by A. C. Arthur
Jordan caught a glimpse of himself in the glass as he approached the building. Overpriced, tattered jeans. A T-shirt that read Icon. An unbuttoned, blue check shirt. Black motorcycle boots. His thick, curly hair grown out in twists.
He was no bloody banker. Artist. Metal sculptor. Professional badass. Any of the above applied. But a banker?
Not in this lifetime or the next.
Jordan checked his watch. It was nearly one o’clock in the afternoon. The opening for the latest exhibit of his work at his art gallery, Sorella, began in six hours.
Vaughn better make this quick.
Jordan scanned the modern, industrial space. Exposed brick. Concrete floors. Metal railings. Offices with glass walls and doors. Masculine, minimalist, modern furniture. No one was milling about the club.
He entered the building and made his way to the treasurer’s office. There was Vaughn seated behind his glass-and-steel desk.
A career military man, Vaughn carried himself with poise. Stern scowl, confident demeanor, erect posture. But the man fidgeting behind that desk looked as if his seat was littered with thumbtacks, and he couldn’t quite get comfortable.
Something is very wrong.
Whatever it was, Jordan didn’t like it. Nor did he have the time or inclination to deal with any Millionaire Moguls drama today.
His assistant had been ringing his mobile all morning about the opening at the gallery that night. If he didn’t get there soon, Lydia Dyson might need to crank up the dosage on her anxiety meds.
Jordan barged through Vaughn’s partially open office door without knocking. He dropped onto one of the leather guest chairs on the other side of the man’s desk and crossed one ankle over his knee.
“So, what is it you needed to see me about so bloody desperately that it couldn’t wait until after my show tonight?” Jordan studied the man’s reaction.
Vaughn’s face went through a rapid series of emotions. Miffed that Jordan hadn’t knocked. Unnerved about whatever it was he wanted to discuss. Annoyed with Jordan’s cockiness after he read his T-shirt.
All of which deepened Jordan’s smirk.
Vaughn returned his gaze to the paperwork he was reviewing on his desk.
“How long have you been a member of the San Diego chapter of Prescott George, Jordan?”
“Since I hopped across the pond. About a year ago, I guess.”
“And how long were you a member of the London chapter before that?”
“A few years, I suppose. Why does it matter?” Jordan leaned into two fingers, pressed against his temple. “You didn’t bring me down here to complete inconsequential paperwork that could have been handled just as easily via text, did you?”
“No.” Vaughn put down his pen and frowned deeply, his hands steepled over his belly. “But I need to know how you feel about Prescott George.”
Something most definitely isn’t right.
Jordan sat up, clasping his hands in his lap. “Prescott George is a storied organization steeped in history. And over the years it’s done a lot of good.”
There.
He’d told the truth, but just enough of it that he wouldn’t piss anyone off with what he really thought of the idea of an exclusive club for a bunch of wankers who thought themselves better than everyone else.
“But...?” Vaughn wasn’t prepared to accept his textbook response. And he knew enough of Jordan to realize that if he poked a little harder he’d get the unfiltered truth.
“Why is this important? And why is it important now?” Jordan fidgeted in his chair, wired by the energy required to filter his thoughts and restrain his tongue.
Neither of which he was very good at.
“Because. I need to know.” Vaughn narrowed his gaze, his jaw set.
“Fine. You want to know the truth? Then I’ll tell you. Prescott George does quite a lot of good for its members and the community, but I happen to strongly disagree with its elitist, exclusionary nature.”
“We can’t all be principled artists with the luxury of living off our trust funds, now can we?” Vaughn seethed. His words were a direct hit to Jordan’s ego, and he knew it.
It was true. When Jordan had first left college, he’d been dependent on his trust fund. However, he’d quickly made a name for himself on the London art scene and had eventually come to San Diego, purchased a studio and started to grow his brand here.
He wasn’t exactly a household name, yet. However, he had public art installations in various cities in the US and in Europe. And he certainly wasn’t dependent on his family’s money any longer.
“There are plenty of self-made men like Chris Marland here, too,” Vaughn continued, referring to the San Diego chapter president.
“And I admire such men.” Jordan forced a smile. He refused to give Vaughn the satisfaction of knowing how peeved he was by his dig about him being a trust fund baby. “But we also have a great many members whose primary reason for joining the club is to enjoy the orgasmic pleasure of having someone else stroke their egos for a change.” Jordan’s smirk deepened when Vaughn scowled at his crude reference.
“Then why join the club at all?”
“Us nonconforming, trust fund babies must find some way to keep the parents happy, now mustn’t we?” Jordan checked his watch again and frowned. He put both feet on the floor and clasped his hands between his knees. “Now, are you going to tell me what this is all about or not? I’m in no mood for a guessing game today, mate. Out with it already.”
Vaughn cleared his throat and tipped his chin, his eyes meeting Jordan’s. “Got the initial report on the recent break-in here.”
“All right.” Jordan leaned forward. “What’ve you learned about the robbery?”
Vaughn released a long sigh as he reviewed the document again. “There was evidence of a residue left behind, quite possibly by the perpetrator.”
“What kind of residue?” Jordan was losing patience with Vaughn’s deliberate evasiveness.
He met Jordan’s gaze. “It was a powder often used in metalworking. The kind of thing a metal sculptor might use.”
It took a few moments for Jordan to get his meaning. Not because he was daft, but because he was gobsmacked that the man could even think of making such an accusation.
“You can’t possibly be accusing me of having anything to do with such a pedestrian prank? No, you must surely be having a laugh at my expense.” Jordan shot to his feet. “Any other day, perhaps I’d find it amusing. But today I’ve got no time for joking, mate. Got an exhibition at the gallery tonight, or have you forgotten?”
“I’m afraid it’s no joke.” Vaughn looked pained by the entire ordeal.
“You’re mad as a bag of ferrets if you believe this bollocks.” Jordan paced the floor. He gestured around the office. “Nothing here is worth my time. If I wanted it, I’d simply purchase it for myself.”
“Since you have such a love-hate relationship with the club, perhaps you did it as a joke. Or maybe as a way to piss everyone here off.”
“Do I look the sort of tosser that would risk getting nicked for a practical joke?”
“Then how do you explain the metalworking powder residue found at the scene?” Vaughn kept his voice calm. Controlled. Rather than settling him, it only made him want to punch the man in his smug face.
“That’s not my job, now is it?” Jordan folded his arms defiantly, then blew an exasperated breath as he flopped into the chair again. “Innocent until proven guilty and all that.”
“True.” Vaughn nodded sagely, tapping a pen on the blasted investigative report. He raised his eyes to meet Jordan’s again. “But then there’s the anonymous reports received by a local gossip blog.”
“Naming me as the culprit?”
“Hinting that the heist was an inside job.” Vaughn put the pen down and studied his reaction. “Put the resi
due and the news that it’s an inside job together and—”
“You and the wanker who set you on to this idea are completely barmy. So what if there was residue from my metalworking? I’m in here often enough, aren’t I?”
“I agree that you’re not a very likely suspect. You may be a pompous ass, but I doubt that you’re a thief.” Vaughn seemed relieved. “Still, I had to ask.”
“I understand.” Jordan hadn’t realized his heart was racing. His breathing slowed and he nodded. “So who do you suspect?”
“That’s just it.” Vaughn shrugged. “I don’t have any idea why someone inside our club would do this. Especially now...when we’ve been nominated as Prescott George’s Chapter of the Year. The timing couldn’t be worse.”
“True. That still puts us no closer to knowing exactly who the dodgy prat is who’d do something like this.”
“I just printed out a few copies of our membership list.” Vaughn shoved some papers across his desk at Jordan. “Got a few minutes to go over it with me? I’d love a second opinion on who might be responsible.”
Jordan groaned and checked his Devon Tread watch. He honestly didn’t have time for this tosh. But perhaps he should show some gratitude for Vaughn’s confidence in him.
He picked up the stack of names and pored over them. After a half an hour of comparing notes on various members of the club, Jordan’s phone rang again. This time it was his father. His mother had rang a handful of times earlier in the day.
Jordan sent the call to voice mail. He didn’t want to hear either of their excuses about why they wouldn’t be able to make tonight’s exhibition this time.
“This round of who’s the barmy bastard has been fun.” Jordan shoved his phone back into his pocket and stood. “But I’ve got a show to put on tonight. Shall I expect you and your lovely wife to be in attendance?”
“Miranda and I have a previous engagement tonight. I’m sorry we’ll miss it.” Vaughn settled back in his seat. “And I hope there are no hard feelings about our conversation today.”
“You didn’t have much of a choice, I s’pose.” Jordan shrugged. “But I can’t promise to be so forgiving if it should ever happen again.”
Jordan put on his shades and made his way back to his car. Time to focus on tonight’s event. The only thing he really cared about.
Copyright © 2018 by Harlequin Books S.A.
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IMPRINT: M&B Kimani Romance eBooks, Digital Exclusives
ISBN: 9781489260703
TITLE: ONE UNFORGETTABLE KISS
First Australian Publication 2018
Copyright © 2018 Artist Arthur
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