Read Lazar's Intrigue (The Jack Lazar Series) for Free Online Page B

in defiance as he knew Sarina had upstaged him, and he
realized the woman could control him with her sexuality if she wanted to. Apparently
she also knew it, the absolute certainty of it conveyed in her stare. There had
to be something he could use to even the playing field, but he had no clue what
that would be. Maybe if he exercised a little willpower against her
manipulations and paid attention, he would find something.
    “Sure,”
he answered. “You drive.”
    Jack
already knew Sarina was a control freak because, after all, it takes one to
know one. So he thought the gesture of letting her have control behind the
wheel would be appreciated. And perhaps it was. But what he didn’t anticipate
was the resulting risk to his life. The woman drove her Audi convertible as if
she were being chased by the Russian Mafia. Perpetually. And traffic lights
were merely suggestions to be regarded in the event they were convenient, or at
best absolutely necessary. But the most interesting part of Sarina’s
performance was her completely relaxed demeanor, as if the aggressive
maneuvering through traffic were somehow effortless. She also gabbed nonstop
about everything from fashion to romantic comedies during the drive, and in
that sense she seemed like a completely normal girl.
    Jack
was thankful to have arrived at the restaurant unscathed, although his hair
looked like he had intentionally jammed a screwdriver into an electrical socket
and held on for dear life. Sarina had tied a scarf around her head a la Grace
Kelly for the drive and simply pulled it off at the valet stand to reveal her
unspoiled, straight sable shafts.
    Not
fair.

 
    FIVE
     
     
    “Thank
you. Dinner was wonderful,” Sarina offered.
    The
couple sat cattycorner to each other in a dark booth at an obscure but upscale
Orange County Italian restaurant as the tension between them gradually relaxed.
Even the competition for power had all but disappeared.
    “You’re
welcome,” Jack replied. He blotted his mouth and returned the napkin to his
lap. “So I was wondering. Are you from a Greek family?”
    “My
mother is Greek.” She appeared reluctant to explain further, but proceeded
anyway. “My father was Italian, but he abandoned us when I was little.”
    “Then
why isn’t your last name Italian?”
    Sarina
ran her fingertip around the rim of her wineglass, avoiding eye contact with
him, and she focused her attention there as she spoke. “My mother went back to
her maiden name, so she changed my name, too. Considering the man had virtually
nothing to do with my upbringing, he had no right to leave his mark with me.”
    She
raised her glance, locking eyes with him. “My mother never remarried. Just one
selfish bastard after another took advantage of her until she gave up looking.”
She let out a hostile breath. “You know, she may be a little on the tough side,
but she’s still the most caring woman anyone could wish for. Why do bad things
always happen to good people?” She looked down again, shaking her head as if in
deep thought of her mother’s woes. But she regained herself and refocused her
attention on a silent, somber Jack. “I’m sorry. It’s not an easy subject for
me. What’s your family like?”
    “I
guess mine is kind of boring compared to yours. I grew up in a pretty typical
American household in upstate New York. My dad worked. My mom didn’t. He’s
getting ready to retire, and they’re about to take a cruise around the world.”
    Sarina
raised a skeptical eyebrow. “Doesn’t sound very typical to me. Besides, I did a
little research on your father. And I’ll have to say, at the risk of further
elevating your ego, that he has a pretty impressive reputation. President of
Barton Steel, right?”
    “Yes.”
    “Your
father seems to be a charitable man. God knows he’s handled the layoffs over
the years pretty well. But I have a hard time believing he’s really such a
saint, especially considering how good PR firms are these