In the Brazilian's Debt(48)

                Only a few months before, and the thought of being close to a                     member of the Fane family would have been unthinkable for him, but Lizzie Fane                     was the only woman he wanted in his bed.

                When the music stopped, he was irritated to see Lizzie’s friend                     Danny waving imperatively to Lizzie from the edge of the dance floor. ‘What does                     she want?’

                ‘You’ll have to excuse me—’

                ‘I will?’

                They glared at each other for a moment and then he stood                     back.

                ‘I’ll watch out for wolves,’ she said, flashing him one last                     challenging glance.

                If she didn’t, he would.

                * * *

                Denied Chico’s heat, the enclosing warmth of his arms,                     and the sheer challenge he presented every time they were together, she felt his                     loss immediately, but the presentiment of trouble ahead worried her more as she                     hurried across to join Danny. She had to shake this feeling off. She was in                     danger of looking for trouble everywhere. She was in the middle of a party, for                     goodness’ sake. What could possibly go wrong?

                It didn’t matter where she was, Lizzie realised as she made her                     way out of the crush to where Danny was standing. She felt like that                     fifteen-year-old girl again, sitting on the stairs listening to her parents                     fight, and Chico had triggered this uncertainty by reminding her of the past.                     She still wasn’t sure exactly what part he’d played in the drama, and sometimes                     she wondered if she would ever find out. She passed Tiago, who was leaning back                     against the bar and raising his glass to her, and ignored him as she walked on                     towards Danny. By the look on Danny’s face, something was seriously wrong.

                ‘What is it? What’s happened?’ she pressed urgently.

                ‘I got a call from Scotland, because you were, um, otherwise                     engaged.’

                ‘And?’ The expression in Danny’s eyes was alarming her now.

                ‘It was Annie calling me—she needed to speak to you, but your                     phone was off.’