Seducing the Chambermaid [Notorious Nephilim 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Read online

  Notorious Nephilim 2

  Seducing the Chambermaid

  Chambermaid Blair Lorring thought taking the satchel of jewelry she found in an alley was her ticket to freedom, but now she’s hiding out at an exclusive resort, with a mob boss chasing her. When she’s caught with an expensive necklace belonging to a guest, two of the resort’s mysterious owners make her pay off the debt in their beds.

  Leo Fallon and Andras Neville are Nephilim who’ve been imprisoned on Earth for fifteen years, and unless they fall in love with a mortal woman, they’re destined to live out eternity indulging in their favorite vices with no permanent satisfaction. Secretly, each man longs for true love.

  When they seduce Blair, hope begins to build. But will she believe their story and accept them on such terms? Or will the men chasing her ruin their business and kill Blair?

  Genre: Fantasy, Historical, Ménage a Trois/Quatre

  Length: 49,034 words

  SEDUCING THE CHAMBERMAID

  Notorious Nephilim 2

  Carolyn Rosewood

  MENAGE AMOUR

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

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  A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK

  IMPRINT: Ménage Amour

  SEDUCING THE CHAMBERMAID

  Copyright © 2012 by Carolyn Rosewood

  E-book ISBN: 978-1-62241-249-5

  First E-book Publication: September 2012

  Cover design by Harris Channing

  All cover art and logo copyright © 2012 by Siren Publishing, Inc.

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.

  All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

  PUBLISHER

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

  Letter to Readers

  Dear Readers,

  If you have purchased this copy of Seducing the Chambermaid by Carolyn Rosewood from BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you. Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.

  Regarding E-book Piracy

  This book is copyrighted intellectual property. No other individual or group has resale rights, auction rights, membership rights, sharing rights, or any kind of rights to sell or to give away a copy of this book.

  The author and the publisher work very hard to bring our paying readers high-quality reading entertainment.

  This is Carolyn Rosewood’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect Ms. Rosewood’s right to earn a living from her work.

  Amanda Hilton, Publisher

  www.SirenPublishing.com

  www.BookStrand.com

  DEDICATION

  This book is dedicated to fans of movie stars and to anyone who adores the 1930s as much as I do. I hope you enjoy Blair, Leo, and Andras’s story.

  SEDUCING THE CHAMBERMAID

  Notorious Nephilim 2

  CAROLYN ROSEWOOD

  Copyright © 2012

  Chapter One

  Blair Lorring stared at the emerald and sapphire necklace on Elizabeth Stanton’s dressing table. Really, the woman should know better than to leave expensive jewelry in plain sight at a hotel. Blair had only been working here three weeks, but already she knew the owners encouraged their guests to make use of the hotel safe to store expensive items.

  When she picked it up, the weight of the piece surprised Blair. Imagine having fine jewelry like this and being able to wear it anytime you wanted. It was even prettier than the jewelry she’d found in the alley last month. Why had she attempted to pawn those items in Chicago? She was the daughter of a bookie. She should have known they hadn’t been left there by accident. Why had she let herself believe it was her ticket to freedom, even for one fleeting moment?

  She sank onto the bed and tried to shake away the image of Frankie Fillipone’s hatchet men. The scent of their cheap cologne was still fresh in her mind. It was a stroke of pure luck that she’d peered through the crack of her partially open bedroom door at the precise moment they stood in the living room, casually asking her father what she was up to these days. She hadn’t recognized them and didn’t know at the time they worked for Frankie, but something in the tone of their voices had set her internal alarm bells clanging.

  Blair fingered the piece again. A beautiful necklace like this should be treasured and protected, not left lying carelessly about. She stood up and crossed to the mirror, slipping it around her neck. The sapphires made her eyes look even bluer, and the emeralds went nicely with her honey-blonde hair. If she’d been born to different parents, she might have a necklace like this to wear out to dinner and a show. But that wasn’t going to happen to someone like her.

  Blair jumped when a door slammed. She dropped the necklace into the pocket of her apron because she didn’t want to get caught trying to rearrange it on the dresser where she’d found it. Heart hammering in her chest, she peered out into the sitting room, but no one was there. The noise must have come from the hallway. Best to finish up here quickly.

  She was about to tidy up the various newspapers and other trash Mrs. Stanton had strewn about her suite when her eye fell on a recent Chicago Tribune newspaper and she froze, her pulse quickening.

  Blair’s fingers trembled as she picked up the newsprint and read the headline: West Side Man Found Dead; Latest Victim of Frankie Fillipone? The dead man’s face was one she knew well. Lenny Wilson was the man her father had tried to force her to marry.

  She sank into the nearest chair and hugged her elbows as the memories assaulted her. The fear and revulsion were still as fresh as if she’d fled her home yesterday rather than three weeks ago. Would the memory of his breath, ripe with boiled cabbage and rotting teeth, ever fade? He’d stood inches from her face as he whispered the depraved acts he planned to force on her once they were married, and Blair’s panic had nearly immobilized her.

  This man had been an associate of her father’s since Blair could remember, and he was at least twice her age. That her father would simply hand her over to such a man was the worst betrayal. So what if Lenny had offered to front the money her father owed Frankie? She was his daughter, not a bargaining chip.


  Blair wiped the tears from her face and stood on shaky legs. She had to finish her duties. Men were shitheels. They all lied, they all hurt women, and they were all crooks. But she couldn’t lose this job. Fox Lake was only fifty miles from Chicago, but she felt safe here. This resort was exclusive and protected. Its owners worked hard to keep it that way, and from the moment she’d walked through the front doors, tired, hungry, and scared, she’d felt a sense of peace envelope her. Frankie and her father wouldn’t find her here as long as she kept her wits about her.

  Blair forgot all about the necklace until she’d finished her work for the day and returned to her modest room in the staff wing of the resort. She fished it out of her pocket, alarm spreading through her. The right thing to do would be to march straight back to Mrs. Stanton’s room and explain. But explain what? That she’d dropped it into her pocket and forgotten about it because she’d been frightened by a slamming door and a newspaper headline?

  She banged her fist on the dresser top and fought back fresh tears. How did the daughter of a bookie who had unknowingly stolen jewelry from his gangster boss move on and live a straight life? Was it even possible?

  She had to put the necklace back in Mrs. Stanton’s room as soon as possible. Maybe she’d be eating dinner by now or somewhere else in the resort? The guests were always milling about in the evenings, taking advantage of the many activities. If Blair waited until morning, it might be too late. The last thing she needed was trouble.

  But how would she get the passkeys again? All the chambermaids turned them in when they put their cleaning supplies away at the end of the day. What possible excuse could she give for needing hers back again?

  No matter what story she told, it would arouse suspicion, and that’s the last thing Blair needed. She was on the run from Frankie and her father. She didn’t need speculation that drew attention to her, and she didn’t want anyone to question her activities.

  She was stuck. There was no way to return the necklace until morning, unless she found one of the owners and explained. As soon as the thought took shape, she dismissed the idea. She’d already lied to them about why she was here. She needed this job.

  Blair opened the top drawer and dug underneath her bras and panties, stuffing the necklace between them. The lingerie wasn’t even hers. She’d shown up here with nothing but the clothes on her back. The owners had offered her a job and shown her around the place. Then they’d brought her to this room where she found it stocked with clothes and toiletries. Blair had never asked how or why.

  There were a lot of odd things about this place Blair noticed, but she wasn’t one to look a gift horse in the mouth. Tomorrow she’d put the necklace back in Mrs. Stanton’s room and put this entire incident behind her.

  * * * *

  Leonard Fallon perched on the edge of Andras Neville’s desk and shuffled through clippings from the Chicago Tribune over the past month. “It’s definitely Blair.” He studied the grainy photograph under the headline Daughter of Local Bookie Wanted for Theft. Fillipone Involved? There was no doubt the pretty face staring back at him belonged to the newest chambermaid they’d hired.

  “We didn’t check her background,” said Andras, shrugging.

  From across the room, Zach Neville lifted his gaze from the mountain of balance sheets on his desk. “I remember you both telling me not to worry about her past. Just hire her, you said.”

  Andras stood and stretched. “You’re right. I take full blame for this. But what was I supposed to do? She walked here from Chicago. Just walked through the woods and followed the lights outside.” He glanced at Leo. “You saw her. She looked like she hadn’t slept for weeks.”

  “She’s being hunted by Frankie Fillipone,” said Leo. “Her own father has accused her of stealing from him and his clients.” They’d managed to stay in business for fifteen years by catering to goons like Frankie. It kept the gumshoes from becoming too curious about them and brought in a steady stream of guests. If Frankie was looking for this dame and got wind of her working here, it could jeopardize the resort.

  “Her father is a crook and works for Frankie. He’ll say what Frankie tells him to say.”

  “Andras, you don’t know that.” Leo picked up the news clippings. “We’ll give her a chance to explain, but if it turns out she is involved with Frankie, we’ll have to let her go.”

  “You’d turn a beautiful girl away? Just like that?”

  Leo shook his head. “We have a resort full of great-looking dames. What if she’s a moll?”

  “Why would she be here then?”

  “Frankie could have sent her to keep an eye on things. She had a vague story as it was. I’ll bet you a sawbuck there’s more to this than either Blair or the newspapers are saying.” Leo hadn’t believed one word of Blair’s story that her parents were dead and she’d been living on the streets. The news stories proved his instincts had been right. He’d never admit this to Andras, but from the moment he’d laid eyes on her all he wanted to do was shelter and protect her. She looked like the kind of girl who’d never been treated right. And she had the prettiest blue eyes he’d ever seen.

  “Have you forgotten how Frankie tried to muscle his way into our business?” asked Andras.

  “Of course not.”

  “Then where’s your compassion, Leo? This girl is obviously in trouble.”

  “So what are you saying, Andras? That we should let her hide here to get back at Frankie?” He glanced at Zach. “Do we have any information on her other than the fake story she told us?”

  He shook his head. “Like I said, you said hire her, so I did.”

  “At least give her a chance to explain,” said Andras.

  “I said I would.”

  “You always did have a thing for blondes.”

  There were times when Leo wanted to shake Andras until his lackadaisical attitude fell to the ground. When was he going to take this resort seriously? “I seem to recall you were the one who couldn’t take your eyes off her.” Liar. You stared at her with your mouth open.

  Andras shrugged again. “She’s a looker, and I’d be sorry to see her go.”

  “And I’d love to tell Frankie to stick it up his ass, but if we get on his bad side, this resort goes under. Even you must understand that.”

  “Yeah, okay, okay. I get it. We’ll talk to her in the morning.”

  * * * *

  Leo waited near the bank of elevators for Blair to come downstairs. He wanted to catch her before she retrieved her housekeeping supplies and made her way up to the suites. As the staff filed past him he nodded and smiled, greeting each one by name, trying to hide his impatience. He should have insisted they not hire Blair until they had a chance to check out her story, but her luminous blue eyes had tugged at him, touching a deep place he hadn’t allowed any woman into since they’d all been imprisoned on earth sixteen years ago.

  As she’d told her story, Leo watched her face. He’d known she was lying, but there was something so desperate and painful in her voice he hadn’t questioned her further. He got the distinct impression Blair was in so much trouble she didn’t think there was a way out. And regardless of her story, the girl had walked over fifty miles and been clearly exhausted. But still, they could have simply offered her a room until they had a chance to dig deeper. That would have been the prudent thing to do. Instead he and Andras had listened to their peckers and offered her a job.

  The rattle of the gate being pulled back snapped him out of his reverie, and he glanced toward the elevators, expecting to see Blair. Instead Elizabeth Stanton, one of the guests, strode toward him, her face pinched and her eyes snapping with anger. “I want to report a theft.”

  Leo resisted the urge to groan. He didn’t have time for this. Mrs. Stanton had been nothing short of a pill during her entire stay. She complained about everything from the food to the color of the wallpaper in her suite. He sighed as his gaze shot behind Mrs. Stanton’s shoulder, in the hopes Blair had arrived and he could pawn Elizab
eth’s latest complaint off on someone else. No such luck. He forced a smile to his lips. “What seems to be the problem, Mrs. Stanton?”

  “I told you. I’ve been robbed.”

  He was stuck. No one else was around this early in the morning. “Come with me, please.” After Mrs. Stanton was seated in his office behind the front desk, Leo retrieved an incident report. “Tell me what happened.”

  “I had a very expensive necklace in my bedroom yesterday. It’s gone this morning.”

  Leo sighed. Each of their front desk clerks had been instructed to urge guests to leave jewelry or other valuable items in the hotel safe, but most of them ignored such advice. “Can you describe the necklace, Mrs. Stanton?”

  “Emeralds and sapphires, gold clasp.”

  “When did you last see it?”

  Elizabeth averted her gaze. “Um, yesterday morning, I think.”

  Leo kept his attention on the paper in front of him. “Do you remember seeing it in your suite during the day, or perhaps last night before you went to bed?”

  He counted ten seconds of silence during which he imagined Mrs. Elizabeth Stanton, married to one of the most successful railroad men in the Great Lakes region, tried to come up with a reason why she hadn’t been in her rooms since early yesterday morning. Leo knew where she’d been, and with whom, but discretion was tantamount to keeping the guests happy.

  “I wasn’t in my suite last night. Gregory Fallon and I were…discussing business.”