Page 2 of Blood Stone

Kate closed her eyes. “Fuck...” she breathed. There was no way she was going to confess to Garrett how much she admired him, and his business acumen. That she had read all three of his biographies, both official and muck-raking. She knew every major career step he had taken, analysed every major public business decision he had ever made. She owned shares in his umbrella corporation.

The world rated Garrett to be one of the top ten most successful business men of the decade. Kate considered Calum Garrett to be one of the top five business strategists of all times. These days, when she was trying to think through a financial problem with one of her movies, subconsciously she had developed the habit of asking herself “What would Garrett do?” More often than not, a solution to her immediate problem would occur to her.

There was no way she was going to tell Garrett any of that. Not now.

“Kate,” Garrett said softly.

She opened her eyes again.

Garrett shook his head a little. “I think I can save you some embarrassment here.” He was reaching inside his jacket as he spoke. Straightening up. It felt like she had been let off the hook.

Kate sighed. “I doubt it. I’ve pretty much beggared myself.”

Garrett smiled, showing white, even teeth. He pulled out a perfectly ordinary business card and a gold pen. “I know that you’re interested in etymology. It shows in your movies. Do you know what my full name is?”

“Everyone does,” she said dryly.

Garrett smiled. It didn’t seem to bother him that everyone knewhissecond name, while he had no idea who was approaching him across the street. But then, he could afford millions in Presidential-style security. While she had to stay “accessible” and “ordinary.”

“You’ve probably figured out, then,” he told her, “that with a name like Calum Micheil Garrett, I’ve got some Scots blood in me, somewhere back in my family tree.”

Kate held up her phone. “Two minutes.”

He shook his head. “It’s still fashionable to be late, in Hollywood. The one who shows up last thinks they’re the one holding the power card.” He grimaced. “Childish idiocy, but it gives me at least nine more minutes with you.”

Kate forced herself to not sigh even mentally, or otherwise react, in case it showed on the surface. She didn’t like that she agreed with him on the stupidity of the biggest star or executive arriving last. So many meetings and business events got delayed and postponed because actors and executives tried to outwait each other to prove who was the biggest and the best.

Ten minutes ago, she would have agreed with Garrett wholeheartedly and out loud. Now, with her pride blown to hell, she had to cling to something. Garrett was not playing by Hollywood rules, or any rules she understood. She had to use her own rules, then.

“Wrong,” she said flatly. “You have two minutes. Then I’m getting up and walking out of here.”

“Why two?” he asked curiously, his pen paused over the card. “If you’re so worried, why not just walk away now? Why aren’t you calling for security and telling them I’m bothering you?”

“You get the two because of your name, and...” She bit her lip. “Never mind.”

She was bathed in the full wattage of his gaze as he sized her up. “It can only be something I did,” he murmured. “But we’ve never met in person until just now. A public appearance then.” He smiled a little. “Did I do something you liked, Kate?”

Wow.Kate shook her head. “Serves me right for thinking too loud around you.”

His smile broadened. “Flattering, but inaccurate.” He studied her. “You’re not going to give it up because you think it makes you vulnerable. Very well. I’ll trade you vulnerability for vulnerability.” He leaned forward. “I sawSlave Huntnine times at the cinema. It’s what first got me interested in your mind.” He sat back, watching her.

Measuring her reaction.

Kate barely overrode the need to lick her lips in tell-tale nervousness. Did she have a stalker on her hands? A very rich, very powerful stalker?

“You...you’ve been following me?” she asked.

Garrett’s laugh sounded relaxed and showed even, white teeth. “I’m not stalking you. Relax. I’ve been following your work sinceSlave Hunt, and anything else the media have reported about you. The more I learnt, the more intrigued I became. You interest me, Kate.” He picked up the gold pen again. “Etymology, for example. Off the top of your head, do you know what ‘Calum’ means?”

She reached for her drink as a way to calm her screeching nerves. She sipped and shook her head. “It’s Gaelic. Because of the movies I’ve made, I’ve ended up studying ancient Persian and Latin, Greek and more, but Gaelic wasn’t one of them.”

Garrett nodded. He didn’t seem disappointed. “I guarantee you know the originals of ‘Micheil’ - even the way my ancestors spell it.”

“The original archangel?” Kate hazarded.

Garret nodded, scribbling on the back of the card. He turned it around to face her. “Bet you can tell me what Calum means now.”

He pushed the card toward her.