how he wanted her to greet Preston.
“Take a deep breath and relax, sweetheart,” he said just as a long, sprawling mansion came into view. “We’re almost there and you need to shake off the nerves.”
Right before his eyes, that serious frown on her face disappeared and the rigid set to her shoulders eased. “What nerves?” she asked, flashing him a bright, believable smile.
“Good girl,” he murmured, satisfied that she once again looked like the young, carefree girl Sloane expected to see when they arrived.
Outwardly, she’d done an excellent job of hiding any trace of apprehension she might have been feeling. But past experience as an undercover cop had taught him that deep in your gut, there was no way to completely escape the stress that was your constant companion. Knowing you were playing a very risky game with equally dangerous criminals, you were constantly on guard, your level of awareness increased tenfold. All it took was one false move and suspicions were raised, and weeks of building a credible pretense were flushed down the toilet.
They both knew how much was at stake, and like actors getting ready to put on a performance, they’d discussed their roles and spent the day preparing for the weekend and all the possible scenarios that could come up in their attempt to find and rescue Angela. The good, the bad, and the ugly.
Nathan pulled around the circular drive, and as soon as they stopped, a valet opened Nicole’s door and offered his hand to help her out of the high vehicle. Then he retrieved their overnight bags from the back and promised to deliver them to whatever room they’d been assigned.
Knowing he needed a sturdy vehicle with more space than the Ferrari in order to get Angela out undetected when the time came, Nathan had traded the sports car for the high-dollar Hummer. It wouldn’t come as a surprise to Sloane that the wealthy entrepreneur Alex Keller had more than one vehicle, and the SUV, with its spacious backseats and black-tinted windows, was the perfect distraction.
“Make sure you don’t block the Hummer in any way when you park it.” Nathan handed the young man a twenty-dollar bill along with the keys. He wanted to make sure he had easy access to the vehicle at all times, and even had a spare key in his wallet just in case the need arose.
The guy pocketed the cash and grinned. “Sure thing.”
Tucking Nicole’s hand in his, he gave her a reassuring smile and led the way through a courtyard to the front doors of the massive house. They passed a huge, extravagant water fountain with a bronze sculpture of a young girl with two braids, bare from the waist up, pouring water into the first tier of the basin. Throughout the floral gardens surrounding the walkway were smaller statues of naked wood nymphs peeking through the lush foliage.
Nathan exchanged a quick can-you-believe-this-shit look with Nicole before ringing the doorbell. Less than a minute later they were greeted by Sloane himself, dressed casually in a crisp pair of jeans and a polo shirt.
“Alex and Nikki!” he said, sounding pleased to see them. Or at least he was happy to see Nicole, considering that was where the older man’s gaze lingered as he took in her soft, loose blond curls, pink minidress, and slender bare legs.
“You look very pretty, as always,” Sloane complimented her, his voice low and intimate.
“Thank you,” she replied demurely.
Beside Nathan, Nicole remained calm, despite Sloane’s blatant visual inspection and approval. She offered the older man a sweet, captivating smile that seemed to mesmerize him even more, and that’s when Nathan decided he’d had enough of Sloane’s ogling for now.
“Good to see you again, Preston,” Nathan said, forcing Sloane’s gaze back to him.
As if realizing he wasn’t alone with Nicole, the other man came back to his senses, opened the door wider, and waved his hand inside. “You, too, Keller. Come in, come in.”
They entered the huge foyer set with marble flooring. In front of them, a sweeping staircase led to a second- floor landing. A crystal chandelier hung overhead and rare artwork and antiques were displayed throughout the area, adding to the excessive opulence that seemed to be everywhere Nathan looked.
“Amazing place you have here,” Nathan said.
“There’s so much more for you to see.” Sloane stepped up to Nicole, grasped her hand, and tucked it into the crook of his arm. “How about I give the two of you a quick tour of the place?” While his question addressed both of them, Sloane’s gaze didn’t waver from Nicole’s face.
“I’d like that,” she said with a nod.
Keeping Nicole’s hand secured on his arm, Sloane escorted her into an adjoining room, with Nathan following behind. Under normal circumstances, he would have been more than a little annoyed at feeling like a third wheel, but having Sloane’s attention engaged solely on Nicole worked to Nathan’s advantage. It gave him the chance to take in the layout of the house and commit as much as he could to memory.
Strolling from room to room, Nathan saw no one but hired staff dressed in black-and-white uniforms, busy preparing for the guests arriving for the weekend. None of the young girls he’d seen at the nightclub were present, but Nathan knew that they were most likely living in one of the three guesthouses that were also on the property.
Sloane pointed out the huge living room where they would meet later for drinks and a dinner buffet, then the three of them took an elevator down to the lower level of the house to what Sloane fondly referred to as his “playroom.” The lighting was dim, but there was no mistaking the provocative vibe of the room, which reminded Nathan of the decor and setting at Sloane’s nightclub.
Another flight of stairs led to an indoor/outdoor pool, reminiscent of the Playboy Mansion grotto with caves, waterfalls, hot tubs, and passageways. As they continued to tour more of the house and its amenities, Nathan watched as Sloane poured on the charm with Nicole. The man was suave and debonair, and knew exactly what to say and do to flatter a girl. His touches were light but intimate, leaving no doubt that he was asserting his interest in Nicole and attempting to make her comfortable with his subtle caresses.
Nicole played along, executing a believable wide-eyed innocence and awe that seemed to captivate Sloane.
A good forty minutes later, and none too soon for Nathan, Sloane steered them toward another wing of the house where the guest suites were located and presented them with their room for the weekend.
“The only place I didn’t show you was my art gallery,” Sloane said to Nicole. “We’ll save that surprise for later this evening.” He finally released Nicole’s hand, but it was obvious to Nathan that the other man was reluctant to part company with her.
Sloane glanced at Nathan. “I’m expecting a few more guests to arrive, but the two of you can relax and freshen up before tonight’s get-together. Drinks are at six, followed by dinner, then a night of entertainment. I’ll see you then.”
There was no question in Nathan’s mind what Sloane meant by “entertainment.” He’d seen the playroom and the grotto, and most likely that was where the festivities would transition to after dinner. Hopefully, Angela would be there, and Nathan and Nicole could execute the next step in their plan.
Sloane left them alone, and as soon as Nathan closed the door to the suite, he watched Nicole’s teenage facade drop away and disgust fill her eyes. She opened her mouth to speak, and Nathan immediately pressed his fingers against her lips and gave his head a hard shake, reminding her what they’d discussed earlier back at his place.
Within the walls of Sloane’s estate, they wouldn’t talk about anything regarding the case. There was too much of a chance for someone to overhear, and he honestly didn’t trust Sloane not to use surveillance devices to keep an eye, and ear, out for what they said or did.
Nicole chose a dark blue lace slip dress with thin spaghetti straps to wear for the evening. She curled her hair, put on a light application of makeup, and swiped shimmering gloss across her lips. Satisfied with her youthful appearance, she headed back into the adjoining bedroom where Nathan was waiting for her.
Wearing black slacks and a white dress shirt, he looked masculine and sexy. For a brief moment she wished they were someplace else entirely, instead of playing dress-up for her to entice Sloane, and for Nathan to express interest in Angela.
They gave each other a quiet look of understanding, then made their way downstairs to the cocktail party. Hand in hand, they walked into the spacious living room where the male guests were already gathered, along with a
