All In (The Blackstone Affair, Part 2) (18 page)

I tried to keep up with the art geek stuff
they talked about but it wasn’t easy for me. I don’t think I have
an artistic bone in my body. I can appreciate it though. Brynne’s
portrait was the epitome of art in my opinion.

“Do you want a ride back? Neil will take you
over there if you like,” I offered.

“No, that’s okay. I’ll get a cab—it’ll be
faster. I need to go right now, but thanks. I’ll see you at your
place tomorrow night, Ethan. Enjoy your lunch, you two.”

“Let me know how it works out,” Brynne told
her. “If anyone can fix the mess, it’s you, Gaby!”

Gabrielle hugged Brynne, waved off and left,
her tall curvy form attracting plenty of looks from appreciative
males as she made her way out of Gladstone’s.

I smiled at Brynne and took both of her
hands. “So I get you all to myself for lunch after all.” I
whispered the rest. “Too bad we’re in public.”

“I know. We never get to do this.” She
squeezed my hands a little. “You’ve had so much work lately and I
can only imagine with the Olympics. God, that’s huge, Ethan. All
those people.” She grinned. “William and Kate!”

I nodded. “Yes. They will be there for
events. Prince Harry too. He’s good fun.”

“You know him?” she asked incredulously.

I nodded again. “I can try to get an
introduction if you like…as long as you don’t have a thing for
princes with ginger hair.”

“Never,” she told me with seductive eyes. “I
am partial to security guys with dark hair.”

Who had turned on the blast furnace? I
actually looked around the room for an exit. If there was a door
marked ‘private’ I swear I’d have had her behind it and naked in
two seconds flat.

“You are so very cruel, Miss Bennett.”

She looked very pleased with herself sitting
there across from me in the restaurant. So pleased in fact, she
made me think fondly of the spanking I’d given her over the sink.
God she was a sexy thing, bent upon driving me mad…

“So back to your job. You are doing VIP
security for the flippin Olympics, Ethan!” Her excitement brought
me out of my head. Probably a damn good thing right now.

“Well, I’m not complaining, it’s good for
business but I could do without the stress. I just want everything
to run smooth. No plots or crazies with an axe to grind for their
bullshit cause, no bombs, or embarrassments and I can breathe.
Happy clients kept safe and I’ll be pleased.” I reached for my
wine. “Let’s order, I don’t think Ivan’s going to show…always
bloody late for everything!” I grumbled, opening my menu.

Brynne told me what she wanted in case the
waiter appeared and excused herself for the ladies. I watched her
walk away, and the looks she got from others as well. I sighed. As
much as Brynne carried her reserve, she still had that certain
something that made people notice her. Something I could have done
without for sure, but understood was part of the deal with her. Men
would always look at her.
And want her. And try to take her
away
.

Work was going utterly mad for me, and the
busier I got, the more stretched my focus became on the job at hand
and less able to watch out for her safety. The past two weeks had
been good for Brynne and me, and our relationship, but not without
worry. The worry would never go away. I’ve been in the security
business long enough to know that when things seem most in order
it’s not the time to let down your guard. She was still very
vulnerable and the thought made me insane.

“Sorry, E. Lost track of the time and all
that,” Ivan interrupted, plopping down across from me.

“Nice of you to show up. For the appointment
that
you
made, I might add. And don’t sit there. Brynne’s
with me.” I pointed to the next chair. “She’ll be back in a
moment.”

Ivan moved to the next chair over.
“Something came up and I got waylaid.”

“Yeah,” I snorted. “Your cock got waylaid.
Who were you in bed with this time?”

“Bugger off, it wasn’t that. Damn reporters
dogging me—say I need something more substantial than that.” He
eyeballed the wine and motioned for a waiter, the hollow look of
pain showing for just an instant before he masked it away from
prying eyes.

I let him be. My cousin had his faults but
then everyone has. It didn’t mean he’d deserved the lot he’d gotten
either. Yeah, Ivan was just as fucked up as the rest of us.

Brynne made her way back to the table a few
moments later, her expression unreadable, but if I could guess, I’d
say she had something on her mind. I wondered what it was.

I stood and reached for her hand, kicking
Ivan’s chair leg in the process so he’d get off his arse. He jumped
up and widened his eyes when he saw her. I wished I’d kicked his
leg instead of just the chair’s leg.

“Brynne, my cousin, Ivan Everley. Ivan,
Brynne Bennett, my very beautiful, and I might add, very
taken
, girlfriend.”

“
Enchanté
, Brynne.” He took her hand
and offered a kiss that barely passed as neutral in my book, but
then did I expect anything different from him?

Stupid rhetorical question
.

She smiled beautifully as always, greeting
Ivan politely as I seated her and then myself. Ivan just stood
there like a dimwit.

“You can sit now, cousin. And put your
tongue back in your mouth,” I said.

“Well, Brynne, I was prepared to ask you how
you managed to snag Ethan but now that I’ve met you finally, I
think the better question is for him.” Ivan made a show of looking
at me. “How in the hell did you capture such an exquisite creature
as this, E? I mean, just look at her! And you? Well, you are so
dull and surly all the time.” He focused back to Brynne. “My dear,
what do you see in him?” He made a face of mock interest and rested
his chin on his hand propped up by an elbow.

“God, you are such an idiot, Ivan!”

Brynne laughed and made a comment about how
determined I’d been to get her out on a date with me. “He was very
persistent, Ivan. Ethan never gave up on me, and I finally went out
on that date.” She took a sip of wine and winked at me. “The two of
you are so very different. Have you always been this close?” Brynne
asked.

“Yes.” We both answered her at the same
time. Ivan met eyes with me and we had that communication for an
instant, but then turned it off just as quickly in the next
instant. That conversation was for another time. This was
social.

“Close to killing him!” I smirked at Brynne.
“No, seriously, I keep him alive and tolerate his many annoyances,
and Ivan is dutifully grateful, isn’t that right, Ivan?”

“I suppose…it’s better than wanting me
dead,” he answered.

Brynne laughed. “Who wants you dead,
Ivan?”

“Lot’s of people!” Ivan and I spoke again at
the same time.

We both laughed at a bemused Brynne and then
the waiter showed up to do his thing, so it was few minutes before
I was able to explain about my very eclectic cousin.

“Hmmmm, where to start?” I paused for
effect. “Our mothers were sisters and we’ve been around each other
since…forever. Without the blood connection I doubt we’d ever have
met though. Ivan is aristocracy, you know. In heredity and in the
eyes of the World Archery Federation.” Ivan scowled at me. “Brynne,
you are looking at Lord Rothvale, thirteenth Baron or some rot, or
Lord Ivan
as he’s called among his sporting compatriots.” I
gestured with a flourish. “In the flesh.”

It was Brynne’s turn to look shocked.
“Rothvale…as in the gallery where I conserve paintings?”

“Well yeah. That’s my great, great, great
grandfather it’s named for, but I have no connection to the
Rothvale Gallery,” Ivan said.

“But you do at the National,” I reminded
him.

Brynne looked at me incredulous and then
back to Ivan. “You are on the board of directors at the National
Gallery, Ivan?”

He blew out a huge sigh. “Well yes, my dear,
but not by choice. I’ve inherited the appointment and can’t seem to
get rid of it. My knowledge is pretty weak I am afraid. Not like
you, an expert at restoring paintings E tells me.”

“I love what I do. I’m working on the most
lovely Mallerton right now.” Brynne looked at me and reached for my
hand. “Ethan helped me solve a mystery of the title of the book the
woman in the painting was holding.”

“She’s really brilliant, Ivan,” I concurred,
brushing my thumb over her hand that I didn’t want to let go of, “I
just translated a little French for her.”

Ivan sounded amused. “Wow…you two are really
into it together. Shall I leave you to your lunch in private where
you can translate more French for her?”

Brynne snatched her hand away. I glared at
Ivan.

Ivan answered with a smirk. “I might have a
job for someone actually. Maybe a whole crew.” He shrugged. “My
estate in Ireland, Donadea, has rooms and rooms full of nineteenth
century paintings. A shitload of Mallerton’s too.” Ivan looked up
sheepishly. “Pardon my French, but I need them gone through and
cataloged. I don’t think they’ve been touched in a century.” He
shook his head and held his hands up. “I don’t even know what’s all
there, just that there’s a ton of it and it needs a professional’s
attention. It’s on my list of things to do.” Ivan tilted his head
at Brynne and offered a look that was far too flirty than it should
have been for being directed at my girlfriend. “Interested?”

No, she’s definitely not interested in going
to your Irish estate and cataloging your paintings while you try to
finagle a way to get her into bed with you!

“Yes!” Brynne said.

“Ugh,” I groaned. “Only if I come along as
chaperone, and my docket is quite full until after August.” I gave
him a look to let him know that Brynne would go alone to his estate
in Ireland over my dead and decomposing body.

“What? You don’t trust me, E? Your own
blood, too.” He shook his head. “So sad.”

“With her? No way!” I picked up Brynne’s
hand again, the urge to touch her overriding the fact that I was a
jealous bastard with anyone who tried to flirt with her, even my
cousin.

“You know, I should introduce you to
Gabrielle. My roommate—she’s doing her dissertation on Mallerton.
She’s the one to do your job, Ivan. Gaby was just here too and had
to go off. It’s a pity you two didn’t meet.” Brynne smiled sweetly,
obviously pleased with her suggestion. She tugged her hand out of
mine with a little pat and then a censuring look.

“Yes!” I said, suddenly interested.
“Gabrielle would be perfect for the job, Ivan.” The sparks flying
between the two of them would be a show I wouldn’t want to miss.
And hell, it was Brynne’s idea so I was completely off the hook.
Anything to distract him from Brynne worked for me. “I’ll introduce
you to her at the Mallerton Gala. Try not to talk too much and
you’ll be fine,” I patronized. “Just show her the paintings.”

He ignored me and focused instead on
charming my girlfriend. “Why thank you, Brynne. I would love to
meet your friend and have her tackle the job. You have no idea.
It’s the proverbial monkey on my back that needs to be on his way
like decades ago…”

Ha! Wait until you get a load of Gabrielle
and you’ll be wishing for that little monkey clawing at your
back!

Lunch arrived at that point and we got down
to it. Ivan jabbering to Brynne about nonsense, and then to me
about his security problems; before I knew it was time to get
back.

I left Brynne with Ivan while I went to get
the car pulled around front. Ivan winked at me and gave assurance
he’d keep a good eye on her for me. I told him thanks for buying
our lunch and gave him a warning look that left no question about
just how much I needed his help. I knew my cousin was just playing
with me. The poor man was probably in shock to see me like this
over a girl and I’m sure he’d have plenty to say to me about her in
a private conversation.
Lovely
.

I handed the ticket to the valet and scanned
the area. It was habit, just something I did when I was out. A
bloke in a brown jacket leaned against the building waiting. He had
that hungry look to him and a camera around his neck. I pegged him
immediately as paparazzi. They lived for shots of celebrities
coming and going from establishments like Gladstone’s where anyone
could show up at any time.

The valet handed off my car and I got inside
to wait. I tuned on the music and got
Butterfly
by Crazy
Town. Perfect song, I thought, tapping my thumb on the steering
wheel while Brynne and Ivan took their damn, sweet time getting
outside.

I wasn’t thrilled about where I was taking
Brynne either. Photo shoot. If there was one thing I could change
about my girl that would be it. I absolutely loathed and despised
that she got naked for the camera and that other men saw her body.
It was a thing of beauty, true, but I just didn’t want anyone else
to see what was
mine
.

My thoughts were interrupted by the car door
as Ivan opened it for Brynne, kissing her on both cheeks and making
a big show of saying goodbye.

At the same time, that fucking photographer
started snapping pictures! They looked like celebrities even if
they weren’t, and Ivan technically was.
Christ almighty!

Brynne looked stunning on the street talking
to my cousin. How would I ever survive this, I thought. The desire
for a smoke nearly had me gasping but my vice would have to wait
for the moment.

“Goodbye, Ivan! It was so lovely to meet you
today and it’ll be wonderful seeing you again at the Mallerton Gala
soon.” Brynne got into her seat and smiled up at him.

“It was lovely to meet you too, Brynne
Bennett,” Ivan grinned and then bent down to speak to me, “take
care of this gorgeous girl for me, now would you? No fits and
tantrums, okay, E? You can do it. ” He was laughing as he shut the
door.