The Devil's Touch Read Online Free PDF Page B

with a man – a man like you – then I could leave Duncan behind me with some of my self esteem and pride intact. I would know, even if no one else in the world knew, that I wasn’t all those horrible things he called me. That’s why I propositioned you tonight. I wanted to prove to myself that I could be sexy and alluring.”
     
    * * *
     
    The ‘Claricon’ was one of the exclusive hotels in the heart of the city, a high-rise edifice of gleaming glass and steel that combined modern architecture, mysteriously, with a sense of old world charm and splendorous elegance. The doorman crossed the sidewalk when he saw the limousine slowing at the curb to open Lucien’s door.
    “A pleasure to see you again, Mr Lance, sir.”
    Lucien climbed out of the back seat and turned, offering Angelica his hand and they waited until the vehicle had turned off into the hotel’s underground parking ramp before they crossed the sidewalk into the main foyer.
    Angelica was taken aback by the sheer opulence of the décor. The floor was gleaming marble, the walls paneled in dark mahogany and decorated with gilt-framed paintings. The lighting was subdued and golden from crystal chandeliers, and plush antique chairs and sofas were arranged in cozy corners.
    In the foyer, the doorman motioned to a clerk who was waiting by the desk.
    “Good evening, Mr Lance. I hope you’ve had a pleasant night.”
    Lucien nodded. He held Angelica’s hand tightly and guided her down carpeted halls towards the executive elevator, taking long confident strides so that Angelica had to totter along at a near run to keep pace.
    A tall figure in a light grey suit rose from an armchair and greeted him by the elevator doors.
    The man was balding, middle-aged, and there were puffy bruises of fatigue smudged under his eyes. There was a slim leather briefcase in his hand and he offered it to Lucien as he neared.
    “Everything is here, sir,” the man said deferentially. “Contracts, credits, reports – the lot.”
    “Thank you, Joseph.” Lucien said.
    “Everything requiring your signature has been marked, and I’ve arranged for a courier to collect all documentation from your suite tomorrow morning.”
    Lucien grunted his satisfaction. He took the briefcase and the elevator doors slid open before them.
    Lucien and Angelica stepped into the elevator and a grey uniformed attendant smiled respectfully. He thumbed the button to the top floor and they rode up in silence. When the doors slid open again, Angelica stepped out into the plush carpeted foyer of the penthouse suite – and into another world.
    Spanning the entire width of the building the penthouse was decorated with the same lavish opulence and the same attention to detail, as the ground floor lobby. The colors were golds and creams and rich chocolates, and everywhere Angelica looked there were the unmistakable signs of vast wealth and discreet, immaculate taste.
    Inside the main doors, three steps led down to a sunken living area, lit by lamps that sat on elegant corner tables. The sofa and armchairs were all upholstered in soft brown leather.
    Angelica wandered down the steps, her fingers brushing over the backrest of the sofa and trailing a line across the polished surface of the dining table. She bent over a crystal vase of fresh orchids, lost in the wonder of it all while Lucien set the briefcase on his desk and slipped the knot of his tie, unfastening the top button of his shirt and shrugged off his coat.
    Lucien poured drinks and carried them through to where Angelica stood. A heavy bank of gold-trimmed curtains dominated the far wall of the room. At the touch of a switch the curtains slid silently apart, revealing a magnificent panoramic view of the city’s glittering skyline.
    Angelica gazed in breathless awe.
    Lucien gave her the drink and stood close beside her, admiring the night sky. She tinkled the ice in her glass and Lucien turned to face her. Angelica swallowed nervously, overcome with a