Niles?”

“Of course I did. It’s all rather too late, though, isn’t it?” He plucked a cracker brimming with caviar from the tray on the table and studied it before popping it into his mouth.

“Too late?” She steadied herself for one of her cousin’s acidic barbs.

He brushed his fingers together. “Here we are raising all this money for heart disease, but your father, Spencer Breck, already bit the dust, leaving you gazillions of dollars and handing you the reins of Breck Global. Should’ve had this fund-raiser before he kicked the bucket.”

“I can always count on you to say the right thing at the right moment, bringing light and comfort.”

Niles clicked his tongue, a decidedly feminine gesture she was sure Mr. Dark Sunglasses over in the corner had never made in his life.

Then Niles leaned in, his booze-soaked breath tickling her ear. “This is your cousin Niles. You don’t have to pretend with me, my dear. I know you despised the man as much as I did.”

He threw his silk scarf over his shoulder and waltzed away, throwing a kiss at a dowager across the room.

Maybe Niles had written that note to stir up trouble. She wouldn’t put it past him. His own father had left Niles gazillions of dollars, but it was never enough for Niles.

Besides, Niles and his father, her late uncle Jay, might have despised Spencer, but her relationship with him had contained many more nuances than simple dislike.

She placed her champagne glass down next to the plate of caviar. The abrupt action caused the sparkling liquid to slosh over the rim. A waiter appeared as if by magic, whisking away the glass, replacing it with a fresh one and blotting the drops of champagne from the white tablecloth with a thick napkin. He even swapped out the plate of caviar, although none of the liquid had touched it.

The dull throbbing in her head from earlier in the evening made a repeat performance. She had to get away from the chatter.

She turned and collided with a brick wall—a brick wall in a fine wool suit. The man with the sunglasses caught her arm with a surprisingly gentle grip.

“I’m sorry.” His voice was a deep baritone that sent shocks of awareness up her spine.

He wasn’t wearing sunglasses anymore and she stared into the bluest eyes she’d ever seen. “M-my fault.”

He released her arm and strode past her.

She watched his broad back as he cut a swath through the partygoers. He landed in front of Bunny Harris and ducked as the older woman whispered something in his ear.

Watching the exchange, London sucked in her lower lip. Was he one of Bunny’s escorts? If so, the old dame’s taste in men had gone up several notches.

London slipped out of the room and headed for the ladies’ restroom. On the way, Captain Williams from the San Francisco police department stopped her.

“This is a wonderful benefit, London. I’m sure your father would’ve been proud.”

“Thank you, Captain.”

He shook a finger in her face. “How many times do I have to tell you to call me Les? I’ve known you since you were a little girl, but you’re a grown woman now. Les will do.”

“I’ll try to remember that...Les. If you’ll excuse me.” She’d been inching away from him during their conversation and was able to turn and make a break for it. If Captain Les Williams thought she had any pull to get him the chief’s job, he’d better start kissing someone else’s backside. Her father, with his connections to the SFPD, hadn’t been able to do it, so she sure as hell couldn’t.

She pushed through the ladies’ room door. A couple of women were primping at the vanity and stopped their gossip long enough to smile at London in the mirror.

She nodded and swept past them to the restroom. Leaning against the tile counter, she dug into her clutch for an ibuprofen. She cupped some water in her hand from the faucet and swallowed the gelcap.

The voices of the women in the outer room rose and then a man burst through the bathroom door, holding his hand in front of him. “Don’t be alarmed, Ms. Breck. I’d just like to ask you a few questions. Ray Lopez from KFGG. You might’ve seen my show.”

She’d need to pop another ibuprofen at this rate. Instead she wedged a hand on her hip. “Really? You’re following me into the ladies’ room to get an interview?”

“Just a comment.”

“You can’t call my office?”

He spread his hands as he smiled. “You know and I know it’s not that easy to reach you at your...office. Just a quick question about your father’s death.”

One of the women from the other room had followed the reporter into the bathroom and skewered him with an icy gaze. “Security is on the way.”

He shrugged and stepped closer to London.

“I’ve already done that interview, Mr. Lopez—just not with you.” She turned toward the mirror and ran the pad of her thumb over one eyebrow.

“You didn’t answer this question. Did you find your father’s death suspicious?”

“Not at all.” She backed away from the mirror and tucked her bag under her arm, brushing past Lopez. Had he written the threatening note to manufacture some story? Why would he ask that question? She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of asking him about his motives.

As she took one step out of the lounge, a security guard barreled past her. “Sir, you’re not allowed in the ladies’ room. I’m going to have to escort you out of the hotel.”

Lopez craned his head over his shoulder to give her one last look as the security guard hustled him toward the escalator.

She blew out a long breath. She couldn’t even escape notice in the ladies’ bathroom. She’d had enough, enough of the pretense and the fake smiles and the eager reporters...and the vaguely threatening notes. Her father had passed away just last month—of natural causes. Surely she could be excused for having a headache and leaving the shindig early.

She plucked her phone from her purse and called her driver. “Theodore, I’m ready to go. Meet me in the side alley. I don’t want to go through the front entrance.”

“Paparazzi stalking you again, Ms. Breck?”

“You have no idea.”

“On my way.”

When she entered the ballroom, she located her cousin, who was telling some risqué story and taking liberties with the truth. She crooked her finger at him and he broke away from his adoring audience.

“I’m getting out of here. People already think I was terribly brave making an appearance so soon after Dad’s death.”

“Especially since he did go off rather abruptly.”

Was everyone drinking the same water? Lifting her shoulders, she said, “He did have heart disease.”

“Although all his money allowed him to manage it quite well.”

“Did you send me a note tonight, Niles?”

“A note?” His tweezed eyebrows shot to his hairline. “What are you talking about?”

“Nothing. Never mind.” Had she really expected him to confess? Of course, maybe she’d just put him on notice.

She flicked her fingers at the room, still buzzing with activity. “Could you please do the honors for me? Announce the winners of the silent auction, thank everyone for coming and so on and son on.”

He patted her arm with his long, thin hand. “I’d be happy to, my dear. You go home and get a good night’s sleep and dream of your billions.”

She sighed. “You’re not exactly in the poorhouse, cousin.”

“Ah, but your father was the lucky one—and the greedy one.”

“I already have a headache. Let’s not get into family politics.” She kissed the air somewhere near his cheek and pivoted on her heel.

She nearly bumped into Bunny Harris at the coat check, hanging on to a much younger man’s arm, but not the man with the sunglasses. “So sorry, Bunny. Are you off already?”

“Don’t worry, London. I made a sizable donation to the cause. Your father was one of my oldest friends. I’ll miss him.”

“Thank you.” London’s gaze strayed over Bunny’s shoulder to her model-handsome companion lounging against the coat-check window.

Bunny slid her ticket across the counter with one manicured fingertip. “Oh, this is...”

“Lance.” The man reached around Bunny, extending his hand. “Ms. Breck.”

“Nice to meet you.” She shook his hand and then dropped it. “Enjoy the rest of your evening.”

Lance draped Bunny’s fur around her shoulders and they descended the escalator to the lobby of the hotel.

Shaking her head, London dipped her hand into her purse for the claim ticket and felt the note. She pulled it out with the ticket and examined the block letters written with a black felt-tip pen.

She’d hold on to it for a day or two in case there was a follow-up and then turn it over to Breck Global’s security team. It could very well be that reporter trying some angle.

The coat-check clerk plopped her leather bomber jacket on the counter. “Cool jacket.”

London smiled, handed her a tip and headed for the escalator, hugging the jacket to her chest. When she hit the first step, she gathered the skirt of her long dress in one hand and lifted it.

She glided into the lobby and a bellhop sprang to life. “Do you need a taxi, Ms. Breck?”

“No, thanks. My driver’s waiting.” Technically, Theodore was her father’s driver, but she didn’t have the heart to let him go, even though she felt silly with a driver.

She stuffed her arms into her jacket and pulled out her phone to check the time. If Theodore had taken the car back to her father’s Pacific Heights mansion, it shouldn’t take him more than ten or fifteen minutes to get here.

She parked herself in front of a rack of flyers and studied the trips to Alcatraz and the wine country for a few minutes. Then she glanced over her shoulder at a few people crisscrossing the lobby. No photographers, no Ray Lopez, although they could be waiting for her out front. She pushed through the side door of the hotel. Lifting her skirts, she traipsed down the steps and shoved open the heavy metal door to the outside.

It slammed behind her.

The dark alley glistened with moisture. Theodore hadn’t made it yet. She squinted toward the street, partially blocked by a Dumpster.

He must’ve taken the car somewhere else on his break. She turned toward the side door and grabbed the handle, pressing it down. The door didn’t budge.

A footstep crunched behind her, but before she had time to turn around, an arm hooked around her throat.

She should’ve braved the paparazzi.

Chapter Two

Locked in a stall in the men’s room, Judd slipped the velvet pouch crammed with jewels into the inside pocket of his dinner jacket. He patted his .45 tucked into the shoulder holster on the other side.

He had no idea where Bunny Harris would wind up with that gigolo she’d picked up tonight, but at least her jewelry wouldn’t be with her.

He shoved out of the stall and nodded at the man washing his hands at the vanity, who’d caught his eye in the mirror. The dude had been talking to London Breck earlier—probably a relative. As far as he knew, the richest woman in the city didn’t have a husband or even a boyfriend. The tabloids linked her with a new man every other month...not that he followed the tabloids except for business.

The man at the sink and London had the same look—blond, Nordic, cold. Although London was a beautiful girl, she wasn’t his type, even with all those dollar signs after her name.

Judd washed his hands, accepted a warm towel from the attendant and slipped a five in his basket. He turned toward the door.

“Care for a spritz?”

Judd stumbled to a stop and glanced over his shoulder at the mirror.

The Breck relative held up a bottle of cologne, aiming it at him. “It’s a good scent...manly.”

“That’s okay.” Judd held up his hands. “I’m good.”

He heard the hiss of the spray bottle behind him as he dodged through the bathroom door. Rich people.

Checking his watch, he jogged down the escalator. Bunny had told him she’d send her car back for him at the side entrance to the hotel. He waved to the hotel clerk and gave a fist bump to one of the bellhops.

“Later, man.”

He took the steps down to the side door two at a time and pushed through to the alley. Darkness enveloped him as his shoes crunched broken glass. He tilted back his head to look at the lights on the outside of the hotel, which had been smashed.

His head jerked up at the sound of scuffling down the alley, and he noticed a car parked at the end, blocking the entrance to the street, contributing to the darkness.

He plucked a small but powerful flashlight from his pocket and aimed it in the direction of the noise.

A man wearing a ski mask looked up from the woman he was dragging behind him by the throat.

“Hey!” Judd sprinted toward the scene.

The man dropped his victim and rushed to the waiting car at the end of the alley. Tires squealed and the car peeled out before Judd could reach it. He flicked his light at the retreating vehicle, but someone had removed the back license plate.

A woman coughed behind him and he spun around and strode back to her. The sparkly material of her gown was twisted around her legs and she couldn’t stand. He scooped her up and set her on her impossibly high heels. No wonder she couldn’t run away from her assailant.

She brushed strands of blond hair from her face. That silvery hair seemed to be the only source of light in the alley—that and the sparkles on her black dress and at her throat.

She coughed again, swore like a sailor and spit onto the concrete. “My God, if he wanted the necklace, why didn’t he just ask?”

Judd found himself looking into the perfect face of London Breck, a little disheveled and mad as hell, but those qualities only seemed to enhance her beauty.

Her eyes widened and sparkled, matching the diamonds around her neck in brilliance. “You!”

“What the hell are you doing out here in the alley?” He bent over and swept her handbag from the ground. Odd the thief hadn’t snatched that.

She grabbed it from him and folded her arms over her body. “Waiting for my driver. You?”

“Waiting for Bunny Harris’s driver.”

She swayed toward him and he caught her before she toppled over. She smelled...expensive, except for the odor of leather coming from her jacket. Who wore a jacket like that with a haute couture evening dress?

“Whoa.” He pointed to her feet. “If you hope to stand upright on your own, you’d better straighten out that dress.”

“I hate long dresses.” She leaned forward and placed her hands on either side of a hole in her dress below her knees and pulled it apart.

The bottom part of her dress, which seemed to be made of different material from the top, ripped off, and she dropped the silky material, which probably cost more than his motorcycle, into a puddle in the alley.

“There.” She thrust out her hand. “London Breck. Thanks for saving me from whatever that was.”

“Judd Brody.” He clasped her long, slim fingers in his hand, but if he expected a limp, girly handshake from her, he was wrong. She gave his hand a firm squeeze and dropped it.

“That was a robbery, wasn’t it?” His gaze shifted to the bright bauble stuck on her right ring finger and the diamond bracelet now peeking from the cuff of the jacket.

She trailed her fingers across her throat. “At first I thought he wanted my necklace, but he was using it to choke me and drag me. He was pulling me to that waiting car.”

“A kidnapping?” He lifted one eyebrow. “I suppose you’re worth a few bucks.”

She snorted. “Yeah, good luck with that. My cousin wouldn’t pay one dime for my release, and I’m sure my board of directors would be happy to get rid of me.”

A black limo pulled into the alley, bathing it in bright light. Judd cupped a hand over his eyes and squinted.

The car door swung open and a massive figure rolled from the car. “Miss Breck? Are you all right? I’m sorry I’m late. I had a little mishap on the way over.”

She waved. “I’m fine, Theodore. Mr. Brody here rescued me from a would-be robber.”

“What?” Theodore waddled toward them. “I told you not to be waiting in this alley.”

“I expected you to be right here to whisk me away.” She patted the big man’s arm. “Not that I blame you, Theodore. Sh—stuff happens.”

Theodore grabbed Judd’s hand and shook his arm as if he wanted to yank it off. “Thank you, sir.”

Another limo pulled into the alley and honked.

“Now, who is that?” Theodore tugged his cap over his eyes to shield out his headlights.

“I believe that’s Ms. Harris’s driver for me.” Judd straightened his jacket and patted the hidden jewels.

Theodore tilted his head at him. “You one of Bunny’s young men?”

London coughed and clapped a hand over her mouth. As long as Theodore had been working for the upper crust of the city, he’d never learned to filter his speech. She liked that.

“God, no. I’m working for her tonight...as a bodyguard.”

“Can I buy you a drink?” London sniffed and ran her hand beneath her nose. “It’s the least I can do. Theodore can take us.”

“That I can,” her driver added.

A drink with the rich and beautiful London Breck? Why not? Another way to make his older brothers jealous.

“Sure.”

“I’ll go tell Bunny’s driver. I know him.” Theodore turned and made his way down the alley, momentarily blocking out the headlights and casting him into darkness again with London.

She suddenly looked vulnerable with her silvery-blond hair half-down on one side and her ripped couture dress.

Judd tapped his neck. “Are you okay?”

“Throat’s a little rough, but I’ll live.”

“Do you want to report it to the cops?”

“Did you get a license plate or a good look at the driver or my attacker?”

“The car didn’t have a license plate and the driver was wearing a ski mask just like your assailant’s, except for the white zigzag down the front.”

“Then, no. I don’t need the publicity.”

Theodore shifted his formidable presence to the side and the headlights lit up the alley again. The beams picked up London’s sparkles—her hair, her jewels, her dress—and she blazed to life. How had he ever imagined this woman had one vulnerable bone in her body?

“You get a lot of that, don’t you? Publicity, I mean.”

Spreading her hands, she shrugged. “Comes with the territory.”

Theodore called from behind her, “I sent Mrs. Harris’s driver away. Are you ready, Miss Breck?”

“After the night I just had? You bet.”

She spun around on her high heels and picked her way through the puddles in the alley to the waiting town car.

Judd’s gaze locked onto her swaying hips in the glittering material below the bomber jacket and the endless legs below the jagged hem of the skirt. London had a tall, slim build, but he wouldn’t call her skinny.

Wouldn’t kick her out of bed, either.

He motioned for the driver to get in the car first and held open the door as Theodore squeezed behind the wheel. Judd slammed the door after Theodore and ducked into the backseat.

It smelled like brand-new leather, which felt as smooth as butter beneath his fingertips as he adjusted himself on the seat next to London.

The glass between the front and backseats slid open. “Where to, Miss Breck?”

“How about Sneaky Pete’s in the Lower Haight?”

“I don’t think it’s very safe down there, Miss Breck.”

“I’m going to be with Bunny Harris’s bodyguard, and he’s—” she patted his chest “—packing heat.”

“It’s that obvious?”

“To the practiced eye.” With her hand still on his chest, she ran those practiced eyes down to his thighs and a slow heat simmered his blood.

“And here I thought we were headed someplace upscale and trendy.”

“I just want a quiet drink. Disappointed?” She snatched her hand back and dropped it into her lap where her ripped dress had ridden up, exposing her creamy thighs.

“Doesn’t make any difference to me, but if we’re headed that way, I need to make a stop first. Is that a problem?”

“Not for me.” She leaned forward in her seat. “Theodore?”

“Not a problem, sir. Where to?”

Judd pulled the bag of jewels from his pocket and tossed it on the seat between him and London. “I need to make a deposit at Bunny’s house.”

“I know exactly where the Harris house is. It’s not too far from Mr. Breck’s residence. We’ll be there in less than fifteen minutes.” The privacy glass magically slid into place while Theodore backed the car out of the alley and rolled onto the street.

“I’m sure this was your idea.” London caressed the velvet pouch. “Bunny is notoriously careless, especially when she’s met a new young stud.”

“I noticed.”

“Do you guard her body or her possessions?”

“This is a one-night gig for me. I was helping out a buddy, and the directive was to watch the jewels. When it was clear she’d made plans after the gala with someone she’d just met, I insisted she leave her jewels with me.”

“You’re one of those Brodys, aren’t you?”

Why wouldn’t she know his family? Hers had been in this city longer than his. He hunched forward and inspected the mobile liquor cabinet in front of him. “Yep.”

“Congratulations.”

“For what?” He lifted the lid from a cut-glass decanter half-full of dark amber liquid and sniffed the rich aroma.

“After all these years, it looks as though your brother and that true-crime writer uncovered the truth that your father wasn’t the Phone Book Killer.”

“I guess so.” He investigated another decanter.

“You seem rather nonchalant about it all.”

“Happened a long time ago.” And he’d sealed off that part of his life in a cold little box in one corner of his heart. He’d let his older brothers gnash their teeth over the stain on the family name. He’d schooled himself not to think about it...or his father.

Her hand covered his, grasping the decanter. “Do you want a drink?”

That smooth skin against his did things to his insides. Was she that smooth all over? That perfect? He’d have fun getting her a little dirty.

His gaze wandered to the tinted glass. Would Theodore mind? This backseat afforded plenty of room to twist this leggy blonde into a pretzel. But she deserved more than a quickie.

He stared into her murky green eyes. “I can wait.”

As her hand left his, she trailed her short, polished fingernails across his skin and he suppressed a shiver.

This one might be made of ice, but she liked to play with fire. He’d seen the tabloids—London Breck jumping naked into a fountain, London Breck running away from home at seventeen to join a rock band on tour, London Breck getting arrested in Qatar for having one of the world’s largest diamonds in her possession, which she’d claimed a married sheikh had given her.