Read Driven By The Hero (Hero Romance 1) for Free Online Page B

it actually was, and Jack was amused. He decided to play along.
    “Well, you know what they say… virtue can be faked.  Depravity is real.” He peered at her, wondering if she’d be able to catch the reference. She didn’t. “Actually, no sensible person says that.  Klaus Kinski did.”
    “Who?”
    Jack chuckled, continuing with an almost condescending air. “Perhaps it’s not that important.  What are you and your friend doing at the Omni, if you don’t mind me asking?”
    “We just came in town to see a show and wanted to find someplace to have a drink a bit more classier than some of the other places. See maybe if we could meet someone a little more interesting…”
    “I’m afraid I might not fit that bill. I’m old enough to be your father—or grandfather, in some cases…”
    “What makes you think age is anything more than—”
    “A number?” Jack’s voice sounded quizzical, in fact almost reproachful. “When you get to be my age, numbers mean more than anything else.”
    The young redhead narrowed her eyes, cooing in a low, almost comically sultry voice, “Well, let’s see if you can guess what number I’m thinking of, shall we?”
    When the exchange first began, Jack may have been amused; but now he was merely bored. He paused for a second, smirked and replied without skipping a beat. “I frankly don’t care. But I’m thinking of two numbers, myself. 10—as in, I’d prefer to spend no longer than 10 minutes speaking with the likes of you. And 20—because that’s probably the amount of brain cells you still have in that self-absorbed head of yours. Have a good evening, you two!”
    And with that, Jack extinguished his cigarette and turned around on his heels with no flourish other than a roll of his eyes, leaving the young woman cursing him in a screeching voice as he made his way up through the bar and lobby and to the elevator.

CHAPTER THREE
    Laura and Gloria found themselves in the lobby of the Omni checking in the following morning at 8 a.m. Laura was none too pleased; a major overnight thunderstorm had delayed their flight for several hours, which meant staying in Philadelphia International’s waiting lobby overnight with the likes of Gloria, whose ability to find fault with the slightest inconvenience resulted in a biblical litany of accusations and complaints. As she continued chattering into the wee hours of dawn, Laura wondered how this woman—who in both height and girth resembled and out-of-shape NFL quarterback—could have maintained a marriage for over twenty years.
    As a result of Gloria’s nonstop harangues to virtually no one in particular during their sequester, Laura had about three hours of sleep in total and was looking forward to catching a few hours of a cat nap before attending the afternoon’s workshop. Gloria was, however, rambling effusively about everything from the anticipated menu during that evening’s introductory speech to the additional amenities offered by the hotel. All to the amusement of Jack DiStefano, who had taken notice of the incongruous pair as he walked into the elevator with them. He was struck by the dichotomy—one much younger, incomparably pretty (if bleary eyed) woman trying desperately to block out the inanities provided by an older, more gargantuan sized ignoramus seemingly oblivious to the unease of her younger charge. Both bemusement, and pity; he wondered if this was the average sort of behavior expected in junior-level corporate environments. It wasn’t something he certainly experienced over the course of his thirty-odd year career; but then again, he had left the rat race at the age of 26 to become an entrepreneur, and hadn’t looked back since. He tried to make eye contact with the harried looking Laura, to transmit the slightest shred of sympathy, but it was obvious that she was in no state to even acknowledge his presence. Gloria, on the other hand, was giving him a look that indicated that at any given moment she