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CHAPTER ONE
FRENETIC DRUM AND bass reverberated down the dark street Irritation pulsed along Kitty Parkes-Wilson’s veins, keeping tihbours would co they could be at the party, all desperate to suck up to the rich new blood on the block
Alejandro Martinez Forement consultant turned venture capitalist Millionaire Pro the docu in the heart of London that had, until said three days ago, been her farown up in, the one that had been in the faenerations until her father had seized the wad of cash Alejandro Martinez had waved under his nose and skipped off to his sunny retirement villa in Corsica with his third picture-book-pretty wife He’d cleared his debts and abandoned his failed business—and floored children
All of which Kitty could handle Just Anyway, as much as she’d have liked to, the fact was she couldn’t have bought Parkes House herself But she hadn’t even been told before it had been sold, and so had inadvertently been left in the Edwardian ht to sell And that she couldn’t cope with Kitty Parkes-Wilson was on a retrievalto stop her
It wasn’t the necklace’s material worth that made it so important Its loss meant her twin, Teddy, was in trouble, and her own heart was in trouble
‘You can’t do this’
She grinned at the way her brother could sound both aghast and excited
‘You can’t stopher phone closer to her ear as she slowed down her pace just before arriving at her former home ‘And you know I can do it’
‘Darowled ‘You’re only just off the train; why do you have to rush into this? Come here and we can talk about it’
If she stopped to talk about it too et it back the better Now’s the perfect chance, ith the party and all’
‘But what if you get caught—?’
‘I won’t,’ she i with his models to notice me’
Alejandro Martinez only dated super to the theatre gossip Teddy had shared when he’d told her that the house was being sold, the current model was Saskia, the nuazine s to distract him, Mr Martinez would never notice the quick in-and-out of an uninvited party guest Especially one who knew the secrets of the house and how to stay hidden as she snuck her way to the second-floor library
‘It’s in the library post, right?’ She ignored her story rumble and double-checked with her twin ‘You’re sure about that?’
‘Positive’ Her brother’s tone changed to out-and-out concerned again ‘But Kitty, please, I’m really not sure—’
‘I’ll call you as soon as I’’ She ended the call before he could reply
Adrenalin amped her h With a quick glance each way along the street, she quietly braced then hopped the fence She ditched her sot to work
Alejandro Martinez was not getting his hands on her Gre
at-Aunt Margot’s diairlfriends Kitty would go to prison before she let that happen It was not a flashy bauble for a temporary lover
The back door key was still hidden in the saarden where she’d first hidden it a decade before No one but she and Teddy knew it existed or that it was there and so, despite the sale of the property, it hadn’t been handed to the nener She recovered it in less than ten seconds
Phase one: complete
She turned to look at the house Brightly lit and in beautiful condition on the outside at least, it appeared to be the glea jewel in a row of similar styles But Kitty knew the truth hidden beneath that freshly painted facade
She ain then crossed to the corner of the street and found her way to the mews laneway behind the mansions Her heart hahts were on, and she could see a catering worker at the sink
That hen she threw her shoulders back and lifted her chin
She unlocked the door, stepped in and sazed at her in astonisher to her perfectly reddened lips ‘Don’t tell him I’m here—I want to surprise him,’ she said as she confidently strolled past him and out into the corridor
The dishwashing chap didn’t stop her He didn’t say anything He just turned back to the plate he was rinsing
She’d learned a few things fro in on Teddy’s drama classes over the years
Act confident Fake it till you make it Act like you own the place and people will believe you do
People chose to believe the easiest option—the least trouble for the in all sht to be there?
Phase two: complete
All she had to do noas head up the stairs to the private library, retrieve the necklace and get out again as fast as possible
But curiosity bit It had been months since she’d been hoia for what she’d lost In the three days since he’d taken over, what changes had Alejandro Martinez made?
Apparently he’d liked the look of the street and knocked on everyone’s doors to find so—he’d been desperate Alejandro had been the answer to all his prayers And Alejandro had got a good deal House Contents Even the cars