Consumed by Fire by Anne Stuart Read Free Book Online Page A

glance at her, moving from behind the table to take Evangeline’s elbow with a light touch that made her skin burn with longing. Damn it, what was wrong with her? She didn’t like being touched by strangers, and yet the feel of his hand on her arm made her want to lean against him.
    Claudia finally rose, putting herself directly between them, breaking their contact, and for a brief moment Evangeline wondered why the woman seemed so determined. Evangeline was hardly any kind of threat to James’s associate. She was just a fellow American he’d taken pity on.
    No, there had been no pity in his dark, mesmerizing eyes. She wasn’t sure what she’d seen there, but whatever it was, it made her nervous. Had he meant it when he asked her to go to bed with him? He’d sounded almost casual about it, like he was suggesting an aperitif.
    She slipped away from him quite easily. “The storm is coming,” she said. “Thanks again.” A moment later she was on her own.

    Bishop watched Claudia out of narrowed eyes. “Was that really necessary?” he murmured. He wasn’t about to let Claudia see how much she annoyed him. “I was making progress. I’m almost certain she saw nothing, suspects nothing, but as you said, we can’t afford to leave any loose ends.”
    “She’s already a loose end,” Claudia snapped. “And Corsini’s body has been discovered by a couple of hikers. Someone came tearing into town a few minutes ago, and all hell is about to break loose while you’re busy trying to get into that girl’s pants. Shoot her and get it done with, and then let’s get the hell out of here.”
    “So we disappear in the middle of the night when a murder victim is found, and you think that will throw suspicion off us? You’re being ridiculous. We have nothing to worry about—we were at business meetings all day. Our alibis are already set up and they’re airtight.”
    “Airtight unless your American plaything decides to put two and two together, something she seems entirely capable of doing.”
    “So she’s found dead, bringing attention to the guests at this hotel?” he suggested. Claudia hated to be thwarted, but he wasn’t about to let her get her way this time.
    “Don’t be foolish—we’d move her. Or I would, if you’re too squeamish to deal with it. I’ve never known you to be sentimental before, Bishop. Or has she got some kind of supernatural pussy that’s got you hypnotized?”
    “You overestimate my charms, darling Claudia,” he purred. “I haven’t gotten her in bed yet.”
    “Either you kill her or I will.”
    He gave her a long, measuring look. Claudia enjoyed killing, and she used every excuse she could think of to do it. She’d wanted Evangeline dead since she first saw her, and the more arguments he came up with, the more determined she was. In the end there would be very little he could do to stop her.
    “I’ll take care of her,” he said in a flat voice, evading a direct answer. “In the meantime you need to go up to bed, take someone with you who can vouch for your presence, and I’ll do the same. No one can trace us to the church but Evangeline, and the more skittish you act, the more suspicious we’ll seem.”
    “I’m never skittish,” Claudia said haughtily. “And I can’t pick up just anyone. You know my tastes are . . . specialized.”
    “It’s up to you. I’ll take care of Evangeline and arrange my own night’s entertainment. Find someone and spend the night talking to them if they aren’t fuckable by your standards. I don’t care.”
    Her face was like marble, hard, white, beautiful, with no emotion or life in it. “Do not, I repeat, do not make the mistake of lying to me, Bishop.”
    He smiled down at her lazily. “I lie to you all the time, my sweet. It comes with the territory.” The wind had picked up, and waiters appeared, clearing the table as the empty wine glasses were tipped over. He cast a gaze at the roiling night sky. “Evangeline is