Demon’s Little Lamb: Chapter 2

“Everyone’s in play,” Geovanni’s voice said through Azriel’s earpiece. “The girl just entered the building and is headed for the ballroom.”

“Good. Let the appropriate staff know when she gets deeper into the area. They need to subtly push her in Luxemberry’s direction. I want them running into each other sooner rather than later.”

Azriel Ivanovich was nothing if not a cold-hearted bastard. What he was doing was cruel, but, then, he’d never been nice to his enemies. He was fairly certain the only partially innocent person in this whole endeavor was Rachel Luxemberry, and she was questionable. She might not be involved in the conspiracy to take over Argent Tech, but she was guilty of many other things. As far as he was concerned, her husband, James, and the little tart they’d placed in an internship at Argent deserved whatever happened next.

He’d been more upset at himself for getting sucked in by Lamb Newsome’s intellect and innocence. He’d watched the interview with rapt attention. She’d seemed nervous, but excited. Passionate about the work she did at the university. It was that passion and enthusiasm that had won him over. She was intelligent and proficient enough in her field of study to be able to pick up easily what they had to teach her at Argent. She’d soak up that knowledge like a sponge and, if they were lucky, would agree to stay on after her internship was done.

All in all, Azriel had expected Lamb Newsome to be a tremendous asset in the future. To top it all off, she was absolutely stunning. Pale, creamy skin, silky black locks that fell in a cascade down her back to well past her hips — she was exotic. Her eyes were a clear blue, making him think she had to have some kind of contact enhancement. A quick look at her file told him she didn’t. Her vision was perfect, according to her eye exam. No. Lamb was a natural beauty. Slight, sensual curves softened her figure. Azriel longed to shape those curves with his big hands, then wrap his body around hers until she was as tangible as he wanted her to be instead of some nymph sent to torment his dreams.

Then he’d learned of her treachery. Or, at least, her complicity in it. He was about to get at least a modicum of revenge because he was fairly certain the little spy had no idea the man she was reporting to was married.

“She’s on the move. Looking for someone.” Giovanni Romano was the best computer intelligence person Azriel had ever met. He’d been bested once by Alexei’s wife, Merrily, and by Suzie, a bright young woman with a very large, very protective man at Bones MC in Somerset, twice. Other than those two women, Azriel didn’t know of anyone else who’d gotten past Giovanni’s cyber security.

“Probably our James Luxemberry.” Azriel would bet his fortune on it.

“Probably, but I’m not so sure.” There was something in Giovanni’s tone that brought Azriel to high alert.

“Explain,” he snapped.

“She’s greeted several of her coworkers with warm hugs. She’s not self-conscious at all. There was an invitation that went out at Miss Newsome’s request to one of the candidates we didn’t pick.” There was a brief pause while Giovanni looked for the name of the person he was referring to. “One Karen Leigh. According to her cell phone records, she and Miss Newsome are close friends.”

“So, you think Lamb is looking for Miss Leigh?”

“Possibly. She doesn’t act like she’s looking for a lover or a male companion of any kind.”

“Hmm.” He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Is Miss Leigh in attendance?”

“Not yet. She R.S.V.P.’d, but if she’s coming, she’d be more than an hour late.”

“Let it play out. If things don’t unfold as badly as I think they will, at least she won’t leave right away.”

Azriel watched the deceitful little vixen wander through the crowd. With each passing second, she looked less and less excited. Up to this point, she’d been all smiles. Giovanni had been right in that she’d not looked like she’d been waiting for a lover. Not once had she looked for anyone during dinner. Instead, she’d happily chatted with her new colleagues, even making new acquaintances. Everyone she met seemed charmed by Lamb. Her grace and beauty were obviously more than skin deep. It made Azriel rethink the plan. If she were innocent, if James Luxemberry had been playing her, Azriel would hurt her even more. For some reason, that made his chest ache and his gut clench.

As he continued to watch, Lamb was skillfully nudged in the direction he’d wanted her to go. His staff was both efficient and skillful at carrying out his instructions. The smirk tugging at his expression couldn’t be helped. Cain from Bones often scoffed at him and Alex referring to themselves as president and vice president of the Shadow Demons. They might not ride a fucking Harley, but it wasn’t because neither of them could. They simply preferred the faster Suzuki Hayabusa or a Dodge Tomahawk, two of the fastest bikes in the world. Though both Bones and Salvation’s Bane would probably scoff at the Shadow Demons, most of the time Azriel preferred speed to muscle. At least, in his choice of bikes. And if the Tomahawk wasn’t street legal in the U.S., Azriel was rich enough to either simply pay the fucking fine or buy his way out of it. Whichever suited him in the moment.

He wondered which little Lamb would prefer? The noisy, rattling Harley, or the raw speed and power of a Ninja? It’d be fun to find out, especially if she were an adrenaline junky like him. She’d be so wet by the time he got her home, the sex would be out of this world.

Yeah. Not happening.

Three of his staff serving drinks slid gracefully out of her way and little Lamb came face to face with James Luxemberry. This first look at each other would tell Azriel most of what he needed to know. Namely, were the two in cahoots together or simply lovers who just happened to meet at a bar by a sandy beach? He held his breath.

“Here they go.” Giovanni’s voice came softly from the earpiece Azriel wore. He, Alexei and Giovanni often worked the ballroom like this. Always Giovanni was at his bank of computer screens with an eye on every corner of the room. Now was no exception.

Lamb was right next to James but her back was to James’s side. When the server called out softly to her, offering Lamb another drink, Lamb turned so that she was almost facing James. She declined another drink, but set her empty champagne flute on the tray with a smile and a kind “Thank you.” Then she noticed James. Did a double take.

“James?”

The man turned to her, a grin on his face. Until he got a good look at her. Then he froze.

“Ohmigod! James!” Lamb nearly squealed in excitement, throwing herself into his arms.

And Azriel… saw red.

The last person in the world Lamb expected to see tonight was James. She was so surprised and genuinely glad to see him, she forgot where she was or that there were people around them. She hugged him fiercely. “I’m so glad to see you!” Letting him go and pulling back to smile up at him, Lamb continued in a rush. “I thought I’d never see you again! When I left, I forgot to get your number or even an email address.” Then she noticed the woman standing next to him who’d sidled closer, slipping her hand around his upper arm.

And her stomach dropped.

She looked from one of them to the other, realizing she’d fucked up royally. Stupid mistake. She should have gotten a feel for the atmosphere before she threw herself at James. Hell, this was a formal party. Throwing oneself at anyone wasn’t the proper way to behave in this setting.

“I’m so sorry,” Lamb said, backing off and looking down at the floor in embarrassment. “I hope neither of you will be offended. I was just happy to see James and didn’t consider he’d be with someone else.” She looked at the woman next to him when she spoke. “Please forgive my forwardness.”

“You must be an old friend of Robert’s,” the woman answered. She didn’t sound unkind or even angry. Just… cold. Stiff. Almost resigned. As if she’d been through all this before and didn’t like it any more now than she had in the past.

“Uh, yes.” Lamb shook her head, flustered. “No. Not exactly. We met a few months ago in Key West.” She met the woman’s gaze, hoping to convey her acceptance that Robert was with another woman. “I apologize for intruding.”

“Key West?” She turned sharply to Robert. “You met her in Key West?”

“Miss Newsome was on a holiday she’d rescheduled from spring break. We talked in a bar for a brief period, my love.”

The “my love” part made Lamb inhale sharply, something the woman didn’t miss. Lamb also was acutely aware he’d reduced their week together to a mere few minutes in a bar.

“Well, Miss Newsome. It’s lovely to have met you. I’m Mrs. Rachel Luxemberry. James’s wife of ten years.”

Lamb wished the floor could open up and swallow her whole. She’d slept with a married man. Not once, but many times over those days in paradise. No wonder he hadn’t contacted her. Or given her a way to contact him. At the time, she’d kicked herself for not asking for a way to call him, to keep in touch. Looking back, she realized he’d distracted her every time she’d intended to. As if he’d known what she’d want and had long experience avoiding it.

“I’m so sorry, Mrs. Luxemberry.” Finally, Lamb pulled herself together. “I wish I could say I’d heard so much about you, but was unaware James… that is, Mr. Luxemberry, was married. Please accept my sincerest apologies.” Without another word, Lamb ducked her head again and retreated. Unsure where exactly she was going, she made it her goal to get out of the ballroom and someplace private where she could regain her composure. Once she was sure she could keep it together, she’d touch base with a few more of her coworkers and her boss, then get the hell out of Dodge.

The next half hour passed in a blur. Lamb made it to the ladies’ room quickly and had her breakdown. Ten minutes later, eyes slightly puffy but nothing she couldn’t explain away as a pet allergy, she was back out on the floor mingling. Every so often, she’d catch a glimpse of James. Every single time he caught her gaze and held it. The stress was starting to get to her.

Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore. Lamb wasn’t sure if she’d seen everyone she needed to or done everything she was supposed to, but she absolutely could not take another second. She was making her way out when James intercepted her, gripping her upper arm and bending close to her to whisper at her ear.

“Come with me, honey. We need to talk, and I need to explain things to you.”

“I think things are perfectly clear. No need to talk or explain.”

“Yes, honey, there is.” He pulled her just outside the ballroom into what looked like a small conference room.

“Don’t call me honey,” she snapped. “How could you, James?” Lamb knew she sounded more hurt than angry. She might not love the cheating bastard, but she had developed feelings for him. How could she not? He was her first true lover. The first man she’d had sex with more than a couple of times. It hadn’t been fabulous, but it had been fun. “How could you do this to your wife?”

“That’s what we need to talk about, baby. Rachel and I have an… understanding. We both take lovers when we need to, but agree to always return to each other.” He looked away, the muscles in his jaw clenching and unclenching. “It’s an arrangement I’ve come to question since I met you.”

Lamb couldn’t believe the nerve of this guy. “Look. I understand that, for whatever reason, you don’t feel you did anything wrong. I respect that. This is an arrangement you have with your wife, an arrangement I’m not really sure she believes in, but it’s not the same for me. Marriage is sacred. And I hate to be misled.”

“Would you have slept with me if I’d told you the truth?”

“No! How could you ever ask me that?”

“Because I wanted you from about five minutes into our conversation. You’re bright, funny, and incredibly lovely. You matched me wit for wit. Do you realize how long it’s been since I’ve had a woman keep up with me?”

“Wow. That didn’t sound insulting or anything,” she muttered. “Look. I can appreciate that men like you and women like your wife are in a situation where it benefits you to be together without really loving each other. Again, I get it. But I’m not like that. I’m not so judgmental as to think I’ll never be like that, but I can tell you that I’m not there yet.”

“When there is money involved, my lovely little darling, it goes with the territory.”

“And I’m not that wealthy. In fact, my net worth is in the negative with all my student loans. I could sell every single thing I own, including my dog, and still not come out ahead. I like you. I enjoyed my time with you. But I will not continue a sexual relationship with you now that I know you’re married.”

James gave her a conspiratorial look, obviously about to change tactics. “You know, I can help you. Here. At Argent.”

She blinked. Of all the things Lamb was expecting, having James slide into her professional life wasn’t even in the ballpark. “I thought you’d retired.”

“A man in my position never really retires, Lamb. I still have connections. Even here at Argent. Rush Developments had several contracts with Argent that I personally negotiated. I could put in a good word for you. See to it you have a secure position here after your internship. We could work together to better both companies.”

“If I get a job at Argent after my internship, I’ll get there on my own merit, Mr. Luxemberry.”

“Come on, Lamb. We’re too close for you to call me by my last name.” The bastard even managed to look hurt.

“I even asked you point blank if you were married! I’m fully aware you never denied it, but you led me to believe you weren’t.” She shoved her way past him, putting herself between him and the door.

“I’m so sorry, honey,” he said, switching back to sweet and sincere mode. “I know it was wrong of me, but I was so taken with you I had to secure you for my own.”

“You just said you always came back to your wife! That’s your arrangement with her!” God, she wanted to pull her hair out. That was the problem with lies. One tended to forget them. Especially when thinking on the fly. Not to worry, though. He quickly recovered. Lamb wanted to snort in derision.

“I also said I was rethinking that arrangement.” He stepped closer to her, prompting Lamb to take a step back. “The two of us could make an unstoppable team. I’d actually come here tonight in the hopes I’d see you.” He smiled. “I’d just thought I’d have a chance to explain about Rachel before I saw you.”

“It wouldn’t have mattered,” Lamb said softly, raising her chin. She just kept from wrapping her arms around herself for comfort. That would be a sign of weakness, and she absolutely would not look weak in front of this man. “You’re married, Mr. Luxemberry. Any arrangement we might have had would be strictly platonic. Given we’ve already had sex, that scenario is simply impossible.”

Before he could tell her he’d settle for that if it meant having her with him — nudge-nudge wink-wink — she raised her hand and continued. “You might be able to get over it, but I can’t. Did I expect to ever see you again? No. Did I fall in love with you? Not at all. But I did care for you. I had these fond memories that all came swamping back when I saw you in that ballroom.”

Oh, God. She could feel the tears pooling in her eyes. “I know it makes me a fool, but I was actually glad when I saw you in there. I’m sorry I made a scene in front of your wife, but if I’d been prepared, it never would have happened. None of it. And she wouldn’t be embarrassed.” Lamb knew she was rambling but couldn’t help it. She was about to lose her composure and wasn’t about to do it in front of this… this… asshole! “Now. If you’ll excuse me. I’ve done my duty by my coworkers. I’m leaving.”

“Let me at least see you get home, honey.” James was actually still acting concerned. Did he think she was going to change her mind?

“I made it all the way from the Keys on my own. I can make it across town.” She gave him a cheerful smile she knew didn’t make it to her eyes. “It’s been lovely, Mr. Luxemberry. I’ll do my best to stay out of your way from here on out.”

“Don’t bet on it, honey. You’re the one woman I need more than anyone. I’ll change your mind.”

Deciding to throw his own words back at him, Lamb gave him a hard glare. “Don’t bet on it.”