Read Online Fifth Ave 01 - Fifth Avenue by Christopher Smith - Free Book Online
Authors: Christopher Smith
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that it would never amount to anything more than this, Leana didn’t resist him. In fact, she welcomed Eric’s touch. Right now, more than anything, she needed to be loved and held.
* * *
Across the room, crouched motionless beneath George Redman’s desk, Vincent Spocatti listened. The big leather wingback was pressed hard against his chest. His head was twisted down and uncomfortably to the side. His gun was drawn and ready to fire if he had to.
He had been going through the files on Redman’s desk when Leana Redman and her friend stepped into the room, taking him by surprise. What infuriated him more than nearly being caught was the fact that he had found nothing here that would be of interest to Louis Ryan. Not one file on Redman’s desk had to do with the takeover of WestTex Incorporated.
But there were other ways to get the information Ryan needed. And if Ryan was willing to pay Vincent’s price, Vincent could get it for him.
He strained to hear where they were in the room and could hear the sound of their kissing. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could stay in this position. The muscles in his neck were beginning to knot, as were the muscles in his back.
And then he heard footfalls on the carpet.
He looked through a small crack in the desk’s front panel and saw a ripple of white cloth, a pair of tanned legs, moving in his direction. His hand tightened around the gun. The light above him clicked off. Spocatti tensed, ready to shoot. Leana said, “Remember that, Eric. I turned the light off. I’m not crazy.”
“Yes, you are,” Eric said. “Now, come on. Let me show you how crazy I can be.”
Spocatti waited until he was certain they had left the room before he pushed back the chair, stood and tucked the gun in his holster. As he smoothed his gloved hands down the front of his black dinner jacket, it occurred to him that that was twice this evening that Leana Redman had nearly blown his cover. He stretched his neck, tried to ease a cramp.
Payback , he thought as he eased out of the room and stepped into the hall, is a bitch.
* * *
In the lobby, Spocatti stepped out of the elevator, looked for Celina Redman, found her near the buffet talking to a man, and approached them.
"Celina Redman?" he asked.
They both turned to look at him. "Yes?" she said.
He showed her his security card. “May I have a word with you in private?"
* * *
The elevator doors opened and Celina stepped into her parent's penthouse. Why had Leana asked to meet here? What couldn't be discussed in the lobby? She had promised Jack a dance and she wanted to get back to him.
She could hear the sound of voices at the end of the hall.
Celina moved in their direction, finally coming to a stop beside one of the bedroom doors. Although she could hear only pieces of what was being said, she recognized the voice as Leana’s and knew at once that she should not be standing here, that something was wrong. Still, she listened. Now the voice was clearer. “Please don’t be embarrassed. It happens sometimes. You’ve just had to much to drink.”
Celina moved closer to the door. “Look,” Leana said. “Why don’t you just lie down? You can sleep here tonight. Mom and Dad won’t mind, and I promise they won’t know that I was here with you. Neither will Celina. It’ll be our secret.”
At that moment, Celina stepped into the bedroom. Leana was sitting at the edge of the bed in a thin silk kimono and she turned away from Eric to face her. While Celina noticed that her sister was naked beneath the kimono’s brightly colored fabric, she didn't see the genuine flash of surprise in Leana’s eyes.
She shut the door behind her. “I got your message, Leana. Your friend from security gave it to me.”
Startled, Eric sat up in bed. He looked
* * *
Across the room, crouched motionless beneath George Redman’s desk, Vincent Spocatti listened. The big leather wingback was pressed hard against his chest. His head was twisted down and uncomfortably to the side. His gun was drawn and ready to fire if he had to.
He had been going through the files on Redman’s desk when Leana Redman and her friend stepped into the room, taking him by surprise. What infuriated him more than nearly being caught was the fact that he had found nothing here that would be of interest to Louis Ryan. Not one file on Redman’s desk had to do with the takeover of WestTex Incorporated.
But there were other ways to get the information Ryan needed. And if Ryan was willing to pay Vincent’s price, Vincent could get it for him.
He strained to hear where they were in the room and could hear the sound of their kissing. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could stay in this position. The muscles in his neck were beginning to knot, as were the muscles in his back.
And then he heard footfalls on the carpet.
He looked through a small crack in the desk’s front panel and saw a ripple of white cloth, a pair of tanned legs, moving in his direction. His hand tightened around the gun. The light above him clicked off. Spocatti tensed, ready to shoot. Leana said, “Remember that, Eric. I turned the light off. I’m not crazy.”
“Yes, you are,” Eric said. “Now, come on. Let me show you how crazy I can be.”
Spocatti waited until he was certain they had left the room before he pushed back the chair, stood and tucked the gun in his holster. As he smoothed his gloved hands down the front of his black dinner jacket, it occurred to him that that was twice this evening that Leana Redman had nearly blown his cover. He stretched his neck, tried to ease a cramp.
Payback , he thought as he eased out of the room and stepped into the hall, is a bitch.
* * *
In the lobby, Spocatti stepped out of the elevator, looked for Celina Redman, found her near the buffet talking to a man, and approached them.
"Celina Redman?" he asked.
They both turned to look at him. "Yes?" she said.
He showed her his security card. “May I have a word with you in private?"
* * *
The elevator doors opened and Celina stepped into her parent's penthouse. Why had Leana asked to meet here? What couldn't be discussed in the lobby? She had promised Jack a dance and she wanted to get back to him.
She could hear the sound of voices at the end of the hall.
Celina moved in their direction, finally coming to a stop beside one of the bedroom doors. Although she could hear only pieces of what was being said, she recognized the voice as Leana’s and knew at once that she should not be standing here, that something was wrong. Still, she listened. Now the voice was clearer. “Please don’t be embarrassed. It happens sometimes. You’ve just had to much to drink.”
Celina moved closer to the door. “Look,” Leana said. “Why don’t you just lie down? You can sleep here tonight. Mom and Dad won’t mind, and I promise they won’t know that I was here with you. Neither will Celina. It’ll be our secret.”
At that moment, Celina stepped into the bedroom. Leana was sitting at the edge of the bed in a thin silk kimono and she turned away from Eric to face her. While Celina noticed that her sister was naked beneath the kimono’s brightly colored fabric, she didn't see the genuine flash of surprise in Leana’s eyes.
She shut the door behind her. “I got your message, Leana. Your friend from security gave it to me.”
Startled, Eric sat up in bed. He looked
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