Red by Kate Serine Page A

told us. “She’ll be with you momentarily.”
    “Thanks, Ted,” I called as he shut us in.
    Nate did a slow turn, taking in the lavish decor in Snow’s private apartment. The entire sitting room was covered in rich, lush fabrics of red and gold that went perfectly with the crystal chandeliers, golden candelabras, and intricately carved cornices. Sculptures that looked like they might actually be marble originals of nudes dating back several centuries were set in a series of recesses that lined every wall.
    I walked to a beautifully crafted golden serving cart set near a bust of some long-dead Roman and poured myself a shot of Goose in a crystal glass. “You might as well have a seat,” I told him, pouring another drink. “Snow could be a while.”
    “They seem to know you pretty well here,” Nate said, sounding a little bemused by it all. “Do you come here often?”
    I laughed at the implication of his question and glanced at him over my shoulder. He was still standing in the center of the room, taking it all in. “Here,” I said, bringing him my second shot. “Drink this. You look like you could use it.”
    Nate downed it with a wince and handed the glass back to me. “I’ve never been in a brothel,” he said. “I wasn’t expecting . . .” He made a sweeping gesture with his arm.
    “All of this?” I asked. “Snow brought some of this with her after the divorce. The rest she has acquired over time. Having lived as a princess all those years, she developed expensive tastes.”
    Nate sat down on an ornately carved settee. “And she makes enough to cover the cost of these expensive tastes?”
    I grinned at his naïveté. “Oh, yeah.” When he looked at me, his shock evident, I chuckled and sat in a thronelike wingback chair next to the settee. “You have to keep in mind, Nate, Snow caters to Ordinaries as well as us Tales. You’d be surprised what people pay to live out their ultimate fantasies.”
    Nate shook his head slowly. “How does a princess fall into this kind of life?”
    I grunted. “She has a husband who leaves her for an Ordinary and an ironclad prenuptial agreement that gives her practically nothing in the divorce settlement. She had to do something. And there was a need for this kind of business for our kind. Something safe and anonymous. It keeps a lot of people out of trouble.”
    “Except Dave Hamelin, apparently,” Nate pointed out.
    “There’s always the ones who are too stupid for their own good,” I said. “That’s why I have a job.”
    At that moment, the doors opened to reveal a vision of beauty and elegance. Olivia “Snow” White glided into the room, her chocolate brown curls cascading over her shoulders and down her back, her lovely heart-shaped face flushed, her emerald green eyes sparkling brightly with afterglow. She wore a loosely belted diaphanous white dressing gown—and nothing else. Even I had to blink at the spectacular curves visible through the sheer material.
    “Hello, Red,” she husked, her voice as soft and silky as her milky white skin. “I haven’t seen you in a while.”
    “Hey, Snow,” I said, coming forward to shake her hand.
    She lifted her gaze over my shoulder, letting her lovely eyes travel the length of Nate’s body with such appreciative hunger he couldn’t possibly have mistaken her admiration. “Did you bring a friend for me to play with?” she asked with a mischievous grin.
    I felt a stab of irritation at her presumption, but said evenly, “Sorry, not this time. Olivia, this is Nate Grimm—”
    Snow came forward and extended a delicate hand. “Detective Grimm,” she purred. “I’ve heard of you. I’m surprised you haven’t visited before now.”
    Nate cast a desperate glance my way, then said, “I’m afraid this isn’t a social call.”
    She offered him a gorgeous pout in response. “Pity. Perhaps another time?”
    Nate took a slight step back from her even as she moved closer. “Perhaps.”
    “Dave Hamelin