Revenge for Hire (The Get Even Agency)

by Lynn, Janice

Her lip went lower and she sloshed champagne over the rim of her glass. “That’s not nice, Jude.”

  Jude grabbed Avery’s elbow and pulled her to his side. “Mandy, you’ll have to excuse me. I owe my date a dance.”

  “You’re dating the help now?”

  “Only when they say yes,” Jude responded without missing a beat.

  Avery admired how he handled the woman. His voice never rose. He didn’t strike out, just walked away with Avery securely at his side.

  “How long till you have her posing as one of your centerfolds, Jude?” Mandy tossed out another parting shot.

  Jude ignored her.

  Avery couldn’t. She wanted to scratch the woman’s eyes out. Of course, she was honest enough to admit that her relationship with Jude influenced her opinion.

  “Who is she?” she asked, wondering how Jude would describe his relationship with Mandy Sims.

  “Simon’s daughter.”

  “Ah, the boss’ daughter.”

  He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her flush to him. “There’s nothing between us, if that’s what you’re implying.”

  “Was I implying anything?” she asked, toying with his jacket lapel.

  “Sounded that way.”

  “Sounded like she thought she had a right to you and she did walk up and kiss your mouth.”

  “She doesn’t.” He grinned down at her. “The only woman I want kissing my mouth is you.”

  Avery reminded herself that the man was a natural born charmer and probably always said the right thing. “But she did at one time? Have a right to you, that is?”

  His feet stilled, and his expression took on a serious slant. “Angel, a lot of women have thought they had a right to me at one time or another. None of them ever have, and I’ve never given any of them reason to believe they ever would.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I’ve never committed myself to any woman. Not since high school.”

  “What happened in high school?”

  He laughed. “Let’s just say I learned the hard way that commitment is a two-way street, and vows are never to be broken.”

  “Sounds serious.”

  “It was.”

  They moved in slow steps, their bodies pressed together in rhythmic harmony.

  “For the record,” Avery said, knowing she needed to clear the air. “I don’t want any rights over you, Jude.”

  “No?”

  “I don’t expect something of you that I’m unwilling to give in return. No man will ever own me.” She met his gaze with steely resolve. “But I do want more of what you gave me last night.”

  His throat worked and a mixture of emotions crossed his face. “Here? On the dance floor?”

  His tone teased, but there was a danger in his eyes that said he’d take up her challenge if she threw the gauntlet down.

  “You wouldn’t happen to know if there are any dark hallways around?”

  He chuckled, bent, popped a kiss on her mouth. “You keep this up, and I’m going to drag you beneath a table.”

  Automatically, her gaze darted around the ballroom in search of a table that might lend itself to privacy.

  “Angel,” his tone warned.

  “Jude,” she responded. “You shouldn’t make promises you don’t intend to keep.”

  He snorted. “I never make a promise I don’t intend to keep. Sometimes life would be a lot simpler if I did.”

  “Oh?” There was too much emotion in his words for there not to be a deeper meaning.

  He grinned and brushed his lips over her ear lobe, kissing her above her diamond and emerald earring. His breath was hot and moist when he whispered, “I promise, before the night is over, I’m going to know what it feels like to peel a Claire Davis original off a beautiful woman’s body.”

  * * *

  Avery’s stomach roiled when she glanced at the pate on her plate. A plate Cassidy delivered. Jude’s plate held a similar appetizer, but he’d yet to touch his either. However, she doubted for the same reason. He was busy schmoozing and talking up the magazine to the crowds that seemed to eat up his every word. The man was a natural born charmer.

  Nausea tightened her throat.

  She didn’t want to follow through with this, didn’t want to whine, demand Jude’s attention just be on her, do things that made him look stupid, do things that pissed off Mrs. Yamaguchi and would leave the woman forever disliking Jude.

  Cassidy would know if she didn’t.

  Which meant Courtney and Randi would know.

  She’d never live it down if she backed away from a mark. If she let emotion for Jude get to her. If she let it be known she had feelings for him.

  Feelings. She had feelings for him.

  It sounded so simple, yet nothing about Jude was simple.

  Do it, Randi’s voice whispered inside her head. Do it for TGEA. For every woman who’s ever been scorned and trodden on by a man. Just do it. Him too if that’s what you want, but screw him over for womankind.

  Jude was nothing more than a mark. One she might have sex with, but still just a mark.

  Business first, then pleasure.

  She had to create problems between him and Mrs. Yamaguchi. That’s why she was here. Avery picked up a cracker, dipped it into the spread, and took a bite. “Mmmm. Delicious.”

  Really the dip tasted like a glob of glue and stuck to the roof of her mouth.

  Jude turned away from the man he spoke with, watched her mouth as she savored the bite. Just like that, his gaze darkened with desire and she knew she had his full attention.

  You’re a fool, Avery Wade.

  Forget this revenge thing and take whatever Jude is willing to give you.

  But wouldn’t that be giving him permission to use her? To walk all over her as he had the women who’d come before? It wasn’t okay to do a woman wrong. To break her heart and let her cry herself to sleep night after night. Not for Scott Madison. Not for Jude Layman. Not for any of the men who’d crossed her path.

  Perhaps Mandy Sims’ crass attitude had formed as a protective shell from being hurt by a man one time too many.

  Avery dipped the cracker back into the spread and offered it to him. “Taste?”

  Eyes locked with hers, he opened his mouth.

  Avery’s heart pounded in her chest with the intensity of someone who expected a slasher to jump her any moment, to announce to Jude that she was a big fraud and here to hurt him in every way she could.

  She held the pate-covered end of the cracker to his mouth and let him take a bite.

  He swallowed the food and Avery swallowed the rising bile in her throat.

  Jude was a test of her commitment to the agency.

  A test of where her loyalties lay.

  A test she would pass with flying colors.

  She dipped her finger into the pate and pressed it to his mouth, letting him suck the dip off. Sweet spirals of emotion twirled in her chest at the heat in his eyes, at the pleasure that shot through her when his tongue brushed the pad of her finger.

  Ignoring the man he’d been conversing with, Jude slid his arm around her waist and hugged her to him. “You’re an amazingly sensual woman, Angel.”

  So amazing she planned to lead him down a path of destruction.

  What was she doing?

  Her job.

  Mrs. Yamaguchi tapped Jude on the shoulder. She smiled, showing brilliantly white teeth. She motioned toward the dance floor. “You’re ready now?”

  Avery tensed.

  Jude looked at her, as if asking permission when they both knew he didn’t need her consent. Hadn’t they just discussed that neither had rights over the other?

  He wanted her happy, she thought. Wanted her okay with his actions.

  He wouldn’t be okay with hers.

  “I don’t think so. I’m not the kind of woman who likes to share.” She kept her voice steady, knowing that her words would surprise him.

  His brow lifted. “I appreciate t
he sentiment, Angel, but this is Mrs. Yamaguchi.”

  He expected her brain to kick in and her to understand this was business, not personal. Avery would. Angela would not. “I don’t care who the little slut is. You’re my date. Back off, sister.”

  Mrs. Yamaguchi’s jaw dropped. A scarlet flush crept into her cheeks. Her dark gaze darted back and forth between Jude and Avery.

  Jude appeared stunned, but only for a second. “Now, honey, don’t go getting all jealous. Mrs. Yamaguchi is a wonderful woman, but it’s just a dance.”

  She was just doing her job. Making a scene. In her whiniest, clingiest voice. “Seriously, you’re going to leave me so you can go dance with a sex scion? You expect me to be okay with that?”

  “Yes, honey,” his tone held warning, “I do expect you to be okay with that. This is an esteemed business colleague.”

  “You’re having sex with her, aren’t you?” Avery accused loud enough to draw the attention of those standing near them.

  “Angel, perhaps we should discuss this later, because right now, I am going to take this beautiful lady who I am not having sex with out onto the dance floor.”

  When Avery opened her mouth to argue, he shook his head. Although she should have burst into tears or flung herself at him in anger, anything to draw more negative attention their way, instead, she silently watched him slide his arm around the woman’s waist and guide her onto the dance floor.

  She wasn’t going to be fine. She’d broken too many TGEA rules and totally botched things up.

  Because she was attracted to her mark. Bad. Very bad.

  Determined to remain professional and keep a close eye on him, she waited for the opportune moment to go dump her glass of wine over his dance partner’s head-that ought to cause more waves. But she wasn’t able to keep a close watch on him as Simon Sims swept her onto the dance floor. Which should have made it easier to see Jude but instead only made it more difficult. Simon was a fast dancer and kept her turned to where he could see the other dancers. Unfortunately that meant she couldn’t.

  But she had Simon’s full attention on her. She took advantage, planted seeds of doubt about Jude the Wonderboy.

  Simon didn’t appear to believe her. She hadn’t expected him to. Her sole purpose was to plant those seeds so they would fester and erupt into something ugly.

  Every so often she caught a glimpse of Jude. Always, he was smiling and charming the lady. Apparently, she was ready to forgive him for his office faux pas.

  Of course, he hadn’t wrecked the lady’s entire party yet either.

  Give him time.

  * * *

  Jude smiled down at Mrs. Yamaguchi and ignored that his eyes watered and throat felt scratchy. The woman’s perfume choked him and he missed Angela.

  He’d caught sight of her with Simon on the dance floor, caught Simon sending him odd looks during that dance and afterwards. The next time he spotted her was with one of Mrs. Yamaguchi’s product models. A man who knew way too much about women’s “g” spots for Jude’s comfort.

  The only man who’d be getting near any alphabetical part of Angela’s anatomy would be him. Although she’d surprised him with her earlier outburst. What had that been about? She hadn’t struck him as the possessive type. Then again, being possessed by her appealed a great deal at the moment.

  Could he take her home with him and not break his vow?

  He scratched his arm through his tuxedo sleeve. Even if they couldn’t have intercourse, there was so much they could share together. So much he wanted to do with her.

  If nothing else, he wanted to sleep with Angela in his arms and wake up with her beside him. He hadn’t lied when he’d said he wanted to see her first and last thing. Insane and unlike anything he’d ever known, but Jude didn’t lie to himself. He wanted Angela badly. More than he recalled ever wanting anything.

  “You will meet my daughter. She would like to work with you on the next ad.” Mrs. Yamaguchi went on. “You make her happy tonight and I will sign a contract for the next year.”

  Jude’s attention dropped to the petite businesswoman in his arms. Her daughter? He rubbed at his collar. “A year?”

  “A year.” The woman nodded, smugly. She knew she had him by the gonads.

  “I’d be pleased to meet your daughter, Mrs. Yamaguchi. Is she here?”

  The woman nodded, eyeing him in the suggestive way she usually did. “Tonight is her twenty-fifth birthday. She asked for only one gift.”

  He honestly wouldn’t have thought Mrs. Yamaguchi old enough to have a twenty-five-year old daughter. Perhaps she should be in the skin care product market, too.

  He moved his head back and forth, brushing the collar of his tuxedo against the back of his neck. “What’s that?”

  “To meet you.”

  He scratched his chin. “What?”

  Mrs. Yamaguchi rolled her eyes. “I know. Her father and I thought the same thing, but it is what she asked for, so…” the woman shrugged. “She is a good girl. You will dance with her and make her smile.”

  Did he have a choice?

  Damn, he’d have to explain to Angela. After her earlier reaction to him dancing with Mrs. Yamaguchi that might not be as simple as he’d have thought.

  “You might recall, but I brought a date.”

  “How could I forget?” Mrs. Yamaguchi tsked, her face going momentarily dour. “I’m not asking you to bring my daughter home, Mr. Layman. Just dance with her, flirt a little, make her feel good about herself, nothing more.”

  He nodded, scratching a spot on his face.

  “Ah, here she comes now,” Mrs. Yamaguchi beamed.

  Jude smiled at the pretty young woman who wouldn’t meet his eyes.

  “Naomi, this is Jude Layman. He works for us.”

  He didn’t bother to correct Mrs. Yamaguchi’s comment. Technically, he guessed he did work for her in a round about way.

  “Call me Jude.” He scratched his collarbone and stuck his hand out.

  The girl stared at it, then glanced at him. Her face screwed up with confusion and shock. “You don’t look like I remembered.”

  From the expression on her face, Jude guessed that to be a good thing because the last thing he wanted was Mrs. Yamaguchi’s daughter having a crush on him. She looked like just seeing him again killed the ardor.

  “I’m sorry I don’t recall our having met.” He said, noticing his words slurred a bit. He moved his tongue in his mouth and felt it swelling. Swelling rapidly.

  “As a matter of fact, you look nothing like what I remember,” the girl said, staring at him as if he were growing a second head.

  He felt as if he were. Like everything in his body were increasing in size.

  “Excuse me,” he said, but it came out indistinguishable.

  He scratched his sleeve again, glanced at his hands and saw angry red whelps.

  An allergic reaction.

  The only other times in his life he’d had an allergic reaction was when he’d eaten shrimp. It caused some mild swelling and raised whelps. At his doctor’s advice, he avoided the stuff like the plague. He thought back over what he’d eaten tonight. No shrimp.

  Unless there had been some in the pate Angela fed him.

  What were the odds of someone having Benadryl? An epinephrine pen?

  Maybe the hotel concierge would. He scratched his neck and his hands. Then his face. Hell. He had to stop the reaction. Fast.

  “Are you all right?”

  He wasn’t. His throat felt thick, his heart was racing, and he was having an allergic reaction.

  He opened his mouth to tell the person to find him some Benedryl, someone with an epinephrine pen, anything to stop this reaction, but nothing came out except a wheeze.

  He pulled his cell phone from his pocket and dialed 9-1-1, then sank to his knees, wheezing.

  Chapter Nine

  Where was Jude? Avery had lost sight of him when a model she couldn’t seem to ditch started saying something about teaching her the
ABCs.

  It annoyed her that she’d gone so long without seeing Jude. Especially after the little scene she’d made when he went off to dance with Mrs. Yamaguchi. No doubt he wooed some woman, but where? Who? No, that wasn’t jealousy coursing through her veins.

  Her cell rang from inside her purse at the same time as she noticed a small crowd forming on the opposite side of the ballroom.

  “Hello?” she said, recognizing the number as Cassidy’s.

  “Get over by the statue of that ugly horse, now! Jude’s down.”

  Down? What the hell did that mean? Down? Had Mrs. Yamaguchi whacked him for saying something inappropriate or what? Down?

  Lifting the hem of her gown, she ran across the ballroom and pushed her way through the crowd. She gasped when she saw Jude sitting in the floor. His face was swollen and his eyes were almost sealed shut.

  What the hell happened to him?

  Tears popped into her eyes and her heart hurt, but she didn’t have time for examing why. She had to get him help now.

  “Somebody do something,” a lady in the crowd cried, fanning her pudgy hand as if she were going to pass out.

  “He’s having an allergic reaction,” another said.

  An allergic reaction? She looked at him, realized that’s exactly what was happening. Just as quick she recalled what she kept in her purse just in case any of the potions TGEA divvied out ever caused a reaction. But they hadn’t given Jude anything other than the gut bomb and too much time had passed for him to have an anaphylactic reaction. What was he allergic to?

  Avery dug in her purse and pulled out the Epi-pen. With shaking hands, she popped the needle into Jude’s thigh. Within seconds the medicine should counter-act the reaction, but she was going to take him to the emergency room, just in case.

  Making sure he would be okay was imperative.

  “Help me get him outside,” she told the hefty man to her right.

  “An ambulance is on the way,” someone else said.

  “Fine.” She refused to give in to the weakness robbing her legs of their ability to stand. “Let’s get him outside so they can help him quicker.”

  She watched the labored rise and fall of his chest, heard the wheeze echoing through her head, grimaced at the sight of his beat up, swollen face.