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and they were willing to do anything he wanted, even keep his secret. Jade, however, would not be so easily swayed. She would require much more of his talents of persuasion.
    Like a chess player getting ready for a match, he looked forward to the next game.
    * * * *
    “Alex Talbot,” he said, his tone all business.
    “Good Morning, Mr. Talbot. It’s Jade Monroe.”
    “Miss Monroe, I was hoping that I would hear from you.”
    His smug reply made her stomach churn. Still, there was only one way that she would find the bastard who killed her sister, and it wasn’t by playing it safe. “I was wondering if you would be available for lunch.”
    His smooth laughter crept through the phone. “For you, Miss Monroe, I will make myself available. Will this afternoon be soon enough for your pleasure?”
    She fought the urge to hang up at his not-so-subtle innuendo. “How about Antoine’s at one o’clock?”
    “I will count the minutes.”
    As she hung up, Clay’s words came back to haunt her.
    Stay away from Alex Talbot.
    What was he hiding?
    She knew he was keeping things from her. Still, what if he was right? What if Alex really was dangerous? She took a deep breath. She couldn’t let fear stop her now.
    She was close.
    She could feel it.
    Later that afternoon, as she sat down in front of Alex, her bravado fled.
    He laid the napkin across his lap casually. “I must admit that I was quite surprised by your call,” he confessed with a sly grin.
    “Yes, well, I need your help, Mr. Talbot.”
    Alex nodded, and a waiter appeared at their side. Alex rattled off the name of a bottle of wine, causing the man to scurry off. Apparently, Alex Talbot was a man people jumped for. He was also a man who was used to getting his way.
    “Now, how is it that I can help you?” he asked, leaning back in his chair.
    “I was hoping you might have learned some new information.”
    He shook his head. “Unfortunately, no. My schedule hasn’t permitted it.”
    “Mr. Talbot…”
    Before she could finish, he held up a hand to stop her. “Please,” he instructed. “Call me Alex. Mr. Talbot seems too formal for such a pleasant acquaintance.”
    Jade twisted the napkin in her lap as she struggled to maintain her cool. “Alex,” she acquiesced. “It’s just that I haven’t come up with anything substantial that might help me find the man who murdered my sister. I need something…anything to go on.”
    He fingered the stem of his wine glass for a minute before lifting it to his lips. For a moment, she thought he would turn her away. But then he surprised her. “All I can tell you is what I did know about Ruby.”
    “Where did you two meet?” she asked.
    He was silent for a few minutes, as if lost in thought, before replying to her question. “At the club. She was so uninhibited, so free. Most people at the club are ashamed to allow themselves the pleasure it brings. You would be surprised to know that most of the people there never really reveal themselves to anyone they know outside of the club. They become two people. The person they are inside the club’s walls, and the person they are in their everyday life. Ruby was different. She didn’t hide from what she was. I have to admit that it fascinated me.”
    “When did you two start to meet outside of the club?” Jade inquired.
    “We had seen each other a few times in the club when she suggested that we meet. Normally, I would never entertain such a notion, but as I said, Ruby was different. You might say I was a little obsessed with her. I suppose everyone who met her felt that way. She was so open, so free. People were able to feel free when they were around her. Then, they began to crave it.”
    Jade forced her hands to still before she mangled the napkin in her lap. “Is that how you felt?” she asked, her gaze on his intent.
    His head came up, a surprised look crossing his face. “Me?” he replied, his laughter crawling across her skin. “No, Ms. Monroe. Unlike