Angel Hands by Cait Reynolds Read Free Book Online

my word."
    "That is not good enough."
    "You take your life in your hands with such obstinacy, foolish woman!"
    He was totally unprepared for the stinging slap across his face. Astounded, he actually let go of Mireille, who stood in all her petite stature, quivering with rage.
    "You will NEVER call me a foolish woman again!" she hissed, taking a menacing step towards him, at least it would have been menacing if she hadn't been wearing only his shirt and nothing else. "How dare you? You know nothing of me! Nothing! If I were foolish, I wouldn't be here now. If I were a foolish woman, I'd be..."
    Suddenly, she stopped and bit her lip, glaring at him. He couldn't help but stare back, fascinated. It would only be later that he realized that for all her ranting at him, she had never once referred to him as a monster, a criminal, a demon, a corpse, a bastard...despite the obvious truth of it all. No, he was forced to agree later in a brandy-soaked moment of reasoning, she was not just a woman. She was a good woman.
    "Are we agreed or not?" he said icily, not wanting to pursue the confrontation to places he knew she didn't want to go, and he wasn't sure he was ready to go.
    She hesitated a long moment, her eyes coldly measuring him up. Then, to his utter, infinite surprise, she extended her hand for a man's handshake. Allowing himself a faintly sardonic smile, he shook her hand, silently sealing their unorthodox bargain.
    "Your clothes are dry now," he said, adopting a formal, normal demeanor, as if she wasn't standing in the cellar of an opera house with a masked man, wearing only a shirt and a noose around her neck. "They are hanging in the wardrobe in your room. Go and dress, and I will guide you back to the surface."
    She looked at him a long moment, an unfathomable expression in her eyes, then deliberately removed the noose from around her neck, dropped it on the ground in disdain, and turned and went back into the bedroom alcove. He turned to walk away, but found himself loath to give up the game just yet.
    "You know, things might have gone a lot better before if the former managers had had legs like yours, my dear," he called out as he descended the stairs back to his organ.
    He could hardly suppress a laugh as he swore he heard a china pitcher and washbowl being smashed.
     
    ***
     
    Mireille studied her reflection in the mirror as she fastened the last buttons on her dress.
    She sighed.
    She was just a woman, after all. Not a foolish one, but perhaps secretly a weak one. A hungry one.
    She sighed again and put on her own mask of hard, unfeminine competency.
    The next time he tried to sway her with seduction, she vowed, she'd fight fire with fire. He was clearly trying to seduce her, counting on her femininity to be swayed by his bravado. Well, two could play at that game. He was not the only one with charm. Hers might be a bit rusty, but it was there. 
    Her expression brightened slightly as she imagined working him up to a point of feverish need and then letting him know of the ‘commission surcharge’ she would deduct from any transactions he entrusted her with. Oh, he'd be so delightfully angry.
    Angry enough to be vulnerable.
    Vulnerable to be negotiated with.
    Negotiated with for what, though?
    She hurried out of the alcove, not sure of the answer that question.
     
     

 
     
    7. Of Friends and Kisses
     
     
    "Mireille!"
    The relief that flooded Raymond’s heart was nothing compared to his shock at seeing the grayish pallor of her face and the disheveled state of her clothing. At the sound of his voice, she turned but barely seemed to register his presence.
    In a flash, he was at her side, seizing the opportunity to hold her gently to him.
    "Are you all right?" he asked. " Mon Dieu , I was so worried about you!"
    She blinked twice then frowned. "How long have I been..."
    "Nine hours. Mon Dieu , nine hours and no one could find you. Another ten minutes, and I would have insisted on calling the gendarmerie . You