Guarding Raine Part 49

I'll hear is totaled,"

she answered.

"I had an accident a few days ago and my car will probably not

recover."

"An accident?"

Andr~'s expression was horrified.

"Was anyone injured?"

She shook her head, although the memory of the incident was enough to

make her tense."It was a hitzand-run. But luckily, I wasn't really hurt.""You should have told me,"Andr~ scolded her like a mother hen."I would have come and picked you up tonight. There's no reason for you to feel desperate."

Mac had been listening to the exchange.

He leaned forward to address Kla.s.sen.

"I was glad to help out."

Andr~'s face tightened, and Raine inwardly sighed.

She always seemed to be caught in the middle of these kinds of

skirmishes.

First it was Andre and Greg, now Macauley and Andr& She wished she knew what caused these hard feelings.

No.

doubt it had to do with testosterone overload, but she found it quite

tedious.

And totally unnecessary.

The rest of the evening pa.s.sed with excruciating slowness.

After the dinner Andr~ stood up and reminded all present of the date of

Raine's show.

The party was breaking up.

Raine heaved a sigh of relief and smiled brightly as she rose and spoke

to some of the departing guests.

Mac rose, too, but stayed in place, watching the rest of the room'soccupants."Mr. O'Neill."He turned to face Harold Bonzer."It was a pleasure to meet you tonight. I hope I'm going to see more of you.

Will you be at Raine's show?"

Mac smiled.

"That depends."

The older man chuckled.

"Never give too much away, O'Neill. I like that. I jugt might give

you a call myself. I always have the need for a good securityexpert.""You do that, Mr. Bonzer."

The two men shook hands.

Harold walked over to Raine and said something, and she gave him a hug.

Seeing Kla.s.sen alone for the moment, Mac sauntered over.

"This was quite an event you orchestrated,"

he told him.

The man didn't bother to conceal his dislike.

"Yes, despite the fact that one uninvited guest showed up."

Mac raised an eyebrow.

"Surely you're not referring to me? Raine was so certain that she wasfree to bring an escort to this s.h.i.+ndig.""Don't flatter yourself, O'Neill. You were a means to an end tonight.

The next time Raine needs a ride somewhere she can call me, or another one of her friends."

"You know,"

Mac said, with deceptive mildness, "something's been bothering me tonight.

All those reporters you had here. I can't figure out if you're really such a publicity hungry son-of-a-b.i.t.c.h that you couldn't pa.s.s up the chance to get some free coverage, or if you're even more devious than I thought."

Andre clenched his jaw.

"What are you getting at ?"

Mac stepped closer.

"Maybe this was a ploy of yours from the beginning. Did you send those

threats yourself in order to cash in on the resulting publicity? Nevermind that Raine would be terrorized in the meantime. If it sold anextra painting it'd all be worth it to you, right?"

Looking as if he was weighing his chances if he threw a punch, Andr~snarled, "You're a lunatic, O'Neill. I don't know how you insinuatedyourself into Raine's life, but I will see that your tenure there isshort-lived. It certainly wouldn't do her image any good to be linkedto a man who's delusional."

"Just a warning, Kla.s.sen."

Mac's voice was soft and deadly.

"You better not have had anything to do with those threats. Because if

you did, I'll be coming after you. Understood?"

"Well, Andre, it was an undisputed success tonight, didn't you think?"

Raine's voice was overly bright.

While she hadn't been close enough to hear the words the two men

exchanged, the tone had been unmistakable.

"You're a genius when it comes to this sort of thing."

"He's got the publicity down pat, that's a fact,"

Mac said.

"Raine."

Andre brushed a kiss on the side of her face.

"I hope you're ready for your big night."

" Just about," she agreed. " My last work is almost done.

" " Good, I'd like to drop by and look at what you've accomplished.

Then we'll have to make arrangements for the paintings to be picked upand delivered to the gallery " " Great.

You call me, all right?

" Mac's hand came to the small of her back, and he guided her away.Raine ignored the s.h.i.+ver of electricity that skated' down her spine athis touch.

She waited until they got to the front door and Mac had given his keysto the valet. When she spoke her tone was weary. " Please don't tell me that you had words with Andre tonight.

" Mac's eyes were searching the street in front of them. " We spoke,yeah.

" She waited, but he left it at that. " Now why do I feel like that'sthe understatement of the century?

" " I let him know that I was less than pleased with his publicitytrick tonight, if that's what you're getting at.

" The black truck pulled up in front, and the valet hopped out. As they headed to the freeway Raine said, " I don't understand why youmade so much of my answering a few questions.

I warned you, after all.

" " Because, Raine"-- his voice was sardonic " --the less mediaexposure on this whole mess, the better.

I can't think of any good that could possibly come out of having thoseletters splashed across the papers.