LITMIR.BIZ

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fat file at her. “Happy reading.”

      Sam started. “He’s on file.”

      “You know Big Mama,” Nick said, referring to the agency’s supercomputer. “Maclean is on the ADR list.”

      That was automatic data retrieval. When Big Mama flagged a person deemed corruptible, she automatically began to build a file, retrieving data from all possible sources at a set time every day. Because Ian was Aidan of Awe’s son, and Aidan had turned to evil for decades before being redeemed, he would have been flagged immediately. His status as corruptible could only be changed by an administrator.

      “Are you going to admit you’re ready to pull that short, spiky mess out by its roots?” Nick was somewhat amused.

      “I don’t pull hair and you know it. I’m thinking of using my Frisbee,” she said. That toy had teeth that could sever a man’s head from his body with a gentle toss, much less anything else she might want to sever.

      “You’re not doing a good job of guarding your thoughts,” Nick commented, sitting down on the edge of his desk. “And I hate to tell you, kid, you put your hand between his legs and he isn’t going to quiver with fear.” Nick started laughing.

      Sam tensed, hoping he hadn’t had a visual of her standing naked in Maclean’s fancy Highland salon. “If I ever put my hand there, he’s going to be really, really sorry,” Sam snapped.

      Nick’s amusement vanished and he folded his arms across his chest. His biceps bulged beneath the sleeves of his dark T-shirt. “I have never seen you so pissed off.”

      “Guess I’m mostly human,” she quipped.

      He ignored that. “He is not aligned with the good guys. He is not a Master, Sam,” he warned.

      “Somehow, I didn’t think so,” she said wryly. But her heart was beating a bit too swiftly, the way it did before battle—or during sex.

      “He doesn’t play by the rules. But you know that, don’t you?”

      Sam decided that Nick probably knew everything. “I don’t play by the rules, either.”

      He smiled. “That’s why I’m so proud of you.” He became serious again. “I have no evidence that he’s turned. I look forward to meeting him and deciding for myself. But you are almost out of control, Sam. Anger will weaken you. He’ll make mincemeat out of you if you don’t get a grip.”

      Sam was furious. “I’m not angry—I simply can’t stand the sonuvabitch. He’s an unbelievable jerk. He makes you look like a saint. I did underestimate him, I’ll admit it. I thought he’d be putty in my hands. Well, I won’t underestimate him again and I won’t ever ask him to make a deal.” She added, “And I won’t lose.”

      Nick nodded, a gleam in his eyes. “I wonder why he suddenly bought property here.”

      She felt herself still. “What?”

      “You heard me.”

      “He’s living here?”

      “Bought an eighteen-million-dollar home, right on Park Avenue.” Nick smiled at her.

      Sam was shocked. Why would he come to New York? She walked over to a window and stared down at the pedestrians and traffic on Hudson Street. “When did this happen?”

      “Last January. A month or so after your little visit to Loch Awe.”

      “His deciding to live here has nothing to do with me,” Sam said without thinking.

      “I didn’t say it did.” Nick eyed the folder. “That is interesting reading, by the way.”

      Sam folded her arms, her instincts going into overdrive. When she’d arrived at his home on Loch Awe, he’d been expecting her. How was that possible?

      “I was wonderin’how long it would take ye to find me.” He was amused.

       She smiled coldly. “In your dreams.”

       He had poured her champagne, ignoring his other guests and his Playboy centerfold girlfriend. “Welcome to my lair. ”

       “Your father was the wolf.”

      “Like father, like son,” he murmured, his gaze dipping to her cleavage.

       “In the mood for a proposition?”

       “I’ve been in the mood since we first met.”

      There’s no way he’d come to New York to pursue her. No woman would ever be worth that kind of effort for him and she was sure of it. He’d come to town for other reasons. The Duisean? She wouldn’t put it past him.

      “You’re an amazingly striking and terribly seductive woman,” Nick said thoughtfully. “And you know it. Coupled with that is your power as a Slayer.”

      Sam stared at her boss. “Keep up the flattery and I might become frightened.”

      He grinned. “Nothing scares you, Sam.”

      He was right.

      Nick added, “I can’t write off his arrival in New York as a coincidence. He’s dangerous and ruthless.” Nick picked up the folder. “But you’re dangerous and ruthless, too.”

      Her interest was piqued. “So he’s my objective.”

      “If he has the wrong intentions, I’m counting on you to neutralize him.”

      “Goody.” She fingered the folder. “What’s in there?”

      “Some interesting coincidences.”

      “I’m a Rose. According to our Wisdom, there’s no such thing.”

      Nick smiled. “I know. He’s been flagged by our agency, but he’s also on Scotland Yard’s watch list. Do you recall the theft of that van Gogh in Milan two years ago?”

      “No, I don’t.”

      “The painting just vanished into thin air in the middle of a working day. According to a clerk there, no one from the public was inside the gallery that morning and no alarms went off. But Maclean had been a visitor earlier in the week.”

      Sam paced thoughtfully, tingling with some excitement. “He leapt into the gallery and leapt out with the painting. Gee, I wonder if it survived traveling at the speed of light.”

      “Guess who is rumored to now have it?” Sam waited and Nick said, “Hemmer.”

      Sam started. “Okay. So that explains the guest list. He stole the painting, sold it to Hemmer, and now they’re best buds.”

      “He’s best buddies with various other wealthy art collectors around the world.” Nick was wry. “And he’s linked to five international art dealers, who have suffered the combined loss of eight masterpieces in the past decade. Several of his other friends are reputed to be in possession of those stolen works of art now.”

      Sam stared at Nick. Maclean was using his powers to steal. So this was how he’d acquired his wealth—and his Park Avenue address. And then the comprehension was instant and blazing. “You don’t think he’s here to hold Hemmer’s hand.”

      “I don’t think he’s here to hold Hemmer’s hand.”

      “He’s going to steal the page,” Sam said softly.

      Nick stood. “And I bet you’ll do anything to get in his way, won’t you?”

      Sam slowly smiled. “Oh, yeah,” she said, with relish.

      His stare hardened. “Do not let him out of your sight tonight.”

      Sam saluted.

      “There’s nothing like a woman scorned,” Nick suddenly grinned. “I’m sort of glad

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