Risking It All: London Calling Book Three (6 page)

Natalie seemed to agree. Wicked humor creased her eyes and she briefly pressed her lips together as if holding back a smile. “I suppose I need to have dinner at some point.”
 

Her agreement, though reluctant, encouraged him. “Thank you. How have you been?”

“Very well.”
 

He waved at the surroundings. “How long have you been working here?”

“For most of the year.”
 

She was terse, avoiding his eyes. If possible, she was growing more distant by the minute.
 

“Why, Nat?”

Startled, her gaze met his, then darted away again. “Why what?”

“Why
here
?” Dominic didn’t like the place with its air of restricted superiority. Plus, where had that woman been taking that man upstairs?
What
was upstairs? Why had those people seemed intimate?
 

As his thoughts raced to the tune of his suspicions, Dominic became doubly determined to rescue Nat. After all, it was his fault she’d been reduced to this.

Despite her silence, he rushed on. “Listen, I can help. It’s all my fault, really, that you’re here. But I can fix this, Toff, if you just allow it.” In his urgency, he used her nickname again. He missed the ominous way her body straightened in the chair. “You’re a personal assistant. Bennett says you were the best PA he ever had, hands down.” Dominic did note the way her eyes widened at the mention of Bennett. Telling himself it didn’t matter, he pushed down the burning ache in his chest.

“So, the thing is, my PA recently left.” He tried to capture her attention, but she steadfastly looked down at her hands, cupping the stem of her champagne flute. He blurted, “I’d like you to come work for me.”

That brought her head rearing up. “Why in the world would I do that?”

She was looking at him as though he’d grown another head. Or as if he were something she might scrape off her shoe. Pride came to his rescue. “Because,” he insisted. “Look around, Natalie. You’re better than some game croupier.” Although if he’d thought about it, he would have realized she wasn’t dressed as one of the black suit-jacketed staff. “You have talents. Skills. I can help you so you use them.”

“As your PA.” Her tone was flat, but temper shot from the brightened blue of her eyes.

“Yes.” Why was she acting offended? The casino she worked in was the indignity. Dominic’s temper flared to meet hers. “You can stop looking as though I’ve insulted you, Nat. I’m offering you a way out of this.”

Finally, she spoke. “And what, pray tell, do you think
this
is?”

He huffed in frustration. “You’re working as a
card dealer
. Granted, it’s one hell of a casino.” He looked around them, missing the way her eyes narrowed.
 

“I am not a card dealer here, Dominic.” She pressed her lips together in a tight line.
 

Her voice lowered in what Dominic perceived as strained pride. It was not his intention to scorn her. She had done what was necessary to survive after losing her job. After all, it was a tall order for anyone else to take her on as PA following the incident at Sterling International.

Again, his fault.
 

He softened his tone. Admiration for her washed through him as he reached for her clenched fist lying on the table. Ignoring her instinctive withdrawal, he captured her hand. “Let me help you. It’s the least I can do.”
 

Something alarmingly like pain flashed across her face. Her hand jerked beneath his. The waiter appeared at their table, sliding first courses in front of each of them.

Natalie held up her hand. “Alan, please take this back to the kitchen. Box it and the rest of Mr. Martin’s dinner so he may take it to go.”

Dominic’s brows shot up. “Wait—” he began.

Her eyes finally met his with unflinching scorn. “If you do not leave of your free will, I will have you removed. Either way, you’re going. Do you understand me, Dominic?”

Even the waiter stiffened at the venom in Natalie’s voice. Ruefully, Dominic thought the other man should count himself lucky he wasn’t at the receiving end. Either way, the other man needed lessons on timing. Dominic was sure he’d been getting through to her.

“I’ll leave, Toff.” He deliberately used the nickname he’d coined for her. She might have won this battle, and the battle in the cafe, but the war was just beginning. Another man, previously unnoticed, stepped forward to help her stand. Dominic raked his gaze over him, taking in the gentleman’s commanding height and forbidding expression. When he looked at Natalie, something seemed to pass between them. Dominic stiffened, not liking it one bit. He snapped his napkin then tossed it onto the table. “We can resume our conversation another time.” The other man’s face darkened, but Dominic continued, undaunted. “Another place.”

She didn’t reply, only allowed the gentleman to take her away. The waiter returned with his food boxed and packaged in heavy carrier bags stamped with the club’s discreet logo. He seemed awkward, having overhead the emotional exchange from moments before. It was clear he was expected to escort Dominic out of the premises.

“Sorry about that, mate. That woman is giving me the devil of a time.” Dominic smiled at the waiter in manly camaraderie. To his gratification, the other man responded by discarding his rigid propriety with a tiny smirk. Dominic capitalized on the moment. “Tell me who that man was with her, would you?”

“Oh that’s Mr. Payne, sir. He owns the club.”

Sebastian Payne.
Bas
. Well, well.
 

“Does he keep an eye out on all the staff when they’re having dinner?” Dominic grinned, taking the sting out of the question. Appearing as the duped suitor worked well with the younger man. They made their way through the club, walking across the main casino floor where Dominic gambled earlier. Curious stares followed their progress, and Dominic fancied he could hear the whispered speculation.
 

Nonplussed, the waiter stopped, having thought about Dominic’s question. “Well no. But then, regular staff doesn’t dine in the restaurant. We have family meal before shift.” At Dominic’s puzzled frown, he explained. “Chef prepares a meal for staff to eat together.”
 

“Ah.” Movement caught his eye on the stairwell. Looking up, he saw Natalie overseeing his exit from the landing of the second floor.
 

He winked.
 

Gratified to see a blush warm her cheeks, he nearly considered scaling the rail. Unfortunately, any satisfaction he gained was wiped away when Sebastian Payne appeared at her side. With a hand to the small of her back, he turned Natalie to him and escorted her away. Teeth gritted, Dominic watched as Natalie disappeared from view, all but wrapped in another man’s arms.

The young waiter cleared his throat. Dominic turned his attention back to him.

“I’m sorry, sir, but you need to come with me.” Shamefaced, he added, “Ms. Enfeld made her wishes very clear.”
 

Unfortunately, Dominic could only agree.

CHAPTER THREE

A
FTER
SEEING
N
ATALIE
to a silk brocade settee, Bas walked straight over to the small bar cart in his office and poured a generous measure of brandy. She smiled wanly, taking the hand-blown snifter from him to hold and twirl.

“Drink up.”

Obediently, she took a sip. An explosion of dried fruits, nuts, and woody smoke flowed over her tongue. It was seriously good brandy. Savoring another mouthful, she swallowed then asked, “This is incredible, Bas. What is it?”

“Cognac. A new one for you to try before we stock it downstairs. It’s made from champagne.” Natalie served as his taster. Sebastian never drank.

“All the better,” she said, taking another drink. “Sounds expensive.”

His gaze dropped to her nearly empty glass. With a faint smile, he brought the bottle of cognac to the coffee table along with a bottle of mineral water for him. He sat down beside her and poured her a modest measure of cognac from the Lalique crystal decanter.
 

“It was him.” A statement, not a question.

“Yes.”

He took a sip of his water. “Are you okay?”

Natalie rubbed her temple where a headache had taken root. She could still see Dom’s mossy green eyes, crinkling at the corners. She could still smell the woodsy cologne he favored. Later, she knew there would be dreams where she tasted him and felt him inside her.

The wanting never stopped. With his unexpected return, it would only be so much worse.

Her eyes skated around the room, avoiding Sebastian’s. They landed on his desk, where the tin from her mother rested to the right of his blotter.
 

Toffee
.
 

Almost, she could hear Dominic’s husky laughter, his deep teasing tones as they whispered in her ear.
Toff
. Cajoling her from her safe world into his, all while brimming with amusement. He’d coaxed her along with unbridled passion, never hinting at the disastrous end he planned for them.
 

Her breath caught. With a shaking hand, she settled her glass back on the table, surprised to see it nearly empty. She steeled herself to meet Sebastian’s eyes. When she did, there was only patience. Compassion. It gave her the courage to answer honestly. “No, I’m really not okay.”
 

In a rare move, Bas closed the distance between them and pulled her into his shoulder. Giving up the struggle, she relaxed against him. He produced a handkerchief, but there were no tears. Breathing deeply, she forced herself upright.
 

“I’ll be okay.” A moment’s weakness; she cursed her cravenness. Bas said nothing.

“Dominic Martin isn’t worth a single tear from anyone, let alone me. He used me. Nearly destroyed my career. I won’t allow him to taint what I have here.”

Bas listened, watching her closely. “Why
was
he here, Natalie?”

“He said it was to see me, but I doubt that. It’s been a year and he’s made no effort to connect.” That wasn’t entirely true, but she didn’t mention the gifts or messages. Besides, the latter all went unread into the trash bin. She met Sebastian’s searching look head-on. “I don’t trust him, Bas. I’m worried.”

He rose to stroll across the room, placing their now empty glasses on a tray so staff could pick them up later. Pausing for a beat, he kept his back turned as if contemplating what to say.

Even after several months working for the man, Bas was largely still a mystery. He kept odd hours at the club, coming and going so quietly, almost stealthily, that Natalie and the other staff never knew for certain if he was in house or out. Doubtless, he had other priorities than the club. He harked from the sort of family lineage that could be traced back to kings. As it was, he shunned the use of his title but enjoyed the perks of his various estates. The Payne family fortunes had only increased since he assumed leadership. Their interests were diversified and eclectic. They were standing in his latest acquisition, Club Hobart.

Natalie heard the whispers, hints of mystery, but chose to ignore them. After the disaster with Dominic and Bennett, Sebastian gave her a chance when no one else would. And despite Dominic’s insulting assumptions, Bas promoted her to director of operations for the casino within a month of her coming on board.

For that, she ignored the murmurs. And also because, in her eyes, he was nothing short of honorable.

He turned to face her, his eyes nearly black in the dimmed light. If she hadn’t known him, she could easily have been intimidated by his sheer magnitude. He was very tall, very broad. A scar etched his chin and his nose bore the evidence of a break at some point. She wondered why he hadn’t fixed it but would never ask. Without the flaws, he’d have been called classically handsome. With them, he paired rugged good looks with aristocratic poise. All in all, an interesting and alluring combination.

“Let’s call it a day.”

She straightened. “But it’s early.” Consulting the thin gold watch strapped to her right wrist, she protested. “We aren’t due to leave for hours. And I thought you had a meeting later?” In usual fashion, Bas had been less than forthcoming with details. His meetings with certain guests had increased in frequency behind closed doors in the pre-dawn hours. Thinking about it raised prickles on the back of her neck.

She never asked. She wouldn’t.

For those reasons, she contradicted herself. “Never mind. I’d like that.” She would take him up on his offer, because she needed a respite from stress. If that meant he canceled a backroom meeting with mysterious dark-suited men, then all the better.
 

A small frown darkened his face. “I’ll need to make a call, postpone my guests.” Before she knew what was happening, Bas escorted her to the door with a gentle hand to her elbow.
 

She stuttered, “Certainly.” He nudged her through the doorway. “Of course.” She turned as the door shut in her face.

Blankly, she stared, unsure whether to be peeved or amused. Faintly, she heard the sound of metal clicking into place.