Read Online Marked Masters by Ritter Ames - Free Book Online

in
the car kind of blows holes in your story. And even if they did,
they'd know we flew into the city and had to rent a car
anyway."
    "Says Miss I Have To Buy Designer
Everything."
    "What I wear is something everyone will
see. And unfortunately, all of it is now gone with the
car."
    His jaw dropped. "Bloody hell. I didn't
think about that. I'll make a call and get us some clothes."
    "Good. I hoped the yacht you mentioned had
some emergency clothing on board beyond bathing suits. Where is it
located, anyway?"
    Jack laughed and took a swig from his beer
bottle. "Like I'm going to tell you. The only way I know you won't
give me the slip is if I keep from telling you the harbor slip
number."
    "Cute play on words. But what's to stop me
from just grabbing a cab, finding myself a nice anonymous hotel
somewhere, and running my own game here?"
    "Nothing, except you don't have the ready
cash to do that. And the only chance you have to get in last minute
to the VIP section is to get me to convince Melanie to give you a
pass."
    "Do you have a pass?"
    "It will be waiting for me tomorrow."
    "Then maybe I'll just let you mingle with
the hoi polloi, and I can go shopping for replacement clothes."
    "Again, you have no funds."
    I did a slow burn. "What makes you think you
know everything?"
    "Because I know everything." He offered up
his best superior smile.
    Deep breaths. That was my only recourse. So
had Nico turned on me? When did he and Jack get so chummy? Wait!
Cassie had just told me about my budget freeze today. Still, I
couldn't believe either of them would be traitors… But there was
one person I could believe would talk a little too freely.
    "Max! Max called you and said to keep me on
a short leash for both finances and intel."
    His smile broadened. I had my answer.
    "That lousy, cheap bast—"
    "Laurel, is that you?"
    I turned to the sound of the voice and
recognized Tina Schroeder, a throwback to my childhood. One of the
few whose family hadn't turned their backs on me, but only because
the older Schroeders ran all the angles. Younger than me by a few
years, her shining brunette waves were pulled back off her
classically beautiful face. Long, graceful limbs, a figure to die
for, and a killer tan completed the cover-girl perfection. I saw
her here and there; she'd partied on the same yacht Simon and I
were guests of while we were still a couple. I had a fleeting
thought to pick her brain, to see if she knew anything about
Simon's latest activities or sightings. Unfortunately, the girl was
only about an inch deep when it came to mental processes.
    Her history always reminded me of a
latter-day Anne Boleyn, but it was her mother, Phyllis, who did the
pimping instead of her father. Tina was born gorgeous, and her
family didn't just live above their means, they jumped both feet
into a money pit. Twice, Mama Schroeder secured "suitable
engagements" to billionaire octogenarians for her lovely
twenty-five-year-old daughter, but the engagements ended days
before nuptials could be exchanged—one due to death and the other
to the groom-to-be's family stepping in and getting
great-granddaddy ruled mentally incapacitated before Tina could
become a Mrs. and get added to the will.
    I introduced Jack.
    "I know your name from somewhere." Tina gave
him her wide-eyed look and shook his hand. "Maybe from
Debrett's?"
    I couldn't help it. I snorted. Jack
immediately started choking. Peerage, right. The girl couldn't help
but husband shop. Putting my arm around her, I hugged Tina and
carefully maneuvered her away to let Jack recover on his own.
    "It's great to see you, Tina. Do you work
for the Browning Gallery now?" I truly was curious as, based on the
competition alone, I couldn't believe Melanie would hire her.
    I wasn't surprised when she shook her head,
the brunette chignon wound so tightly it gave me a headache to look
at her. "No, I'm assistant to the event planner. Phyllis got me the
job."
    Of course. "Be sure and give your mother