The Judge was looking at the pair with a dumbfounded expression, like he didn’t know Julie any more than she did herself. But that was the idea. She was supposed to come off as someone different, someone he was to believe was the real woman beneath the tough attorney that Luke had the power to expose and manipulate.

“Is that so?” Judge Moore asked of his and Luke’s mutual interests, looking at Luke with a little more interest now. “What exactly would that be?”

“I have a knack for getting my hands on unique pieces of art that,” he hesitated, “shall we say, others could not. According to your ex-wife, so do you.”

“Luke!” Julie exclaimed, as planned. “I told you not to repeat that. I’m sorry, Judge. I’m very sorry. I just...I”

The Judge’s eyes went wide for a split second before a carefully placed mask slipped across his features. “I’m not certain I know what it is you’re talking about.”

Luke eyed Julie. “Run along, doll. Let us men talk.”

“Luke–”

He pulled her close and kissed her. “Run. Along.”

She wet her lips. “Okay.” She turned and headed down the hall, her stomach in knots. Please let this plan work.

***

“Interesting,” the Judge said, watching Julie walk away. “How’d you take such a feisty one like that and make her heel?”

“Secret submission fantasy,” he said. “The best kind, in my opinion.”

“Indeed,” he agreed, narrowing his eyes and seeming to test Luke, by adding. “Who wouldn’t want to dominate that fine piece of ass.”

Luke gritted his teeth, barely contained the urge to jack the guy against the wall. “And she’s useful. She has a powerful client list that suits my, shall we say, interests.”

“Meaning what?”

“I cater to special requests. I could be quite useful to the right people.”

“Useful?”

“For example, if someone thought to get their hands on a unique piece of art that would otherwise be impossible to obtain, I could make it happen.”

The Judge laughed, short and abrupt. “If you’re saying what I think you’re saying, I’m not buying it. Your brother just married Lauren Reynolds who’s a damn prosecutor for the state.”

“Interesting that,” Luke said. “They have no idea why I really came home. Lauren has put me in the path of a few people I might not have otherwise met.”

“And Julie? What does she know?”

“How to please me,” he said, with a lift of his lips. “Let me know if you decide you have any special requests.” He started to turn. “And by the way, Judge. I did some digging. I know you have an offshore account and I know how much you’ve deposited into it. I want to work for whoever you’re working for. If you’re smart, you’ll introduce me. I might even throw in a little something special for your private collection, hmm? If not,  it would be interesting to see your sweet setup spiral horribly out of control.” He turned and sauntered away.

The instant Luke was out of the corridor, Julie was by his side. “Well?”

“He’s panicking right now,” he said, taking her hand. “Let’s go the bar and give him a chance to pick himself up off the floor and decide what to do next.”

A few minutes later, they leaned on the bar and Julie sipped champagne. “You know,” she said. “I’m going to make you pay for that ‘good girl’ comment back there.”

His lips curved as he repeated the question she’d asked him earlier. “Promise?”

She smiled, a miracle considering her nerves were still in tiny, tight knots. “Oh yes. I promise.”

He laughed, low, deep, and sexy. “Sweetheart, I’ll pay any way you like.”

She eased closer. “Whips and chains?”

He arched a brow. “A new side to you I should know about?”

“Drastic measures to remind you that your submissive little mouse isn’t submissive at all.”

“I can’t wait,” he said with a grin, and set her drink down, drawing her hand into his, “but for now, be a good girl and follow along with me. I want to make sure the judge knows just how deep I am in his world. Let’s walk.”

They spent the next hour feigning interest in random conversations throughout the room, until a waiter appeared with a champagne tray.

“None for me,” Julie said automatically.

The waiter looked at Luke, “A message, sir.”

Luke reached for a glass and the note laying with it.  The man nodded to Luke before moving through the crowd. Luke tucked the note in his pocket.

“Go check on whoever you need to check on,” Luke said in a clipped tone as he covertly checked out the room to see if anyone was watching them. “And then we’re leaving. Can you do it in fifteen minutes?” They’d already planned this. Luke didn’t want her here late, when the crowd thinned and she was an easier target. She was right on board with that.

“Yes,” she said, wondering if her heart could take much more of this night. “That’s plenty.” She rushed away, checking on the closing team, thankful that Elizabeth had one heck of a volunteer team, many of whom Julie knew from past events.

***

Luke didn’t look at the note in the museum for a reason. He didn’t want to seem eager. The valet brought the truck to the door and Luke helped Julie inside.

Once they were in his truck, he still didn’t read it, afraid of watchful eyes. And they were being watched, he was sure of it.

At the first red light they came to he yanked the note from his pocket and unfolded it. He read in silence. Then he cursed running a hand through his hair.

“What?” Julie asked urgently.

Luke tucked the note back into his pocket, and then tugged his tie loose. He flicked a quick look her direction before refocusing on the road.

“I need to think before I can talk about this.”

“What does that mean? Luke, please. Tell me what’s going on.”

“It means I need to think. Give me a minute.” His tone was clipped, something she wasn’t used to from him and he knew it, but he wasn’t himself. In fact, he was someone else who made a stupid mistake that got people killed.

“Luke–”

“It says there’s a house party on Staten Island Friday night. The exact location to be disclosed later.”

“And you’re invited.”

His tone was clipped. “Yes.” He could feel her attention, her need for more.

“What aren’t you telling me?”

“I’m not going.”

She was silent a long moment, as if she was trying to read his mind, understand him. When she spoke, the anger was gone from her tone. “But you said children are dying and this was what you wanted?”

“Not only are children dying,” he said. “The one agent that was inside is now missing.”

“I still don’t understand what you’re telling me here.”

“There are conditions to the invitation that make the risk too high. The end.”

He felt her confusion, but for the fifteen-minute ride until he pulled his truck under the Walker building, and into the parking lot, she didn’t press him. He killed the engine and sat there, unmoving, staring into the darkness.

She touched his sleeve. “Luke? Talk to me.”

He let out a heavy breath and forced his gaze to hers. “My invitation is contingent on you coming with me.”

He watched her eyes go wide, the shock slide over her features. “I...see. Why would he want me there?”

“Perhaps to test me. To see if they pass you around I’ll flinch. These people are bastards who only want to deal with other bastards. It’s all part of their manipulation tactics.”

“Can you stop them from...passing me around?”

“We aren’t taking a chance that will happen at all. I’m not going. You’re not going.”

“This is bigger than both of us,” she said. “You know that or this wouldn’t be eating you alive. We have to do this.”

He pulled her to him. “I said no.  You are not going.” His mouth closed down on hers, hot and demanding. He would not risk her life. He would not let anything happen to her. Luke wasn’t sure what happened to him then. He wasn’t someone to lose control, but he did now.