The King and the Courtesan Read Online Free PDF Page B

no shame, no blush, not even an uncomfortable blink. “To be perfectly honest.”
    “My legs?”
    “I find long legs elegant. Stream-lined.”
    Well, my legs
were
one thing I didn’t mind so much about myself. But usually people just made fun of their length. They didn’t exactly fit my body very well. With them my torso appeared shorter, making me look less like those sultry, pouting models and more like a monkey. Or a grasshopper.
    “Well…okay.” I exhaled slowly and rubbed my sweaty palms on my legs. I stopped when disdain flashed across Ezekiel’s face. I folded my hands back in my lap, trying to ignore how slick and hot my skin was.
    “Moving past physicality, I noticed your…” He tapped his lip in thought, “…obsequiousness to Blade.”
    Obsequiousness
? What the hell did
that
mean? I probably should have paid more attention in English class when I was in high school. But it sounded like a compliment, so I nodded hesitantly.
    He knew I didn’t know the meaning of the word. His eyes glittered again, and that predatory amusement clung to his lips.
    “Though I must admit, it disgusted me, in a sense. To have a fine, superior creature like yourself servile to that…” He looked away, his top lip curling up to reveal gum beneath. His eyes narrowed, but he quickly shook it off, “…idiot.”
    Well, that’s something we agree on
.
    “You’re smart. You know what’s best for you. It explains why you’re with Blade. He pays for your drugs, am I right?”
    I shifted, lowering my face in shame. “I guess he does.”
    “And you’re resourceful. I’ve noticed the bruises, despite how you try to cover them up. You sacrifice independence for necessities. What pains me to see is how
much
you sacrifice. Such yielding should not be necessary.” His teeth now showed when he smiled. They were pure white, the work of a true dentist. “I’m going to tell you why you’re here.”
    I nodded. I couldn’t think of anything to say.
    “I’m attending a gala on a yacht tomorrow night. It’s a little party by the Ralston docks. You know of them, correct?”
    Dear God, the Ralston docks
. That was where celebrities and entrepreneurs liked to gather. You didn’t even get past the gate if you were worth less than a couple million, though it was debatable whether they’d let you on the boat or not for such a small price.
    I nodded quickly when I realized I’d been gaping silently for too long.
    “It’s common to bring a date. I usually go alone, which seems to draw unwanted attention. This time, I’d like to blend in more. So I’m asking if you’d like to attend. With me.”
    He was asking me on a
date
? I had to be tripping on something nasty. This wasn’t even possible. One of the city’s richest bachelors wanted me to go to a yacht party with him.
Impossible
! This was the stuff of movies, too good to be true. I was instantly wary.
    Of course, in movies the man was always some harmless lawyer or CEO, someone who might have embezzled money here or there but was generally a nice guy. I knew Ezekiel’s reputation, the stories of murder, extortion, and blackmail. He was most certainly
not
a nice guy. Which immediately made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. He had to want something else. Maybe he wanted to kill me. While I hadn’t heard of him murdering anyone who hadn’t either wronged him or stolen money, there was always the risk. How well did I know this man, after all? He could murder for sport. He seemed like the type.
    But I couldn’t refuse. I was in his car now, in his clutches. I knew he had a gun on him. I couldn’t see it, but I’m sure it was there. And if it wasn’t, I sure as hell knew the driver had one or two. If I reached for that door handle, there would probably be a bullet in my brain before I could even raise a foot to flee.
    “Of course, I wouldn’t expect you to do this for free,” Ezekiel continued. “You are, after all, a woman of business. So we shall deal