‘You didn’t really think I’d treat you like a whore, did you?’ he asked quietly.
She didn’t answer.
CHAPTER FIVE
THERE was something to be said for being chauffeur-driven around Hong Kong in a Mercedes, decided Hallie two hours later as Kai expertly negotiated the traffic with the ease of long familiarity. Jasmine sat beside her in the back seat, cheerfully pointing out places of interest, from museums to major corporations, the Bird Garden to the Goldfish Market. Any other day and Hallie would be embracing the opportunity to shop for antiques with a knowledgeable guide and a chauffeur to boot, but not today. Today her mind was on Nick and his lovemaking. More specifically, on what had happened afterwards.
Good Lord, what a mess.
She’d been expecting Nick to pull back after their lovemaking. She’d started preparing for it the minute she’d stepped from the shower, and she’d been doing all right as they’d re-established the rules of their relationship. She’d been doing pretty well considering that this had been her first morning-after ever. Very well considering her feelings for Nick weren’t nearly as casual as she’d made them out to be.
And then he’d acted all concerned for her well-being, and she’d let her guard down and allowed herself to believe, just for a moment, that she meant something to him. That he’d found their lovemaking as incredible as she had. And then he’d offered her the shopping money, and, boy, hadn’t she taken that the wrong way? Hallie leaned her head against the window-pane, closed her eyes, and tried to wish it all away. The lovemaking, the misunderstanding, the money…
The sooner she got rid of the money weighing down her soul and her handbag, the better.
‘Hallie, are you okay?’
Hallie straightened up, opened her eyes, and smiled at the younger girl who was looking across at her in concern. ‘I’m fine. Just a little tired.’
‘Did you not sleep well? Was the bed uncomfortable?’
‘No, no. The bed was very comfortable.’ Sharing it was the problem. ‘It’s probably jet lag kicking in. I’ll be okay. Really.’ With a determined breath she focussed on the younger girl and their outing. ‘So tell me, where’s your favourite place in the whole city?’ she asked.
‘The Lucky Plaza food hall,’ said Jasmine promptly. ‘They have the finest selection of food in the city. You can try a little of everything! I usually do.’
‘We could go there for lunch,’ said Hallie.
Jasmine looked uncertain.
‘Your father would not approve of your choice of eating venue,’ said Kai in his quiet, implacable way.
‘I’ll ask him,’ said Jasmine, lifting her chin in a defiant gesture that was vaguely familiar. A quick conversation on her mobile and it was done. ‘He said yes,’ she told Kai sweetly.
Hallie watched with interest as Kai’s gaze clashed with Jasmine’s in the rear-view mirror, his stony, hers limpid. It was like water meeting rock; the rock endured but the water was fluid and tricky, not to mention flawlessly beautiful and surprisingly strong-willed. Jasmine held Kai’s gaze in silence until finally he turned his attention to the road. The smile Jasmine slid Hallie was impish. Hallie returned it in full.
‘So when would you like to eat?’ asked the younger girl. ‘One o clock?’
Lucky Plaza was a well-maintained seventies shopping complex. Inside was clean and nondescript with a worn look that spoke of many feet. Nothing special, thought Hallie, until they reached the food hall and she discovered that here was where the people of Asia came together to celebrate food.
‘See? I knew you would like it,’ said Jasmine, accurately judging her fascination. And to Kai, ‘And she hasn’t even tried the food yet.’
He steered them towards an empty table in a corner and sat them down unceremoniously, his gaze not on Jasmine but on two dark-suited Asian gentlemen standing by a nondescript staircase some twenty metres away. ‘Stay here,’ he told Jasmine.
‘Go,’ Jasmine waved him away. ‘We shall make our food selections while we wait for you.’
Hallie watched as Kai strode towards the staircase, according the staircase sentries the barest of nods before taking the stairs. ‘So what’s with the sentries?’ she asked. ‘Where’s Kai going?’
‘To pay our respects,’ said Jasmine. ‘One does not enter another’s territory without observing the formalities.’
‘What territory? You mean Triad territory?’
‘Oh, no,’ said Jasmine hastily. ‘Kai would never allow us to go there. Lucky Plaza is owned by another of Hong Kong’s criminal organisations. They are…less than Triad but still worthy of respect. You can see why I had to ask my father if it was appropriate to bring you here.’