Femme Fatale

Chapter Nineteen: Sex Fiends

"I love this painting," Jo whispered, her voice full of emotion. She was looking at the very Picasso painting she had seen with her dad years ago, and it was exactly how she remembered it. Jo reached out her arm, compelled to touch the piece of art that meant so much to her.

When Jo finally came to her senses, she jerked her hand back. "I'm so sorry," she laughed. "I almost touched your Picasso!" Jo shook her head and rubbed her arm sheepishly.

Pierre had been giving her a tour of the art wing of his mansion, and he was moved by Jo's genuine appreciation for his collection. "Please, don't apologize," he told her gently.

Michael had excused himself to the restroom a few minutes prior, so it was just Jo and Pierre for the time being. The Frenchman stood behind Jo and took hold of her right hand.

"Here," he said, as he guided her fingers onto the twenty eight million dollar painting. Jo gasped with delight as she touched the canvas, and Pierre chuckled into her ear. Jo turned to him and smiled.

"Pierre, your art collection is magnifique," she said. "I must see everything."

Pierre beamed with pride, and the two of them continued their tour. He droned on about each painting, and Jo appeared to hang onto his every word. She nodded, asked questions, and laughed at all his jokes. Pierre had no idea that she was taking mental notes about his security measures and committing every detail of his house to memory. Finally, the art tour came to an end.

"I can't thank you enough for this," Jo told the gracious host earnestly. Pierre grinned at his guest mischievously.

"Ma chérie," he murmured as he kissed Jo's hand. "The pleasure was all mine."

Jo blushed as he continued to kiss up her arm. She wasn't quite sure if she found Pierre attractive or creepy. It was probably a mixture of the two. Pierre wasn't conventionally good-looking, but there was a certain sexiness about him that made him appealing. He was confident, cocky even, and his piercing blue eyes were beautifully expressive. Pierre had been undressing her with those piercing blue eyes all evening.

As Pierre's lips reached Jo's shoulder, Michael appeared from around the corner and cleared his throat. "Pierre, you dog," he laughed, slapping his friend on the back a little harder than necessary.

"My apologies, Michiel," Pierre said, with an unapologetic smile. "You know I cannot resist a beautiful woman."

"I am well aware," Michael said, shaking his head with a chuckle. He leaned in and gave Jo a sweet peck on the lips.

"Sorry I left you alone with this sex fiend," he told Jo, causing both of them to laugh. Michael turned to Pierre. "This place is so big, I got lost."

"It happens to everyone," Pierre reassured him. "And I enjoyed spending time with Natalie."

Michael had lied. He did not get lost. He didn't even go to the bathroom. Rather, Michael had been casing the place in preparation for their heist. When Pierre looked away, Michael nodded at Jo. She nodded back. The evening had been an astounding success.

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Jo was sitting at the kitchen table and sketching a blueprint of Pierre's house. Michael was sitting beside her, and Jax was across from her. Jo was a vision in silver, and Jax was admiring the beauty before him hard at work. Her loose waves cascaded over her face and her eyes glowed with intensity with each stroke of her pen.

Michael was leaning into Jo, and adding his own input from time to time. "There was a skylight in this room," Michael told her. She nodded, and sketched a skylight onto the paper.