Secret Love - Brenda Jackson [85]
Alex frowned. “Why?”
“Because that man will have to deal with her brothers.”
Alex nodded. He knew just how overprotective Justin, Dex and Clayton were when it came to their baby sister. A couple of years ago, Clayton had asked him to run a background check on some guy Christy had started dating during her freshman year in college.
Alex shrugged, thinking that how the three Madaris brothers protected their sister wasn’t really his concern. Unlike most men, getting seriously involved with a woman was not in his future plans. He honestly didn’t have the time. He had the career he’d always wanted and was working hard to be a success at it. Instead of dividing his time and energy into doing two things halfway, he wanted to focus and center his energy on one thing and do it well.
“Alex, how would you like to meet Diamond?” Jake asked, interrupting his thoughts.
A huge smile spread across Alex’s mouth. “I was wondering when we were going to get around to that.”
Conrad Ammons tried to appear sympathetic to the photographer who had accompanied him to the press conferences in Texas and California. “Are you saying that some of your film is actually missing? What happened?”
The man’s frown deepened. “I have no idea, but I know for a fact that I took more pictures than this. I took a lot of good shots of Diamond Swain and her husband.”
“Did you keep the negatives?”
“No. Whoever took the originals also took the negatives. I can’t believe it.”
Conrad Ammons thought to himself, Believe it, I had to make sure that you didn’t run those same exact prints in the paper and run the risk of Jacob Madaris recognizing them as the same ones that had been sent to him.
“At least you didn’t lose every single photo that you took.”
Like he knew it would, his comment angered the man. “I didn’t lose any of the others, Ammons. Someone took them.”
Conrad Ammons shook his head. “Who would want to take a few pictures of Diamond Swain and her husband?” he asked, wanting to make sure he squashed the thought from the man’s mind. “Have you thought of the possibility that those shots may not have come out?”
The man frowned as he considered the idea. “Hey, you think that’s what happened?”
“It’s a good possibility. You know how they sometimes screw up things downstairs in the photo lab.”
The man nodded. “You’re probably right.”
Conrad Ammons chuckled. “Of course I am. How about if we leave here for a while and go grab something for lunch?”
“Good idea. Just give me a second to grab my camera.” The man smiled. “A good cameraman never leaves home without it.”
Chapter 22
J ake looked across the table at Diamond. He had not been able to take his eyes off her all through dinner. She had that type of effect on people. He smiled when he remembered introducing her to Alex that day. For the first time ever, Alexander Maxwell had been at a loss for words. He understood. Even after almost two years, she still had a profound effect on him.
Besides her stunning beauty, both inside and out, she was simply irresistible, fascinating and intelligent. There was also a controlled calm about her, one he could always break through once he had her in bed. Then he could turn her into a fiery, passionate being. One that he was intensely in love with.
Even now dressed simply in a celery-colored lounging outfit, she looked gorgeous as always. But there was something else about her tonight. She had some sort of radiant glow. He couldn’t stop the flow of ideas that went rushing through his head. Ideas of undressing her, piece by piece, running his fingers through her short, curly hair. And then he would…
“Jacob, sweetheart, are you listening to me?” Diamond asked softly, lifting her brow.
Jake smiled at her, lifting his. No, he hadn’t been listening to her. His mind had been on an entirely different subject than the one she’d been discussing. “Oh, sure I’m listening.”
Diamond raised a glass of iced tea to her lips and smiled before saying, “Yeah, right.”
Her smile, Jake thought, was sexy as hell. And the look she gave him