Free Davies, Corinne - Steam-Driven Seduction [Steampunked Lust 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) by Corinne Davies Page A

could be persuaded to share that information.”
    Kass rolled the idea over in her brain for a moment, planning out what could go wrong and the repercussions. If she escaped Julien a second time, she firmly believed that he would never come after her again. Ten minutes ago she was ready to run and escape. Why the sudden hesitation?
    Miguel could have his own motives for getting her to leave. “Do you want Julien for yourself, Miguel?”
    “I want him. I’ll never lie about that to anyone, including myself. Can you say the same thing, Kass?”
    That pushed her on the defensive. “You don’t know anything about me, Miguel.”
    “I know more than either of you realize. Tell me, what was in your trunk? The one with the false bottom?”
    “Nothing,” Kass lied. “Did you enjoy snooping through my belongings?”
    “I’d enjoy exploring your body much more.” Miguel pushed himself off the wall and stepped closer.
    Kass rolled in the tub until her back pressed against the opposite edge. Her knees drawn up close to her chest, she lifted her hand to the top of her head. Her fingers rested on the hilt of the knife.
    Miguel stepped close enough that his face was partially illuminated from the light coming through the window. “You’re a beautiful woman. Would you believe that I’ve been following you for months?
    “No, I wouldn’t.” Kass felt her heart pound harder. If he’d been following her for months, he might know about the information Gil and Dev wanted her to search for. What if that’s why he’s really here?
    Miguel nodded. “You’re a clever woman. I admit I lost your trail a couple times, and by sheer luck I caught up with you outside of the Islands.”
    That was right after she picked up the information for the guys. Kass was less likely to trust Miguel now than she would have been twenty minutes ago. “Funny, I don’t believe in luck.”
    Miguel gasped dramatically and looked at her as if she was some poor unguided soul. “No? Not fate or destiny either? What a shame, because I became a firm believer in all of it today.”
    “And what epiphany brought about such a change of faith, Miguel?”
    “Having both you and Julien walk into that office together.” He said it with such conviction that she almost believed him. “We three were meant to be together.”
    “You’re delusional.”
    “We’ll see.” He gracefully bowed with a flourish. “Oh, I should tell you, I lied.”
    That didn’t surprise her, but his admitting it did. “About what?”
    “I could see you perfectly in the water as I stood in the shadows.” He stepped back and the shadows engulfed him. She quickly lost track of where he was in the darkness until he whispered, “You have a beautiful ass.”
    Silence descended on the room and Kass sat there wondering if he still lurked in the shadows. After a few minutes she figured he’d snuck away. She was impressed at his ability to not make a sound when he moved. Most men didn’t have that talent. She stretched out but didn’t take her eyes off the shadows.
    She tried to figure out what his motivation was to visit her in her bath. He could’ve gone through her belongings and she wouldn’t have known until after she left the bath. Why come in here knowing that he would see her at dinner and have to face her anger at his intrusion? Unless he figured that she would be too embarrassed to bring it up in front of anyone, especially Julien? Miguel was about to learn that she no longer suffered from that kind of embarrassment.
    In fact, she didn’t care who saw her body. It was merely a pretty package of skin and bones that housed her heart and soul. Her physical presence was nothing but a tool to be used in order to try to help others. No one gained the inner sanctum of her heart, nor did she think anyone ever would.

Chapter Five

    Julien looked through the mountain of paperwork that had been left for him to go over. There was a plethora of information to sort through and clues to