Chill Read Free Page A

her chest. The frame and photo had been a gift from her mother, and Isabella had been devastated by the loss.
    It had been the first and only time she’d ever seen Marcus apologize to anyone for anything, and he’d sent out his top retriever to find an old battered frame like the one he’d had thrown out. He’d found almost an exactreplica of the one she’d had, and he’d even had her mother’s name carved in the back, like her frame had had.
    His efforts hadn’t healed the hole in her heart, but it had shown her a side of Marcus she’d never forgotten.
    Marcus cleared his throat. “How is your research on my son going?”
    She brightened. “I’ve found him. He changed his name to—”
    “No!” Marcus held up his hand to silence her. “I told you, I don’t want to know the details. I just want you to be able to tell me that he’s okay.”
    She sighed. Why wouldn’t he want to know how his son was? “He seems to be fine. He runs his own business.”
    Marcus smiled. “Of course he would. Adam’s too stubborn to work for anyone else.” He nodded at the necklace. “He would appreciate that I finally found that. It was one of his special projects.”
    Isabella narrowed her eyes at his direct comment. It felt forced. “Really? You want me to tell him we have it?”
    Marcus laughed softly. “I would like to see his reaction to that news.” His smile faded and his eyes became sharp. “Has anyone else asked you for information on him? Have you told anyone about him?”
    Isabella dropped her hand from her turquoise pendant, relieved Marcus had moved on to a new subject. “No, of course not. You asked me to keep it confidential.”
    Marcus relaxed visibly. “Excellent. I knew I could trust you.” Then he tensed again. “You haven’t done any of the work on your computer, have you?”
    “I haven’t saved anything,” she said. “But I’ve usedmy computer to do some research, of course.” She frowned. “You think someone’s going to break into my computer and look for the trail?”
    Marcus rubbed his jaw. “You use all the security safeguards, don’t you?”
    “Of course I do.” What was wrong with him? He was always careful, but bordering on paranoia wasn’t his thing.
    He nodded. “Okay, that should be fine. But you let me know if anyone asks.”
    Isabella began to tense up at his concern. “What’s going on? What are you worried about?”
    He stiffened. “I’m not worried,” he snapped. “Everything is under control. I have someone I’d like you to meet. Be in my office in fifteen minutes.”
    “Okay.” Obviously, now wasn’t the time to press him. She’d save that for later. “Fifteen minutes?” She checked the time on the diamond-crusted watch Marcus had given her for her twenty-ninth birthday. It was only the second occasion she’d had to wear it, and she cherished it. “I’ll be there.”
    Marcus did business whenever the opportunity presented itself, and it wasn’t a surprise he was using his birthday celebration to make a new deal.
    “Excellent.” He started to turn away, and she touched his arm.
    He looked down at her hand, and she dropped her hand, her cheeks flushing. “Sorry.” She took a breath, then handed him the jewelry box. “Happy birthday, Marcus.”
    He smiled as he took the box, his blue eyes gentling ever so slightly. Her heart ached for more. He was a tease to her heart, hinting at softer feelings, but so rarely sharing them. “Ah, Isabella, you probably boughtthat months ago, didn’t you?” His tone was softer now, the warm tenor reserved for late nights when they were alone and his guard was down.
    The Marcus she alone knew, who no one else saw.
    She smiled. “Maybe.”
    “You would have liked my wife,” he said as he opened the box. “She always took such care buying presents for me.”
    Isabella caught her breath, startled by his statement. He almost never talked about his deceased wife or their son, who’d taken off and disappeared so