His face reddened, the incredulous look only growing, “Are you insane?”

“If you have nothing to hide, you should be able to show me.”

“I don’t have time for thi—”

“You were in cahoots with Claude Lachance, weren’t you? You arranged with him that you would put the necklace on some unsuspecting woman, and he would romance it right off of her. Right? But then what happened?”

She’d hoped he’d break down, admitting the crime. Instead, he did something she did not expect. He started to laugh—in a bitter way that made her spine tingle.

“You know nothing, American,” he spat, glaring at her hand on his car door. “Go back to your hotel and leave me alone.”

He tried to yank the door closed, but she held tighter. “I know it was you,” she growled under her breath.

He laughed some more, then stood up, coming to his full height in front of her, the car door between them. His face was a scowl, his eyes narrowed to slits, “You do, do you?”

How had she never noticed he was this tall? This . . . intimidating? Parts of her were itching to run away, but the less sane part of her held tight to the door. She forced her chin up, meeting his stare, “Yes.”

Suddenly, he reached out, grabbing her arm and wrenching it tightly. He pulled open the back door. “Get in.”

She dug her feet into the pavement and tried to move backwards, but he had her tight in his grip. “Uh . . . what?”

“You heard me.” He shoved her toward the open back door of the car. “You couldn’t leave well enough alone, could you?”

“Where are you . . . what are you going to do?”

“You want to play detective? Let’s play detective,” he barked, prying her fingers off the door frame. “Let’s you and I go for a little ride.”

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE

This was definitely not on my itinerary, Diana thought as the crazy concierge tried to shove her into the back of his car. Diana stumbled forward, her knees hitting the seat, and sprawled out on the back seat.

Her heart raced. Working in the city, she’d heard that little safety tidbit a thousand times before: Never let them take you to a second location. If you do that, you’re as good as dead. And that’s what he was doing, much to her disbelief . . . kidnapping her.

Kidnapping me. Oh, my god. This wouldn’t end well.

“Wait!” she shouted. Climbing to her knees, she started to scramble out. He tried to slam the door, but her feet were in the way. She struggled to keep it open, kicking her legs with all her might. There were people nearby, maybe not in the lot, but closer to the palace. If she could somehow alert them . . .

She screamed, as long and loud as she possibly could.

“Ferme ta gueule!” he growled, reaching forward to clamp a hand over her mouth. She lifted her arm to block it, elbowing him out of the way, and screamed again.