Grand Passion

Praise for
    JAYNE ANN KRENTZ
    and her marvelous bestsellers
    GRAND PASSION
    “Filled with the kind of intelligent, offbeat characters…[who] are so fun to get to know that it's hard to close the book on them…. Jayne Ann Krentz is one of the hottest writers in romance today.”
    — USA Today
    [ GRAND PASSION has] the snappy dialogue that has become her trademark and a cast of characters you want to know personally.”
    —Sandra Brown
    “Charming, suspenseful, and downright steamy…. Pure and unabashed fun.”
    — West Coast Review of Books
    FAMILY MAN
    “In her own saucy, upbeat style, Krentz turns this eccentric family and pair of mismatched lovers (so everyone tells them) into an entertaining story…. Her fans will eat it up.”
    — Publishers Weekly
    ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY
    “[A] cheerful escapist package combining sex and mystery….”
    — Cosmopolitan
    “Combines whimsy and mystery with a touch of the paranormal…. The strangely gifted hero…is unusual and particularly intriguing because he has an unexpected and appealing streak of vulnerability for all his strength and power.”
    — Library Journal
    “ Absolutely, Positively pushes all the right buttons—and it always works.”
    — Kirkus Reviews
    “A delight…. Krentz's leads are engaging and believable.”
    — Publishers Weekly
    “Jayne Ann Krentz outdoes herself….”
    — Affaire de Coeur
    EYE OF THE BEHOLDER
    “[A] well-paced thriller fraught with tension—both sexual and suspenseful….”
    — Publishers Weekly
    “Krentz weaves her magic in this exciting and passionate tale. She leads us into a maze of puzzles and adventures, which we don't want to end. Read, absorb, and enjoy.”
    — Rendezvous
    FLASH
    “Romantic suspense of the highest order…[told with] wit and intelligence…. As always, Krentz pairs two equally strong people, endowing them with just enough quirks to make them real, and provides plenty of plot twists to keep her story humming.”
    —Amazon. com
    “ Flash glitters and glows with all of Krentz's patented humor and spice.”
    — Romantic Times
    “Another winner…. The sparks fly…. Krentz entertains us with her own brand of magic.”
    — Rendezvous
    “Krentz delivers…a compelling plot with equal parts romance and suspense, and a surprise denouement.”
    — Publishers Weekly
    “[A] dazzling tale…[told with] superb style and skill.”
    — Booklist
    TRUST ME
    “Her characters are colorful, unique individuals who draw the reader into the story immediately…. Great fun to read.”
    — Rendezvous
    “The pace is brisk and the high-tech gloss fun.”
    — Publishers Weekly
    WILDEST HEARTS
    “The phenomenal Jayne Ann Krentz once again delivers one of her patented storytelling gems…. Another guaranteed top-notch read!”
    — Romantic Times
    SILVER LININGS
    “Krentz entertains to the hilt…. The excitement and adventure don't stop.”
    —Catherine Coulter

Also by Jayne Ann Krentz
    Absolutely, Postively
    Deep Waters
    Eye of the Beholder
    Family Man
    Flash
    The Golden Chance
    Grand Passion
    Hidden Talents
    Perfect Partners
    Sharp Edges
    Silver Linings
    Sweet Fortune
    Trust Me
    Wildest Hearts
    Written under the name Jayne Castle
    Amaryllis
    Orchid
    Zinnia
    Published by POCKET BOOKS



This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
A Pocket Star Book published by
POCKET BOOKS, a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
    Copyright © 1994 by Jayne Ann Krentz
    All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever.
For information address Pocket Books, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
    ISBN: 0-7434-9639-6
    POCKET STAR BOOKS and colophon are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
    Visit us on the World Wide Web:
http://www.SimonSays.com

For Claire Zion, editor and friend:
You believed in me from the beginning—
My thanks .

Prologue

    M ax Fortune sat alone in the hidden chamber of the old brick mansion and contemplated his collection. It was something he did frequently. He had learned long ago that his paintings and books were the only things that truly belonged to him, the only things that no one could take away from him.
    Most of the masterpieces that hung on the walls of the secured,