Dante's Honor-Bound Husband by Day Leclaire Read Free Book Online Page A

talking about?” Luc snapped.
    Constantine forced himself to explain in a calm, crisp manner that didn’t sound like he was the deranged one, rather than d’Angelo. “D’Angelo has drugged at least one other woman in the past in order to take advantage of her. Attempted to take advantage of her. I stopped him in time.”
    â€œDear God. That’s what he meant about your timing leaving something to be desired?”
    â€œYes.” Constantine checked his watch, also for the umpteenth time. “If d’Angelo wishes to do this to Gianna…if he wishes to drug her and take advantage of her, where would he take her?”
    There was a brief silence and Constantine could practically hear Luc mentally sorting through the possibilities. “He’s renting a suite at one of the hotels here in the city while he waits for escrow to close on the mansion he’s purchased. I don’t remember which hotel, though I could probably find out. One of the pricier ones, I’m sure.”
    Constantine considered for a moment, then shook his head. “No, he wouldn’t take her to his hotel. Too many witnesses. It would be someplace private.”
    â€œLet me check around.” Sick tension bled across the airwaves. “I’ll get back to you.”
    â€œMake it fast,” Constantine advised. “The clock is ticking.”
    â€œRomano—” Fear ripped apart Luc’s voice.
    â€œRemain calm. I’ll find her. And I’ll be in time.”
    For the sake of his sanity, he didn’t have any choice.
    Â 
    Gianna stirred, slowly surfacing, vaguely aware that the Jaguar was slowing. The wipers were on, swishing softly while rain pelted against the windshield. Were they home? She must have fallen asleep during the brief drive, she realized groggily. How strange. Her head lolled toward thewindow and she squinted at the darkness that consumed the car. No, not home, she realized. They weren’t even in the city.
    â€œDavid?” she murmured sleepily.
    â€œAlmost there. I hadn’t planned to make this trip tonight, so I need to stop for gas. Then it’s not much farther.”
    â€œWhere are we?”
    â€œA little north of Calistoga.”
    The information filtered through with sludgelike speed. When it did, the confusion clouding her mind began to clear. Calistoga? It took her a moment to place it. When she did, her breath caught. That was a solid hour outside of the city at the north end of the Napa Valley. Why in the world would he have driven so far? It didn’t make sense. “I don’t understand. What are we doing in Calistoga?”
    He spared her a brief, impatient look. “You should have finished your champagne. You were supposed to sleep until we reached the lodge.”
    Once again it took time to sort through his comment, but little by little she could feel the sluggishness fading away. She didn’t understand the wine comment and focused instead on his second statement. Lodge? What lodge? “I’m not going to any lodge with you. I want you to take me home.”
    â€œI’ll be happy to.” He paused a beat. “Tomorrow.”
    She shook her head in protest, shocked by the weight of it. Why was it so heavy? She could barely hold it up. “Something’s wrong with me,” she said. “I feel so odd.”
    â€œYou’re just tired. Put your seat back and go to sleep.”
    He’d said that to her before. This time it wasn’t a request, but an order, so firmly delivered, she almost didn’t resist. More than anything she wanted to obey him and surrender to the darkness just waiting to consume her once again. The champagne. He’d said something about the champagne.
    â€œYou drugged me.” She didn’t pose it as a question.
    Instead of protesting, he grinned like a schoolboy caught with his hand in the cookie jar. “Maybe just a little.”
    Fear, sudden and abrupt,