CHAPTER THREE

Kira silently conceded that she had made a tactical error going to Ethan’s penthouse as she felt the heat from his gaze prickling along her skin from across the crowded exhibition area of The Wong Gallery. It had been like waving a red flag in front of a bull. Even with her back turned to him she could still feel his eyes on her as she pretended to ignore him while studying the red lacquered Chinese vase encased in the glass display before her. “This is exquisite. What period is it from?”

“The Qianlong dynasty, I believe,” Gabriel said as he looked nervously around the room.

“You believe? I thought you were as much an expert on Chinese antiquities as your father,” Kira teased.

“No one is as much of an expert on anything as my father is,” Gabriel replied with uncharacteristic bitterness causing Kira to shift her attention to him in concern.

“Is something wrong?”

“No. Just ignore my foul mood,” he said with a wave of his hand. “I guess I’m just a little nervous about this evening. As you know, father put me in charge of this event and a lot is riding on how well I pull it off.”

“Is that so?” Ethan’s voice suddenly emanated from directly over Kira’s shoulder, startling her with the speed and stealth with which he had suddenly materialized at her side. “Like what?”

“That’s hardly any of your business, Mr. Chance,” Kira replied coolly.

“You might as well tell him,” Jeremy said sourly as he joined the trio. “He’s going to find out soon enough. Everyone will.”

“Find out what?” Ethan asked. “About your father’s restructuring plans?”

Kira’s eyes narrowed suspiciously in Ethan’s direction. “How could you possibly know about that?”

“It’s not exactly a state secret. There have been rumors swirling that Yi is going to be handing over control of Gau Lung to one of his sons for quite a while now. And I couldn’t help but notice during our meeting this morning that he seemed more interested in gauging Jeremy and Gabriel’s reactions to my proposal than the proposal itself.”

“How very observant of you,” Jeremy eyed Ethan curiously.

“At the risk of sounding arrogant, I’m a good judge of situations.” Ethan returned Jeremy’s gaze pointedly, a look of disdain barely hidden beneath the gracious expression on his face. “And people.”

Jeremy bared his teeth at Ethan in what passed for a smile. “Then I am certain that, in your vast astuteness, you realize that the final decision regarding the sub-concession will ultimately end up in the hands of which ever one of us it is that my father chooses. Which, if my father is wise will be me as Gabriel simply doesn’t have what it takes to run things.”

“Given the fact that your father has entrusted Gabriel with overseeing this exhibition, it’s obvious that he disagrees with your assessment,” Kira said, immediately jumping to Gabriel’s defense when he, in his natural tendency towards civility, made no attempt to defend himself. She hated the fact that Jeremy was giving Ethan a front row seat to observe the Wong family’s considerable dysfunction, knowing that displaying any weakness to Ethan was an open invitation for him to take advantage of it. However, if Jeremy was hell bent on being his usual obnoxious self, she wasn’t going to allow Gabriel’s tactfulness to undermine his authority where Ethan was concerned. Not only was Gabriel a dear friend but she was counting on him to help her keep the Wong family sub-concession out of Ethan’s hands. “In fact, it would appear that by entrusting Gabriel with his most prized possessions, Yi is heavily leaning in Gabriel’s direction.”

Both Jeremy and Ethan glowered at Kira, clearly not pleased with her defense of Gabriel for very different reasons. The tenseness of the moment was broken up by the loud, shrill voice of Bunny Wong as she barreled into the exhibition area.

“There you are, Gabriel,” she squealed breathlessly, her ample bosoms bobbing precariously within the barely adequate confines of the plunging neckline of the too tight dress she was shoehorned into as she wobbled her way over to her stepson on five inch stilettos. For what seemed like the millionth time, Kira marveled at the fact that this was the woman that a man as refined and dignified as Yi Wong had chosen to be his wife a year ago. The saying ‘opposites attract’ had never been more apt. “You must come with me at once! We have an emergency on our hands!”

“What is it?” Gabriel asked, the sudden alarm that clouded his face conveying just how much was weighing on this event running as smoothly as possible.

“Some idiot waiter just dropped an entire case of champagne!” Bunny wailed dramatically. “The whole bloody lot has been destroyed!”

The muscles in Gabriel’s face relaxed noticeably with relief. “That’s not a problem. There are plenty of reserves in the wine cellar.”

“I told you that you were overreacting, mother.” Jade Vandercamp trailed wearily behind Bunny, admonishing her mother in a slight British accent, the dulcet tone of her voice as markedly different from that of Bunny’s as her appearance. With her conservative but elegant black evening gown and overall reserved air, one would never guess that the two were mother and daughter. The only discernable similarity between them was their blond hair and even in that the delicacy of Jade’s sleek, silvery blond tresses stood out in sharp contrast to the brassy disarray of curls tumbling around Bunny’s face like a mane of bronze corkscrews. “Naturally, Gabriel has everything under control.”

Gabriel smiled gratefully at his new step-sister. “If you all will excuse me, I’d better go check on that champagne.”

Kira resisted the urge to tag along beside him even though the chance to escape Ethan’s unsettling presence tempted her greatly. However, she immediately recognized that would not only be cowardly on her part but also grossly negligent of her on a professional level. She was hired to be Gau Lung's troubleshooter, and Ethan Chance was definitely trouble. He was up to something, she could feel it in her bones. If the security breach at Gau Lung that coincided with his arrival on the scene hadn’t convince her of that then the fact that he somehow already knew about Yi’s plans to give control of Gau Lung to one of his sons certainly had. That, along with the dangerous edge in his voice as he spoke to Jeremy Wong moments earlier convinced Kira that she needed to keep a very close eye on him.

“Don’t worry. I’m sure he won’t be gone for long,” Ethan said dryly as he brought a glass of champagne up to his lips, irritated by the wistful look on Kira’s face as she watched Gabriel’s retreat. “I promise I won’t gobble you up in is absence.”

Kira shot a defiant look in Ethan’s direction. “I promise you won’t either.”

“And just who is this handsome young man speaking so intriguingly of gobbling ladies up,” Bunny cooed as her big, baby blues locked in on Ethan.

“This is Ethan Chance,” Jeremy said, taking on the task of introductions with a decidedly bored tone as he frowned at Bunny and her daughter. “And this, unfortunately, is my father’s new wife and her kid.”

“Her kid’s name is Jade, by the way,” Jade said as she extended a slender hand to Ethan.

“Jade Vandercamp, the Vice President of Accounting for Gau Lung,” Ethan added with a nod as he accepted her outstretched hand.

Jade flashed a charming smile at Ethan that reflected the distinctively feminine brand of approval that shone in her azure eyes as she studied his handsome features closely, clearly intrigued. “And you are the President of Rising Phoenix Unlimited.”

“It looks like we’ve both done our homework.” Ethan gave Jade a charming smile of his own, causing Kira’s heart to suddenly sink in the process.

“How admirably studious of you both,” Kira sniffed, hating both the undertone of cattiness she heard in her own voice and the unwanted emotions that triggered it.

“I like to keep abreast of everything that’s going on within the company,” Jade said, appearing to be oblivious to Kira’s sarcasm.

“So I've noticed.” Jeremy scowled down at Jade with open hostility. “Far too much interest for an outsider, if you ask me.”

“Is it really necessary for you to air our family's dirty laundry out in public like this?” Jade asked, fixing Jeremy with a hard look that belied her exquisitely delicate outward appearance.

“We’re not family,” Jeremy growled, glaring at her with a stare as cold and hard as black ice before stomping away in a churlish huff.

“You’ll have to excuse my stepson,” Bunny said with a nervous titter. “He’s having a little difficulty adjusting to the change that his father’s marriage to me has created in his life. Now if you'll pardon me, I really do need to check on our other guests. Press the flesh and all that.”

“What Jeremy is having difficulty with is being a mature adult,” Jade said irritably, countering her mother’s excuse for Jeremy once she was no longer in earshot. “That’s why I am certain that Yi will be giving control of Gau Lung to Gabriel. If I were you, Mr. Chance, I would focus my energies on winning him over.”

“Please, call me Ethan,” Ethan replied smoothly.

Kira noticed a flicker of increased interest flash across Ethan’s face as he turned his full attention towards Jade. Wariness and something perilously close to jealousy mixed uneasily in the pit of her stomach.

“I’m afraid that courting Gabriel won’t do Mr. Chance much good,” Kira volunteered, directing her comments as much towards Ethan as Jade. “He has as many doubts about the prudence of this proposal as I do.”

“I’m certain that he does. No doubt, firmly planted in his mind by you,” Jade murmured sharply.

Kira bristled at the abrasiveness of Jade’s retort, a by-product of the very extensive background check Kira had conducted on Jade and her mother as part of her duties at Gau Lung when Yi first began dating Bunny. Kira had not dug up anything noteworthy on either of the Vandercamp women but somehow word of her inquiries had reached Jade and she’d held it against Kira ever since. Kira knew that Ethan, shark that he was, could smell the bad blood in the water and that was the only thing that kept her from replying to Jade in kind.

“Gabriel can think for himself,” Kira said in a neutral tone.

“Yes, he can. But he is also very open to the opinions of others as all good leaders should be. Gabriel and I have become quite close since out parents’ marriage and I think that with a little tweaking of certain aspects of the deal I could sell him on this partnership with Rising Phoenix.” Jade turned her attention pointedly towards Ethan, her pouty pink lips curving up invitingly. “I would be more than happy to meet with you privately to discuss the matter further at a more appropriate time.”

Ethan cocked his head to one side as he studied Jade more closely. “I would definitely appreciate your input.”

“I’m sure you would,” Kira interjected, the knot of tension coiling ever more tightly in her gut. “However, this proposed business deal falls outside of both Jade’s duties at Gau Lung and her area of expertise.”

“Oh, don’t be so damned rigid, Kira,” Jade said with more than a bit of annoyance. “It’s just a discussion. I’m certain that Yi will have no problem with Ethan and I talking.”

Kira’s face twisted into a frown. She too was certain that Yi would have no problem with it. Yi never seemed to have a problem with anything that Bunny and her daughter did.

“Well, now that that’s settled, why don’t I phone you tomorrow and set up a meeting. Perhaps over dinner,” Ethan suggested, casting a quick sideways glance in Kira’s direction. As he had hoped, she looked as if her head were about to explode.

“That sounds lovely. Let me give you my number,” Jade offered eagerly.

“I’ve got your number,” Ethan replied with a wink. “More of that homework we discussed earlier.”

“You’re very thorough,” Jade observed, lightly licking her lips. “I like that quality in a man. I look forward to our meeting.”

Tossing one last sultry glance over her shoulder at Ethan as she walked away, Jade glided into the throng of people milling about the gallery, mingling amicably with Yi’s other guests with the same smooth effortlessness with which she had just scored a date with Ethan.

“You haven’t changed a bit have you,” Kira remarked, a hint of disappointment mingling with the disdain in her voice.

“What does that mean?” Ethan asked.

“It means I’ve got your number. You’re planning on seducing her, aren’t you?”

Ethan narrowed his eyes as he watched Kira intently. “Would it bother you if I did?”

“Who you sleep with is none of my concern,” Kira sniffed as she endured another sharp stab of jealousy. “However, if you are planning on parlaying a sexual relationship with Jade into a business advantage the way that you did with me back in Vegas then who you sleep with will quickly become my concern. Professionally speaking, of course.”

Ethan’s lips twisted into a knowing smile. “Of course.”

“I need some fresh air,” Kira suddenly announced. Unable to stand the ridicule she saw twinkling mischievously in Ethan’s eyes, she brushed past him and headed for the doors leading outside to the terrace overlooking the garden surrounding the gallery. The night air was chilly, causing Kira to shiver beneath the thin material of the traditional Chinese dress she wore. She had known that the Cheongsam with its short sleeves high slits and Mandarin collar was an impractical choice of attire given the weather but had chosen it anyway because of the flattering way that the delicate black silk clung to her body. She had told herself that the knowledge that she would be seeing Ethan that evening had nothing to do with that choice.

“We didn’t finish our conversation,” Ethan said as he stepped out onto the terrace, closing the French doors leading back into the gallery firmly behind him.

Kira turned to face him, noting that he was blocking her only path of escape just as he had in the elevator.

“We are quite finished,” Kira snapped, her voice as cold as the night air.

“I disagree,” Ethan said as he leaned back against the closed doors. “You made a rather unflattering accusation about my intentions towards Ms. Vandercamp and I didn’t get a chance to respond.”

“Are you denying that you are planning on seducing Jade into using her influence on Gabriel to help you secure the sub-concession?”

“It doesn’t seem like she needs to be seduced,” Ethan said noncommittally. “Unlike you, she already seems amenable to my desires. The same way that Gabriel is amenable to yours, a fact that you have no qualms about using to your advantage. So it would seem that you and I aren't all that different after all.”

Kira gritted her teeth at Ethan’s conclusion and the smugness with which he presented it. “The difference between us is that I am not using my influence for selfish purposes. By warning him against going into business with you, I am acting as Gabriel’s friend and troubleshooter.”

“Is that all you are to Gabriel? A friend and troubleshooter?” Ethan asked pointedly, his previously mocking air replaced by a sudden edginess.

Kira leveled a cool, challenging gaze at Ethan. “What I am to Gabriel is none of your business.”

The edge in Ethan's voice sharpened. “So you’re saying that you two are more than friends?”

Kira stood her ground as Ethan moved in closer to her. She knew she was playing a dangerous game by allowing Ethan to erroneously believe that she and Gabriel were lovers but she somehow couldn’t resist waving a red flag in front of him once again. “What I’m saying is that, unlike you, Gabriel is a good and honorable man. I’ll leave you to draw your own conclusions from there.”

Kira stepped around Ethan and made her way towards the doors leading back into the gallery. With lightning quick reflexes, Ethan grabbed her by her arm. In one swift, fluid movement he twirled her around to face him, pulling her tightly against his body in the process. Before she had a chance to utter a word of protest, his lips descended upon hers. His kiss was hot and hard, it’s bone-melting intimacy blatantly defying the two years that they had been apart, rendering them meaningless. Despite all of the anger and pain that so heavily defined her feelings for Ethan, she immediately returned his kiss with equal intensity, operating on sheer primal reflex. The chill that had caused her body to shiver moments earlier was replaced by a sensuous heat that somehow managed to have the same effect on her body as she quivered in his strong, possessive embrace. A low, ragged moan escaped Kira’s lips as Ethan pulled away. Winding his hands through her dark hair, he deliberately undid the neat chignon at the base of her neck in order to indulge in the sensuous feel of her silky locks as they slid through the crevices of his fingers. Staring at her intently, he closely inspected her face in the moonlight. Her perfectly applied red lipstick was gone, leaving behind only a pale pink blush that matched the rosy flush that now colored her cheeks. The cool look in her eyes had been replaced with a smoldering heat. He smiled with satisfaction at his handiwork as he lazily grazed his fingertips lightly against her scalp, relishing the way she trembled in response to his slightest touch..

“If you and Gabriel are lovers then he certainly isn’t doing a very good job of keeping you satisfied judging by the way that you just kissed me.”

“You’re a pig,” Kira spat out as she angrily pushed Ethan away just as Gabriel opened the doors leading to the gallery.

“Is everything alright out here?” Gabriel asked with obvious concern as he stood protectively next to Kira.

“Everything’s fine,” Ethan replied, resentment causing his eyes to turn a sharper shade of green as he took in Gabriel’s protective stance next to Kira. “Ms. St. James and I were merely having a heated discussion.”

“Clearly,” Gabriel said discreetly as he took in Kira’s uncharacteristically disheveled appearance before shifting his gaze warily to Ethan. “If you’ll excuse us, I need to speak with Kira alone.”

“Consider yourselves excused.” Ethan bowed slightly before slipping back inside the gallery. Kira slammed the balcony doors shut behind him.

“He really gets to you, doesn’t he,” Jeremy noted as he removed his tuxedo jacket and draped it over Kira's shoulders in response to her shivering.

“I wouldn’t say that,” Kira replied defensively as she gathered the collar of the jacket tightly around her throat, suddenly feeling exposed. “I just find him extremely irritating.”

“Did you find him to be that way when you two were romantically involved?”

“So you know about that,” Kira sighed deeply with resignation. She had known that it would only be a matter of time before knowledge of her previous indiscretion with Ethan made it’s way to the Wong family. It had been sheer foolishness to try to hide the information from them which, of course, was perfectly in keeping with her typical reactions where Ethan Chance was concerned. “I’m sorry that I didn’t say anything about it before but if you know about my past relationship with Ethan then I’m sure that you understand why it’s not something that I would want to advertise.”

Gabriel remained respectfully silent on the subject of her humiliation in Las Vegas.

“Do Yi and Jeremy know about it?” She asked cautiously.

“They haven’t heard anything about it from me nor will they,” Gabriel assured as he smiled kindly down at Kira.

“Thank you,” Kira said with relief as she grabbed Gabriel’s hand, squeezing it appreciatively. “You’re a good friend.”

“I’m glad that you feel that way because that means that you know that you can confide in me about what’s going on between you and Ethan Chance.”

“There is nothing going on between me and Ethan. What we had ended a long time ago.”

“Are you sure about that?” Gabriel asked gently. “Because it certainly doesn’t appear that way.”

“I’m positive about that. The only part of my past with Ethan that has any bearing on the present is my hard earned knowledge that he can’t be trusted which is why it would be a huge mistake for Gau Lung to go into business with him.”

Gabriel regarded her thoughtfully. “He hurt you very badly, didn't he?”

“That’s beside the point,” Kira said, shaking her head emphatically.

“Is it?”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“I just can’t help but wonder how much of your opposition to the deal that Ethan has proposed is based on your personal feelings for him.”

“I have no feelings for Ethan beyond well founded mistrust,” Kira replied irritably.

“Based on the scene that I just walked in on between you two, I’d say you feel a lot more than just mistrust for the man. Whether you want to admit it or not, Ethan Chance is clearly still very much under your skin.”

***

Gabriel’s gently delivered accusation still haunted Kira when they rejoined the party causing her to make it a point to keep a safe amount of distance between Ethan and herself as the evening progressed, building up to the eagerly anticipated unveiling of The Dragon’s Breath. A jittery energy crackled in the air as the big moment drew closer, intensifying the feeling of unease that Kira felt as she eyed Ethan warily from across the crowded room. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something more ominous than the display of an ancient Chinese dagger was about to happen. Tearing her gaze away from Ethan’s she turned her back to him and unexpectedly found herself staring face-to-face with the last person that she ever wanted to see again.

“Ms. St. James,” Jared Halifax spoke her name in a clipped fashion, his voice dripping with disdain. “Long time, no see.”

“Yes, it has been a long time,” Kira replied sheepishly. She had known that Yi had entered into preliminary discussions about selling the sub-concession to Jared but up until this point the talks had only been with Jared’s emissaries. Kira had no idea that Jared himself had arrived in Hong Kong.

“Two years to be exact. If I recall correctly the last time we saw each other you had just essentially handed my casino over to Donovan Chance in exchange for a roll in the hay with his brother, Ethan.”

“Stop being such a sore loser, old man,” Ethan interjected. “It seems to me that you should be used to getting out-maneuvered by us by now.”

The gloating tone in Ethan's voice was as much of a surprise to Kira as his sudden appearance at her side, intensifying her mortification over her debacle in Las Vegas. She had come to the conclusion long ago that she had been nothing more than a means to an end to Ethan when they were together but hearing him all but admit it still hurt like hell.

Ethan ignored the pained expression on Kira's face as he reminded himself that the only way to keep her safe from Jared was to keep up the pretense that she was nothing more than a pawn to him. “Enclave has proven to be a very lucrative investment, by the way. Oh, and Chloe is deliriously happy with Dylan.”

Jared bristled at the reference to his former wife's recent marriage to his youngest son. “Don’t go mistaking a couple of battles for the whole war. You may have won a few rounds but this is far from over so tread very carefully.”

“Is that a threat?”

“Just consider it a bit of fatherly advice,” Jared replied as he fixed Ethan with a cold, deadly glare.

Ethan stared daggers at Jared’s retreating back as it disappeared into the crowd, his hatred palpable to Kira as she watched him closely.

“Fatherly advice?” she asked in a slightly bewildered tone. “Jared Halifax is your father?”

Ethan’s eyes remained fixed on Jared as the older man approached Jeremy Wong, extending a hand that was accepted by Jeremy in a manner that was uncharacteristically enthusiastic and left no doubt in Ethan’s mind that the report that he had received was accurate. Jared and Jeremy Wong were as thick as thieves which would put Jared in a prime position to get his hands on the Wong sub-concession if Yi gave control of Gau Lung to Jeremy.

“If you’ll excuse me,” Ethan said curtly, not bothering to wait for Kira to reply before stalking off towards Jeremy without answering her question.

“Ethan!” Kira called after him in exasperation but received no response. A firm hand placed on her shoulder prevented her from going after him.

“It's almost time,” Yi said as he beamed proudly at her. “The Dragon’s Breath will be displayed shortly.”

“Is it nine o’clock already?” she asked as she glanced at the gold watch strapped to her wrist. The official unveiling of The Dragon’s Breath was to be a highly choreographed event that was scheduled to take place with much pomp and circumstance at nine p.m. sharp.

“Almost.” Yi’s eyes twinkled with the anticipation reminiscent of a child on Christmas Eve. A normally serious man by both nature and nurture, Yi only allowed himself two flights of fancy in his life, his marriage to Bunny Vandercamp and his passion for ancient Chinese artifacts. Kira couldn’t quite grasp his attraction to either but still found herself smiling at the way his face lit up in anticipation of sharing his prized possession with the rest of the world, whatever it was that had been worrying him when he visited her office earlier in the day apparently forgotten in his giddiness. But even as she smiled at him, she once again felt the icy chill of unease shiver down her spine. Impulsively, she glanced over in the direction that she had last seen Ethan and found that he, along with Jeremy, had disappeared. Biting her lower lip nervously, she scanned the entire room but he was nowhere to be found.

At precisely nine o’clock, Yi stepped up to a podium situated in the middle of the room and spoke into the microphone positioned in front of him. “Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to thank you all for gracing me with your presence this evening. But I know that it is not me you have come here to see so without further ado, I present to you The Dragon’s Breath.”

In response to his announcement, the lights in the room suddenly dimmed. Walking over to the large display case prominently placed in the middle of the room beneath a system of spotlights that now bathed the glass case in shimmering shades of red, orange and yellow, creating the visual illusion that it was being consumed by fire. With careful deliberation, he pressed a button hidden within the base of the specially designed pedestal on which the display case sat. With a soft whir, the bottom of the display case opened wide and Yi smiled with anticipation of The Dragon’s languorous rise from the hidden compartment inside of the base of the pedestal. However, that smile quickly turned to a grimace when he glanced into the case. His soft brown eyes blinked in disbelief, unable to immediately process what he was seeing

Or rather what he wasn’t seeing.

A murmur of gasps and shocked whispers rolled throughout the room like an audible tidal wave, confirming what his mind didn’t want to believe. The case was empty.

The Dragon’s Breath had been stolen.