Read High Stakes Seduction - Book 1 for Free Online Page B

my way over to the exorbitant buffet table, stacked with all sorts of savory and decadent treats. I selected a tiny tart, flakey pastry topped with ruby red strawberries and a dollop of whipped cream. It was delicious, sweet but not too sweet, with that wonderful fresh fruit flavor. I closed my eyes for a moment as I savored it.
    "I dunno, are you sure Mancini will come through?" asked a gravely voice on the other side of the tall plant where I was standing.
    I froze, scanning the room surreptitiously to find the face that went with the voice. I found a balding man with a dark, trimmed beard, speaking with two other men.
    "You know he's ruthless when it comes to agreements and making money. He knows what he wants," said the tallest of the three, a bespectacled man with a thick head of silvery hair. "And he knows how to give other people what they think they want."
    "Yeah," said the third man, "once he's on your side, he always comes through, regardless of the cost."
    "There’s no point in speculating," said the first man. "Harden is with him now. He's the best bet we have to convince Mancini to accept the deal. Either way, we have nothing to worry about."
    "So you say," said the tall man, and all three of them laughed as they walked away from the buffet table.
    I put a hand on the table to steady myself, trying to comprehend what I’d just overheard. These men could have been discussing any financial deal, but their tone indicated otherwise. They were counting on Antonio for something that sounded decidedly underhanded to me.
    My mind raced back to the documents Mr. Conner's private detective had found for me, trying to make connections with some of the more shadowy details they’d dredged up about his connection with some of the more dubious citizens of our fine city. These men were sure he would come through—"regardless of the cost". What kind of people were these, and what kind of "agreements" was he involved in?
    I watched the men as they made their way through the room. They stopped several times to talk with the various politicians and business leaders, laughing and shaking hands. But something felt off. What was their game? 
    I noticed the women hanging on their arms were young and beautiful. Much younger than the men. They smiled a lot, but were quiet, and didn't seem to serve any real purpose other than being attractive and nice to look at. They were like ornaments.
    I shivered. The women weren't really any different from me!
    I shook my head. What had I gotten myself mixed up in? These men obviously dabbled on the shady side of the law. What did that have to do with Antonio Mancini? How was he connected? Were these the kinds of people Dad used to deal with because of his gambling? I needed to find out the truth about Antonio. And to me, that meant going directly to the source for answers.
    A door opened across the room as if on cue, and Antonio stepped out, followed by a large, red-faced man, puffing away on a cigar, despite the No Smoking signs.
    I grabbed a flute of champagne from a passing waiter, sipping on the liquid courage as I made my way to the other side of the room. Antonio seemed to realize my eyes were on him, and he tilted his head, smiling at me, while absentmindedly rubbing the wrist where his gold Rolex sat just below his cuff. He turned back to the conversation as the large man became more animated, puffing angrily on his cigar.
    "I’ve already agreed to hear you out, Mr. Harden," I heard Antonio say in that rich, quiet voice of his. "There's no need to press me further."
    "But I have a couple beauties you might like to look over," the man said, speaking around the cigar. "Perhaps you could drop by the warehouse later this evening."
    "Some other time," Antonio said, and turned his back on Harden.
    Realistically, I should not have been surprised to see that he treated others as dismissively as he treated me.
    "Antonio, I need to—"
    He leaned close to me, murmuring in my ear. "Perfect