The Third Son by Elise Marion Read Free Book Online Page B

almond shaped eyes and a lush mouth was quirked into a slight smirk as she stared back at him. She had changed into a simple skirt and blouse that draped slightly to reveal one bare shoulder. Her hair hung unbound down her back in lustrous black waves, making Damien’s fingers itch to reach out and stroke the silky locks.
    “I’m sorry,” he managed after the few moments it took for him to find his voice. “I didn’t mean any harm.”
    She nodded and smiled. “Dominic is very protective of the girls who work here. Particularly the dancers. A lot of men get the wrong idea,” she said pointedly, the smile disappearing almost as quickly as it had appeared. “They think that the girls who work here are available for other things. Things that have nothing to do with dancing. We are not.”
    “That is not my intention,” he said quickly, almost ashamed that she had been able to guess at his thoughts. He decided on another tactic, one that could be risky, but could be fruitful if his instincts proved true. “I was told that Gypsies lived in this part of this city. I inquired and someone told me that you could tell me where I could find a fortune-teller.” The girl nodded and Damien smiled triumphantly. He had found an opening.
    “Yes,” she said. “My grandmother is the best. I can take her to you now, if you have time.”
    Damien nodded and stood. “Of course.”
    “Dominic, I’m taking this man to see grandmother. Lock up when you’re done and I’ll leave the ledgers until tomorrow.”
    “Maybe you ought to wait for Tristan,” Dominic said, still watching Damien as if he were a snake he expected to strike at any moment. “He’ll be awful upset if he finds out you’ve left without him.”
    Damien wondered if the mysterious guitar player was this Tristan and hoped fervently that he was not this girl’s husband or lover. And what as this talk of ledgers? Surely , this girl was not involved in the running of this establishment. She accepted the fringed shawl Dominic gave her from the coat rack behind the bar and draped it over her shoulders.
    “This gentleman will be with me and I’m sure I’ll be perfectly safe for a few blocks.”  
    Damien nodded. “Of course,” he said. “Perfectly safe, I assure you.”
    The bartender’s concerned expression aside, he seemed to accept her decision. Damien held the door open for her and followed her out into the night.
    “It’s a short walk. Your horse will be safe here for a while,” she said, indicating Persephone, who was hitched to a nearby post.
    He fell in step beside her, unsure for the first time in his life how to act around a female. She seemed so confident . H er long strides were nearly equal to his as they navigated down a narrow lane spotted with small cottages.
    “What’s your name?” he asked, starting simply. This girl, this woman, seemed a no nonsense type of person.
    “Esmeralda,” she said, her voice a velvety caress in the night, filling his mind with images of naked flesh and all manner of other erotic thoughts.
    “Damien,” he replied. 
    “Yes,” she said, turning to study him intently. “I know exactly who you are.”

Chapter 4
    Esmeralda fought the urge to laugh. After all, wouldn’t such a thing anger the royal prince? But his expression when she had revealed her knowledge of his identity had been priceless. 
    “Prince Damien,” she continued. “I recognize you from the palace. Did you think that I wouldn’t?” she asked when he looked at her, baffled. 
    How could she have forgotten him? He had watched her at The Golden Dancer the same way he had at the palace, with the same fiery intensity with which he watched her now. His eyes were emerald flames, causing her skin to tingle slightly when they moved over her slowly.
    He was dressed plainly, but his clothes were expertly tailored and of high quality. His olive green coat was without adornment but it clung lovingly to broad shoulders and accentuated the tapering of