A Princess Con (EBOOK)

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Chapter 1

Savvy applied lipstick as if she were dismantling a bomb.
Was she nervous?
Scared of failing?
Malcolm lay on his side, across the bed, head resting on his hand. Watching her dress for a night of espionage topped his favorites list. Especially since he had no idea the danger level for the upcoming mission.
After the Sophia-and-Princess-Minnie catastrophe, John Davis had specified Malcolm and Savvy’s missions were to be kept secret from each other. Because knowing would only cause problems. Life and death sort of problems. He hated not knowing. Yet, he acted calm, nonchalant. Or at least tried.
Supposedly, John figured that if Malcolm knew Savvy was heading into the most dangerous night—the turning point, the pinnacle of her mission—he might be tempted to follow. Therefore, possibly ruining the mission.
John Davis made an important point. Malcolm absolutely would do anything to protect Savvy. It was all about safety.
But no one said he couldn’t guess at her mission and then interpret the real truth through her body language. After all, he was trained to read people, to know exactly when they lied or fudged an answer.
The biggest clue though was one he’d learned the first week. She never wore jewelry. Never.
Why?
Whenever they went out for the night, whether for dinner or dancing or dinner with friends—not that they had many—she always wore earrings and a dangling necklace. For her to leave without wearing them meant one thing: either the whole dress-up thing was a sham and she changed into something else when she left, or…John Davis was providing more expensive jewelry, because she was trying to get in with a certain crowd.
“Let me guess,” Malcolm teased. “You’re an undercover reporter about to expose fraud at a supermodel runway?”
Savvy smirked at him in the mirror but didn’t answer. That meant he was wrong. He was pretty sure the closer he got to the truth, the more she would be tempted to answer with sarcasm or a joke.
“Fine. Fine.” He studied her dress and thought about what he knew so far. “Hmm. You’re a nanny going to the six-year-old’s birthday party because you’re investigating the father who has ties with the mob?” He groaned. “The father better not be devastatingly handsome.”
She applied lipstick for the third time, smiled, and shrugged. With a little lift of her eyebrows.
“You’re posing as a call girl to expose a sex slavery ring.” God, he hoped not.
“Maybe.”
He tried not to panic. She had answered the question with what could be considered a joke. That was way too dangerous. “That’s it. I’m going to have to seduce you to stay home with a night of strawberries, chocolate, and romantic comedies.”
Finally she turned to face him, leaning against her dresser. The look was one of sympathy, empathy, and tenderness. She glided over and sat next to him on the bed. “I know what you’re doing,” she said, softly.
Malcolm smiled to cover. She was way too smart, but then again, that was one of the many reasons he loved her, the reason he married her, the reason he’d only ever have eyes for her. “Oh, and what is that?”
The corner of her mouth lifted in a pursed smile and her left eyebrow arched. “You’re making random guesses and then inferring from my body language how close you are to guessing my mission.”
“When did you get so smart?” Of course, that was a rhetorical question.
She tilted her head to the side, her expression warm and caring. “Hey.” Malcolm tried not to feel guilty for he knew what was coming next. “You remember the agreement we made with John. Right?”
He grunted. Yes, his grunt was entirely a caveman-kind-of-answer.
“If we hadn’t made this deal, there was a chance the charges against you would never have been dropped. And you’d be in prison right now, or dealing with lawyers.” She hesitated as if trying to figure out whether to say what was on her mind.
“Go ahead,” he muttered. “Say it.”
“I know we’ve come a long way, and I don’t want to bring up what happened with Sophia. But I do remember that you were slightly bored when we lived normal lives.” She paused. Malcolm knew it was planned to let her words hit home. “This kind of life has its pros and cons. We could possibly be in danger, but most likely we’re not. We’re gathering information. Those are our assignments.”
“That’s not making me feel any better.”
She laughed. “You just don’t like being kept in the dark. That’s what’s driving you crazy.”
He rolled onto his back and clasped his hands behind his head. “I’ll admit it. I like it better when I’m the one going undercover and know everything. I hate it when you’re in danger.” He tried not to pout.
Flashing him a seductive smile, she crawled over to him and then on top of him. She hovered, inches from his face, and he breathed in her scent, her loveliness.
“You know, some sympathy sex might be a good idea right now,” he whispered.
She kissed him and then pulled away all too soon. “First, if I were to make love to you right now, it wouldn’t be pity sex. It would be because I’m madly in love with you.” She lowered her body until she was lying next to him, nestled in his arms. “But I get it. It drove me crazy a few months ago when you were undercover.”
He sighed. “Fine. You win. Just please be safe.”
A yipping sounded in the hall. Princess Minnie burst into the room. Savvy pulled away, stood, and smoothed out her dress. “And, you have the Princess to keep you company.”
Oh, yay, he thought.
Then, with one last smile, Savvy left.