High Stakes Seduction - Book 2 by Ami LeCoeur Read Free Book Online Page A

bar, I scanned the room. Most of the men had that polished look that you associate with politicians or favor-seekers.
    Two men in particular stood out. One was standing near the sliding doors to the balcony. He seemed to be casually scanning the room, like me. But, he didn't have a drink, and he wasn't talking to anyone else, just standing there. The other was near the staircase, talking politely with a short, stooped over man leaning on his cane. He also seem to be scanning the room. For some reason, they reminded me of sentries.
    I made my way back to the couch, setting my drink on the table in front of me. Then, I let my imagination go, making up stories about why the sentries were here. Maybe they were watching for terrorists to infiltrate and try to steal state secrets. Maybe they were part of a human smuggling ring, looking for likely candidates. Or people they could interest in their wares. What if they were part of an advance team, preparing for alien abduction? Pretty silly, but I was getting bored.
    Most likely, they were simply bodyguards. After all, there were some important politicians here tonight.
    Loud laughter caught my attention at the other end of the room. A small group of men hovered around a chair, their attention focused on the woman seated there. Another man approached the group, drinks in hand. As the curtain of men parted, he passed the drink to the smiling woman.
    Sylvia , the upset woman from the other evening at dinner. She was obviously in her element here, basking in the attention the men rained down on her. Oh Henry, what were you accusing her of? I grinned, wondering where her Henry was at the moment.
    She obviously knew what she was doing. The men were entranced with what she was saying. I'd never really learned how to use my feminine wiles—at least not as effectively as this woman. Perhaps I could pick up a tip by watching her. Then I laughed. I was starting to remind myself of Gertrude. Juicy gossip, indeed!
    I decided to move closer to where she was sitting. There were enough people milling around, that I doubted she would notice me, and about now I was feeling like I could use a few good tips.
    I leaned up against a window that opened onto the balcony where the men were smoking their cigars and talking their man-talk. It was the perfect vantage point to watch Sylvia hold court.
    "Those are not the terms we agreed on, Walker!" I heard Antonio say through the open window. That shifted my attention pretty quickly, and while I continued to watch Sylvia, I was now far more interested in what I was overhearing from the balcony.
    "No! You leave the girl out of this. She has nothing to do with our agreement. We can take care of what needs to be done without bringing her into it." Antonio's voice was tight with agitation.
    "Whoa, whoa. No need to overreact, Tony. I had no idea you had special designs on her. I was just offering another possible plan of execution." The voice sounded familiar, but I couldn't quite place its owner.
    "Gentlemen, let's keep this conversation on track. No need to get personal, and no need to repeat ourselves. Stephens is the issue here, not the girl," the soothing voice of the politician insisted.
    "Well you need to figure out something soon," said the man with the familiar voice as he moved away from the window. "This cruise isn't just for fun, you know." Their voices receded into the background, covered up by the music and the sound of people in the room around me. But that didn't stop me from wondering what the hell was going on.
    I spotted Antonio heading toward me a few minutes later, his expression stony.
    “Is everything all right?” I asked, stepping over to greet him.
    “Nothing to concern yourself with,” he replied. “It’s getting late. Why don’t we head back to the cabin?”
    I nodded, happy to leave, though not happy with what I'd overheard, especially since it had changed Antonio’s mood so drastically.
    “Your meetings just seem to upset you