Free The Highest Price to Pay by Maisey Yates Page B

woman, no question about it. But there were many beautiful women. Women who didn’t come with so many strings attached. Women who didn’t test the edges of his tightly leashed control.
    His mobile phone rang, the name
Karen Carson
flashing on the screen. “Chevalier.”
    “Hello, Blaise,” she said, her voice tinged with a little bit of flirtation. Invitation.
    He’d met Karen on a few occasions, but their meetings had been strictly platonic. From the sound of things, she wouldn’t mind a change.
    He entertained the thought for a full second, toying with the idea of using her to take his mind off Ella. He’d done it before. There had been countless women after Marie, each one used to try to wash away the impression the only woman he’d ever cared for had left on his body.
    The thought of doing that now filled him with disgust, and he wasn’t sure why.
    “Is there something wrong with the sketches Ella sent you?”
    “No, I quite liked them,” she said, taking a cue from him, her voice hardening into a more businesslike tone, the flirtatiousness evaporating.
    “Then all will go ahead as planned? The cover and the ad?”
    “A cover now, too,” she said, not sounding terribly surprised.
    “Ella is very talented. I want to see that talent rewarded.”
    Karen cleared her throat. “Ah, yes, well as I’ve seen in the news recently there is speculation that you know a great deal about her talents.”
    The note of jealousy in her voice made him tighten his jaw out of annoyance. Ella had talent; he believed that now with a decent level of conviction. He wasn’t about to have this opportunity dangled before her, only to have her lose it because of a woman mourning the loss of a night of sex that he’d never had any intention of having with her.
    “I am only a man,” he said, “but I am also a businessman. If I didn’t think this would be a good move, for your magazine and for her, I wouldn’t suggest it.”
    Karen cleared her throat. “Actually I was so impressed with the sketches I was thinking of including some more Ella Stanton pieces in a spread we’re doing. There will be several designers represented. It will be very good exposure for her. We’re thinking a beach shoot in formalwear. Very dramatic.”
    “Dramatic indeed. Have you scouted locations?”
    “We were thinking Hawaii.”
    “Boring,” he said. “Overdone.”
    “And you have a better idea?”
    “Naturally.”
    “Do you have enough staff to cover a week away?”
    Ella jumped slightly, gripping the edge of the counter to keep from losing balance on her three inch heels. “You really like the whole unannounced entrance thing, don’t you?”
    “I couldn’t reach you by phone.”
    “The boutique has a phone,” Ella said, jabbing the old-fashioned rotary phone with her finger.
    “Charming. Does it work?”
    She narrowed her eyes, hoping to capitalize on the annoyance that was currently flooding her. It was easier than dealing with the wild galloping of her heart.
    “Of course it works. But you wouldn’t know, because you decided just walking in her would be better.”
    “It’s a public place, isn’t that what most people do?” he asked.
    She clenched her teeth. “Yeah. Anyway, why didn’t you call my cell?”
    “I did. It went straight to your voice mail.”
    “Oh.” She crouched down behind the counter and fished around in her magenta leather bag, finding her phone buried at the bottom. Either she’d switched it off or the battery had died. Great. Very professional. “Sorry,” she said, putting it on the counter.
    She flashed back to what he’d said when he’d first walked in, registering the words for the first time rather than just that voice that sent her heart rate into overdrive.
    “You asked if I could go away for a week?”
    “Karen would like you to consult on the photo shoot. She wants your gown for the cover and the billboard ad.”
    Excitement tugged at her stomach, excitement that had nothing to do with