Love Under Three Titans Read Online Free PDF Page A

in marriage, but she’ll want sex and figure that since this is, after all, Lusty , Texas, she can indulge her new cravings with impunity. So, when she’s ready to do that, we’ll be there.”
    Trey blinked because, against all odds, he believed Rick had nailed it spot-on. He grinned in complete understanding. “And then, when she realizes she’s fallen in love with us, we’ll let her talk us into marrying her.”
    Kevin laughed. “Hot damn. Machiavelli has nothing on us.”
    Trey nodded in total agreement. There was no doubt in his mind whatsoever. They’d come up with the perfect plan to win the woman they wanted to marry.
     

Chapter 3
    He’d been trained to maintain the strictest control over any meeting with associates, and especially to hold the line between himself and those he considered his inferiors. Even if that hadn’t been Dear Father’s constant anthem, it likely would have been a posture he embraced readily on his own.
    Clarence Edward Conrad believed, heart and mind, body and soul, that society naturally separated itself into different and definitely unequal classes. There were the indigent, the working poor, the middle class, and then those who were a cut above.
    Conrad knew bloody well where he was within those strata—several rungs above most people and certainly well above the private detective sitting across the table from him at the moment.
    He didn’t mind employing the services of such a man. He knew for a fact his great-grandfather, the Baron of Bickford, certainly had used Bow Street runners in his day.
    I bet the baron never bloody met with any of them over lunch in a fancy French restaurant.
    It took considerable willpower on Conrad’s part to play the role of gracious host. The only thing that kept him in this masquerade was the fact that he really had no choice in the matter. This particular new associate was not one with whom he would have chosen to do business on his own. The man had been selected by Conrad’s silent partner, for reasons said partner chose not to disclose.
    Considering the investment Conrad had received from the man, using this particular private detective seemed little enough repayment. He tried to push away the thought that there’d likely be more favors required in the future.
    If only the bloody bastard had approached me after dear granny’s demise, I’d have told him to go to hell .
    Conrad sighed. There was no sense living in regret. He’d taken the investment and then had the epiphany about how he could recoup his personal losses and regain his footing. He’d done what he’d had to do. Another of Dear Father’s harshly meted lessons taken to heart—a Conrad creates opportunity where there is none to seize.
    Conrad resisted the urge to laugh when he imagined the look on his father’s face if he found out how very well his lessons had been learned over the years.
    He pulled himself back to the present and put all his attention on the man seated across from him. The sooner he met his purpose for this meeting, the sooner the odious creature would be out of Conrad’s sight.
    His luncheon companion didn’t appear to be one who acknowledged he had any betters in this world, period. Conrad comforted himself with the certain knowledge that underneath the somewhat expensive suit, the man sitting across the table from him really was nothing more than a common thug.
    “I’m interested in how you came to have my name, Mr. Clarence. My partner and I don’t exactly advertise our services.”
    Conrad couldn’t prevent his left eyebrow from rising and just barely kept his expression poker straight with the use of his Christian name.
    He’d opened his new business here in New York using his first and middle names. For all intents and purposes, he was now Edward Clarence . He thought it likely that his nemesis would hear that name in the course of the next few weeks. He felt confident his new alias wouldn’t arouse any suspicion.
    He didn’t want Richard