Sins of a Virgin Read Free

every detail from the scene of the crimes. He couldn’t risk someone else not being as thorough. Or risk them not pressing hard enough because they were afraid to offend the high-and-mighty aristocracy. “I’ll investigate on my own.”
    He’d finally been given what he’d searched for these past years. Suspects. After his sister’s murder, the only thing he knew was that she’d been seen with a mysterious gentleman. But now with this new murder, he’d been able to cross-check his list of the noblemen who’d been in London at the time of his sister’s murder with a list of men who had daughters at the school. And since the school, for the most part, housed bastard daughters of rich aristocrats, the list was quite small. When he’d further tightened the list to those with animals on their family crests, he’d been left with a list of seven names.
    “Do you think your suspects will talk to you without the authority of Bow Street behind you? They won’t even let you in the door. And if you go against my word on this, you’ll no longer be . . .” Potts stared at something outside his office door, his mouth gaping.
    Gabriel turned, curious as to what had rendered Potts speechless in the middle of one of his prized threats. The only time he could recall Potts at a loss for words was when that albino man and his camel—
    Gabriel’s breath escaped as if he’d been punched in the gut.
    A woman stood in the doorway.
    No. That would be like calling the Holy Grail a drinking cup.
    If his every dark, midnight fantasy had somehow come to life, they would have created this woman. And since she’d been drawn from his dreams, he already knew the rich, dark curls artfully arranged on her head would be silky to his touch. He knew when she turned, a few lucky tendrils would have escaped to tease the slender column of her throat. He recognized the pert, straight nose, ached to run his finger over the delicate curve of her ear.
    But it was her lips he couldn’t look away from. Lips his imagination never could have conjured. Lush, sensuous, and dark, as if she’d just sipped a glass of fine red wine. He wanted to bring his mouth to hers, sample her flavor, and grow drunk on her sweetness.
    A slight mocking curve of that mouth brought his attention to her eyes. After his intense study, it was a bit of a shock to find she wasn’t looking at him at all, but rather over his shoulder at Potts.
    She stepped into the room, the small, graceful movement drawing Gabriel’s attention to her body. Her gown was no different from ones he saw every day in Hyde Park, yet it was infinitely more provocative. The bodice offered up the lush perfection of her breasts. The narrow skirt highlighted the tiny span of her waist and gentle flare of her hips.
    “Mr. Potts, I can wait if you need more time,” the woman said, her voice the perfect mixture of sugar and seduction.
    Potts lumbered out from behind his desk and caught the woman’s hand, bringing it to his lips as ruddy color darkened his cheeks. “No, Miss Valdan. I let time get away from me. We were finished.”
    The name doused Gabriel’s lustful appreciation. Madeline Valdan. The courtesan’s name had been on every male’s lips for the past six months. Yesterday, with the start of her ridiculous auction, it had grown ten times worse. Hell, at the murder scene yesterday, the other constables had been unable to focus on anything save their lamentable lack of funds for bidding on her.
    Potts led Miss Valdan to the worn leather chair across from his desk and motioned for her to sit, then turned to Gabriel. “Huntford, the matter is decided. You have other cases. Other people who deserve justice.”
    When Potts said his name, Miss Valdan finally directed her gaze to him. It swept over him like velvet, leaving his skin hot and itchy. But Gabriel resisted the urge to straighten like a green youth; instead, he met her eyes with a glare. He had a murder to solve—a murder he would