Warrior Without Rules. Nancy Gideon

looked stunning in a full-length tank dress that skimmed her knockout figure with an explosion of grand scale red Impressionist roses upon a dark background. With her vivid makeup and black hair piled high, she looked like an exotic, hothouse species. But Toni knew she carried a .44 in her chic beaded bag. This rose had deadly thorns.

      “Here.” Toni thrust the box at her once they were in the hall. “Put this somewhere.”

      Veta opened the lid and expressed a low whistle. “Who’s the admirer?”

      “Premiero.”

      Veta closed the lid and regarded her friend solemnly. “Toni, how are you going to work with his man if you despise him so?”

      “My father has worked with despicable characters all his life. It’s part of doing business.” That’s what he’d always told her.

      “But at what cost? Promise me you’ll be careful. Premiero is no junior league executive to be easily controlled.”

      “As he thinks to control me with his gifts and his oily embassador? I know what Premiero is and what he’s capable of.”

      “Do you?”

      To lighten that dour warning, Toni placed her hand upon her friend’s shoulder. “That’s why I have you to run interference. One look at you in that dress and he’ll be blinded by more than ambition.”

      Veta gave a derisive snort. “One uses what one has to its best advantage as your father would say.”

      “Yes, he would.” Toni glanced about restlessly. “Have you seen Russell?”

      “He asked me to stick close to you while he handled the perimeter. I guess he’s not much of a social animal. Perhaps his tuxedo is at the cleaners.”

      That he would hand her off into the care of others rankled unexpectedly. Just as his intentional absence chilled her. “I’m not paying him to shake the bushes. He’s supposed to be with me.”

      Veta raised a speculative brow, but offered no comment. “Last I saw him he was headed back toward the kitchen.”

      “I guess it’s time I stirred something up with our Mr. Russell.”

      The kitchen, a gleaming bank of stainless steel and oiled butcher block, was a hive of activity with waiters rushing in and out, heat pulsing out from the big industrial oven and flames jetting from the multi-burnered stoves. Six cooks performed under the exacting maestro’s baton of Henri Galliteau, a master chef stolen from one of the pricy Windy City restaurants her father favored. Henri conducted the chaos in his kitchen with a loud and often profane gusto, comparing the qualities of his underling chefs to the nether regions of a suckling pig while brandishing a cleaver as his instructional wand. No one was allowed in his kitchen during an event. Those performances were always closed to an audience. Which was why the sight of Zach Russell sampling a Bearnaise sauce at his side gave her a jolt of surprise.

      He did own a tuxedo. And he looked fabulous in it.

      “It’s nice to know you’ll have a skill to fall back on when this career is pulled out from under you.”

      Russell finished stirring the bubbling cheese mixture, then glanced up without a trace of surprise or chagrin. He’d known she was there. His gaze was cool in the sweltering kitchen.

      “It’s been tried before without success. A stellar reputation can survive a few dings and scratches.”

      “How about a head on collision?”

      Henri murmured something to him in French and Zach smiled faintly, his gaze never leaving the challenge of Toni’s.

      He’d been ignoring her and now he was laughing at her. Her temper came to a hot, rolling boil.

      “You’re not being paid to entertain yourself playing Julia Child in my kitchen.”

      Unmoved by her harsh tone, Zach’s reply was as nonchalant as his manner. “Not enjoying the party? Is that what’s got your panties in a twist?”

      All movement ceased in the room. Her fury escaped like steam from a pressure cooker, with a fierce hiss.

      “Not so much as you, apparently. And, if my panties were a topic of discussion in front of the staff, be advised that I’m not wearing any.”

      As Toni stormed from the kitchen, every male eye was drawn to ascertain the truth of her parting statement, Zach’s included, until the swinging door closed behind her.

      “Excuse me, monsieur, I fear I’ve left something burning.” Zach handed the ladle to Henri, who shook it at him with a knowing smirk.

      “A few careful stirs will prevent scorching, mon ami.”

      She stalked down the hall, heading for the escalating noise of the party. With a quick movement she bolted down the contents of the flute she still carried. It wasn’t enough to extinguish her ire.

      “You were in no danger.” He spoke softly and suddenly from just over her shoulder.

      “Not as much as you are at this moment.” She refused to look at him.

      “I thought you preferred head-on, but you seem to be enjoying these nasty sideswipes.”

      She stopped then to confront him directly. “What happened to your Rule Two? Or do you just impose them then break them at your discretion?”

      He touched the almost invisible earpiece he was wearing. “I don’t have to be right next to you to be right next to you.”

      “So you thought you’d play Iron Chef at my expense?”

      Again, the slight quirk of a smile. “I was doing intel work.”

      “You think the kitchen staff is going to try to poison me?”

      He grinned then, a quick startling flash of white. “The only thing venomous around here tonight seems to be your tongue.” Then before she could parry that remark, he was all business once more. “Who notices the goings on in a big house better than those you never see?”

      She took a breath. And another. He’d been working the staff for information. “Did you find out anything interesting?”

      His gaze did a quick downward dip. “That you’re not wearing any panties.”

      With a huff of aggravation, she spun away and marched back toward her celebration, which was now in raucous full swing. She didn’t have to see Russell’s grin. She could feel it.

      Zach watched as she cut through the room like a social heat seeker. To appease her, he remained in plain sight just on the edge of the party while she controlled it.

      The crowd loved her just as the camera loved her. How could they help it? She dazzled, with her beauty, with her rapier-sharp wit, with her flair for doing the unexpected.