After The Music. Diana Palmer

      Oh, Lord, what a mess she’d made of things. Why hadn’t she said something about the project? Now he thought she was a prostitute! But what a monumental ego he had, she thought, glaring up at him. “You couldn’t afford me,” she told him.

      His eyes ran over her body again and this time there was no appreciation in his stare. “You overestimate yourself. I’d say twenty dollars would do it.”

      She slapped him. It was completely unpremeditated, without thought, but she wasn’t taking any more insults from this creature, even if he was Al’s brother.

      He didn’t even flinch. His cheek turned red, but he simply stared at her with those icy eyes.

      “You’ll pay for that,” he said quietly.

      “Make me,” she challenged, backing away. “Come on, oil baron, hit me back.” She was beautiful in her fury, silver eyes flashing, black hair flying, body taut and poised and elegant. “I’m not afraid of you.”

      His face gave nothing away; his gaze was unblinking and hard. “Who are you?” he asked sternly.

      “I’m the tooth fairy,” she said with a mocking smile. “Too bad you didn’t lose any to Mr. Henton. I’ve got a pocketful of quarters.”

      She turned, forgetting her ginger ale, and strode out the door and through the house. She was livid by the time she reached the crowded living room.

      Al spotted her, moving forward with a glass in his hand. He looked worried and nervous, but when he saw Sabina’s face he looked shocked.

      “What happened?”

      “Never mind.” She would hate to tell him. “Where’s Mr. Henton?”

      “Gone home in a snit, with a broken nose,” he grumbled. “So much for that potential sponsor.” He sighed. “Well, we’ll just have to work on Thorn.”

      “Al, about working on your brother…”

      A door slammed, and even amid the noise of the guests, she knew who it was and why. She stiffened as Al looked over her shoulder and grinned.

      “Well, Beck sure left you a present, didn’t he?” Al chuckled. “Why didn’t you duck?”

      “I did,” came a familiar, cold drawl from behind her. “Are you going to introduce me?” he asked, pretending ignorance.

      “Sure.” Al placed a casual arm across Sabina’s shoulder and turned her to face the man with the black eye. Al sounded casual, but his arm was tense and trembling a little. “This is Sabina Cane.”

      The tall man looked suddenly murderous. “The rock singer?”

      “Yes,” Al said defensively.

      The man who’d kissed her so passionately not five minutes before glared at Sabina as if he’d like to cut her throat.

      “I should have known,” he said with a harsh laugh, ramming one lean hand into his pants pocket. “You look the part.”

      She curtsied sweetly. “Thank you, Mr. Thorndon the Third.”

      Al glanced from one to the other with open curiosity. “Thorn, there’s something I want to talk to you about,” he said.

      “Forget it,” Thorn told him. He gave Sabina a long, insulting appraisal. “Your taste in women stinks.” He turned and walked straight toward an elegant blonde in a gold lamé bodysuit. The woman slipped into his arms, clinging to him like glue.

      Sabina glared at him with eyes that burned when she saw him bend to kiss the blonde warmly on the mouth. She averted her gaze. “Al, I can’t stay here. I can’t possibly.”

      “Sabina, I’m sorry…”

      She spotted Jessica and motioned to her. “Can you run me home?”

      “Sure, what’s wrong?”

      “I just have a bad headache, Al,” Sabina lied smoothly. She couldn’t go into it now. “I’m sorry, I thought it would get better.”

      “If it’s because of Thorn,” he began, glaring at his brother, “I apologize for his bad manners.”

      “I’d like to tell him what to do with them, too,” she told Al. “But my head’s splitting. Jessica?”

      “I’m ready. Come on. See you later, boss,” she told Al with a shy smile.

      “I’ll talk to Thorn,” Al said brusquely.

      “Don’t waste your breath on him,” Sabina added. “Good night.”

      She walked out the door with a breathless Jessica right behind, grateful for the nippy autumn air and the dark.

      “What happened in the kitchen?” Jessica demanded as they were driving back toward Sabina’s apartment.

      “I antagonized him,” Sabina said stiffly. “Al will never forgive me, but I couldn’t stand that man another minute!”

      “Al says that Thorn is used to expecting the worst and he usually finds it. He’s a sad kind of man, really. He doesn’t let anybody get close—he spends most of his time all alone.”

      “Alone?” Sabina said gruffly. “That’s not what I saw….”

      “Window dressing,” Jessica replied as she sped down the street where her friend lived. “His women come and go. Mostly they go.”

      “How do you know so much about him?” Sabina asked.

      “He comes in and out of our office. His own offices are in the new building, the addition. But he and Al have business dealings they have to discuss now and then. He’s always polite. Once, he even brought me coffee when I was hurrying to get some correspondence out for him and Al,” she added with a smile.

      He could afford to be polite to Al’s secretary, Sabina thought angrily. But if Al got serious about Jessica, she knew Thorn would wage a desperate battle. He had said as much with that offhand remark at the party. And Al did feel something for Jess, Sabina was sure of it. She wanted so much to tell Jessica what she suspected.

      “Thorn probably bribes people when he can’t get them any other way,” Sabina grumbled.

      Jessica pulled into a parking space outside the apartment building and glanced at her friend. “I’ll bet he’s never needed a bribe.” She sighed. “But Al’s terrified of him, you know? So am I, really. If I ever looked twice at Al, I’ll bet Thorn would have me transferred to Saudi Arabia or somewhere.”

      Yes, Sabina thought miserably, being nice to Al’s secretary was one thing. But Hamilton Regan Thorndon the Third would cut Jess up like sausage for merely smiling at his brother.

      “Just remember one thing. Al isn’t blind about you,” Sabina said softly. “And if he cared enough, he’d even take on big brother.”

      “He’d only notice me if I died and there was nobody to make coffee,” Jess groaned.

      “Ha! Well, I guess I’ll go up and eat some toast. Damn Hamilton Regan Thorndon the Third, anyway,” she muttered. “He’s cost me my supper. Imagine having to work for him!”

      “His secretaries kind of come and go, like his women,” Jessica confided. “He’s hard on women. They say he hates them.”

      Sabina felt herself shudder. “Yes, I felt that. He’s very cold.”

      “Not in bed, I’ll bet,” Jessica said under her breath.

      Sabina’s face flushed, and she got out before Jess could see it. “Thanks for the ride! Want to have lunch one day?”

      “I’ll call you. Are you sure you’re okay?” Jess added with a worried frown.

      Sabina shrugged and smiled. “Just a little battle scarred.”