Even Villains Have Interns Read Online Free PDF Page A

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    Delilah
     
    Delilah left Addison Mayfield surrounded by a
crowd of gawkers and circulated around the room. As a rule the
Field Museum had excellent security, decent catering, and plenty of
exquisite objects that made her itch for a little larceny. If she
had somewhere to stash a T. Rex, Sue’s skeleton would already be in
her apartment. As it was, she’d already bought the limited edition
miniature Sue the museum was selling to fund whatever it was they’d
been funding. Her eyes had glazed over at that point of the welcome
speech.
    These nights were all the same. Come in, spend
cash, meet other rich people, talk shop, and drink moderately cheap
wine. Eleven o’clock couldn’t come fast enough.
    It was strange that the research gene had
skipped her so thoroughly. Daddy and Gideon would have been
absolutely enraptured listening to someone yammer endlessly about a
new expansion to the labs. She’d been more distracted by the
sparkling exhibits in the Hall of Gems. In one corner the
Moussaieff Red glittered near the Agra diamonds. The Heart of
Eternity sat beside the Millennium Sapphire, beautiful blue-toned
rainbows dancing around them. The star of the show sat in the
center of the room on a lit plinth: the faceted, twenty-five pound
emerald called Teodora.
    Large as a watermelon, the Teodora certainly had
an eye-catching quality. Delilah circled it lazily, keeping half an
eye on Addison while admiring the craftsmanship that had gone into
refining the giant stone. Flawless, time-consuming work. A galaxy
of lighter colors rifted through the dark green inside of the gem.
Mesmerizing.
    Other people started filing in, champagne
glasses in hand. Without turning from the emerald, Delilah looked
for the telltale bulge or crease in a jacket that would give away a
concealed weapon.
    “The first protestors have arrived,” Chad
whispered over her concealed earpiece. “None of them are on the
watch list for the client.”
    Delilah nodded, certain that Chad would see her
on the cameras. The price of discretion was leaving her voice
pickup with Travys for the evening. He was under strict
instructions to come find her at the first whiff of trouble.
    Protestors weren’t trouble, though; they were
simply the accouterments of Chicago politics. Half of them were
probably paid to make a mini-riot for the evening news and would
leave within the hour. See and be seen. Stir up some interest, stir
up some cash. The politicians would use the attention to woo new
backers for whatever pet project they wanted funded next.
    If anyone else had been paying attention they
would have guessed the political structure of the city in less than
ten minutes. Although Mayor Arámbula was conspicuous in his
absence, his snake-eyed second-in-command, Alan Adale, was present
and making the rounds. The moment she made eye contact he moved in
like a heat-seeking missile.
    She walked around the plinth, avoiding eye
contact. The first time they’d met, Delilah had carefully filed him
away as Too Dangerous To Handle. Lucifer had probably cried hot
tears of envy when Adale was born. He had a sculpted masculine
perfection and confident swagger that made everyone want to fall to
their knees in worship, and one close encounter had been enough to
send her scrambling for safety. She’d canceled every date, evaded
him at every turn. But, like the devilish predator he was, he kept
circling.
    Pretty soon she’d need to whip out the big guns
and flat out break his heart. Tease him on a little, then drop him
like a rock. Dent his ego so he never bounced back her way again.
After all, breaking hearts was far more fun than finding out she
was just another anonymous booty call.
    Adale stopped next to the display case, not
completely immune to her ‘ Don’t talk to me ’ glare. He
feigned interest in the cushion-cut American Golden Topaz, glancing
at the gem then up at her. Caught staring, Delilah turned away and
focused on the Teodora. Lines of lighter green seemed to