I never take no for an answer,’ he warned her grimly.
She drew in a sharp breath, unable to hide her surprise at the mention of the publisher. But then how else could Nik have discovered that J. I. Watson’s real name was J. I. Nixon? ‘James Stephens was the one who told you J. I. Watson’s real name?’
‘James is far too much of a professional to ever do a thing like that,’ Nik reproved.
That was something, at least. If Nik Prince’s answer had been anything but the one he had just given her then she would have made sure that the second J. I. Watson manuscript, which was even now being prepared for editing, never made it onto James Stephens’s desk.
But it was still pretty obvious that someone at Stephens Publishing had to have revealed that confidential information to Nik Prince. The question was, who…?
‘Tell me, Mr Prince…’ she gave him a considering look ‘…what is it that you find so difficult to understand about the word no?’
‘As far as I can recall, it’s not a word that’s ever been in my big brother’s vocabulary,’ a female voice chimed in lightly.
Jinx turned to look at Nik Prince’s sister, Stazy Hunter, as she moved to stand next to her brother. The younger woman was extremely beautiful, her red hair almost as bright as Jinx’s own. In fact, Stazy Hunter looked a far nicer person altogether than her eldest brother!
‘Not at all,’ Nik came back smoothly. ‘I’m just a positive person rather than a negative one.’
Well, he could be as positive as he wanted as far as Jinx was concerned, because the answer to his request was no, and it would remain no.
‘If you’ll both excuse me…’ She gave Stazy Hunter a vague smile, shot Nik Prince a look of warning, before moving determinedly away from them, inwardly shaken by how close he had got to her.
Too close.
In more ways than one!
* * *
Nik frowned frustratedly as he watched Jinx join a middle-aged couple across the room, his gaze narrowing as he considered his two choices of action. One, he could let Jinx just walk out of his life, also taking her knowledge of J. I. Watson with her. Or two, he could make sure that he left with her!
‘Do me a favour, will you, Staze?’ He turned urgently to his sister.
She looked slightly surprised. ‘Of course. If I can. What—’
‘Persuade your charming husband that it’s time for the two of you to leave.’
Stazy looked nonplussed. ‘But it’s still early, Nik; what on earth will I tell Susan and Leo—?’
‘I don’t care what you tell them,’ he cut in forcefully, starting to panic slightly as he could see Jinx and the older couple were coming to the end of their goodbyes. ‘Your house is on fire. You need to take your husband home and seduce him—’
‘Jordan doesn’t need any seducing,’ Stazy assured him happily.
Nik winced. ‘I really didn’t need to hear that.’ He was still coming to terms with the fact that his little sister was married at all, let alone to a man as powerful and experienced as Jordan Hunter. ‘Okay, find your own excuse, but think of something soon, hmm!’
‘Fine.’ Stazy held up soothing hands. ‘I take it you aren’t coming back with us, after all?’
‘You take it correct,’ he confirmed grimly, his gaze still fixed on Jinx. ‘But whatever you’re going to do, do it quickly, will you?’ Jinx was starting to move towards the door now!
‘I’m gone,’ his sister assured him—before doing exactly that.
And by the speed with which his sister and brother-in-law made their excuses to their host and hostess, before immediately leaving, Nik had a feeling that the suggestion of seduction might have worked on Jordan, after all!
Nik shook his head. Stazy had made her choice, and it was a choice he wholeheartedly approved of; it was his own problem if he was still having trouble coming to terms with another man being more important to Stazy than he was.
At this moment he had a much more serious situation to deal with!
‘Sorry I was delayed.’ He hurried to Jinx’s side just as she reached the front door, taking a firm hold of her arm before turning to smile warmly at the older couple who accompanied her. ‘I hope you don’t mind including me in that offer of a lift home?’ His tone was deliberately charming. ‘My sister was going to drop me at my hotel, but she and Jordan had to get straight back to their house—some sort of emergency…’
The couple shot each other a briefly knowing look before assuring him they didn’t mind at all, that there was plenty of room for him in their car.
Not that Nik had thought they would be a problem; it was Jinx’s response that could turn this situation around.
He raised questioning brows as he looked down at her, his expression deceptively calm, only the tightening of his fingers on her arm showing evidence of his inner uncertainty as to what her next move would be.
Her eyes were purple as she looked right back at him, anger flaring in their depths, even though she too managed to look outwardly calm.
Come on, Jinx, Nik inwardly encouraged; at least give me a chance.
If he lost sight of her now, then he would have to start all over again tomorrow. Not that he minded doing that, but it would save a hell of a lot of time if she would just be a little more cooperative now.
‘Actually—’ she turned back to the older couple, smiling ‘—it really isn’t that far. Nik and I can easily walk it.’
‘Are you sure, Jinx?’ The other woman frowned her uncertainty with the suggestion. ‘It’s at least a couple of miles,’ she explained to Nik.
‘But it’s such a lovely evening.’ Jinx released her arm from Nik’s grasp to lightly link it with his. ‘I think it would be so much more fun to walk. Don’t you, Nik?’ she asked sweetly.
Beware the smile of an angry female, he acknowledged ruefully, at the same time happy to fall in with whatever Jinx suggested—as long as it included him. ‘Much more fun,’ he agreed dryly; a two-mile walk through the Saturday-night revelry of London sounded more like hell to him, but if it ultimately ended up at Jinx’s home, the home she shared with her father, then he was willing to put himself through it if she was.
If it ultimately ended up at Jinx’s home…
Somehow, after what she had said to him earlier, he had a feeling that wasn’t her intention.
‘Tell me,’ he murmured softly once they had been walking together in silence for some minutes through the balmy streets, Jinx’s arm still linked with his own, despite her efforts to release it, ‘will we be crossing any bridges on this fun walk home?’
‘Several,’ she snapped back tautly, obviously not happy with his reluctance to release her.
‘That’s what I thought.’ He grimaced—having a distinct feeling she was considering pushing him over the side of one.
‘One thing I can assure you of, Nik,’ she bit out tautly. ‘I’m not violent.’
‘Just private, hmm?’ he said knowingly.
‘Just private.’
‘I’ve heard several people refer to you as Jinx this evening,’ he said in an effort to divert her thoughts.
‘Close friends, yes,’ she confirmed stiffly—obviously not counting him amongst their number.
Nik disregarded that for the moment; she might not think they were going to be close friends, but he knew better! ‘How on earth did you come by such an unusual nickname?’
She