"So how will we communicate the details of this arrangement with this anonymous donor?" Alana asked from beside her.
Kat had to force herself not to jump.
She turned slightly to look at Alana, and lifted her chin. Kat was tall, taller than Alana, and when she straightened her spine she could see the skin on the other woman's face tighten in anger.
"I'll be the go-between. Take the papers to be signed. Facilitate the funds transfer."
Alana's eyes widened. She opened her mouth, clearly dissatisfied with Kat's suggestion, but Lukas got to his feet. "Thank you, Kat. I think you may have just saved my ass."
Kat swallowed a nervous laugh, then blushed.
She'd almost said something totally inappropriate regarding that particularly attractive ass.
4. LUKAS
LUKAS WATCHED AS KAT WALKED out of his office, taking in the generous curve of her hips, the shapely ass covered in Armani.
Kat Brandon was a complicated woman, and he was going to enjoy peeling away the layers to discover the real Kat hidden beneath.
"You must be insane," Alana snapped.
Lukas had forgotten she was still there.
"What do you mean?" he asked as he walked around his desk and took a seat.
Alana's cheeks were flaming. "You really believe that Kat, of all people, knows someone wealthy enough to donate to our cause?" The tone she used implied that Kat was merely good enough to rub shoulders with the beggars on the street. And Lukas felt a ripple of anger run through him.
He leaned forward and rested his hands on the surface of his desk. "A donor is a donor, Alana. And if Kat has a donor, we will accept him or her with open arms."
Alana shook her head. "I know what she's trying to do," she said, her voice tight.
"Which is?" Lukas's voice lowered.
"You're eligible. She's single. How do you know this isn't just a ploy on her part to land herself a rich husband?"
Lukas laughed. "If I was that rich, we wouldn't need donors, now would we?"
"You're plenty wealthy, and we both know it." Alana leaned closer. "And we both know why she would be a very bad idea."
Lukas had to force himself to remain calm. Alana's possessiveness was becoming overbearing. And the one thing that both Lukas and his bear disliked was an overbearing woman.
He sat down slowly. "I think you're mistaken. Kat hasn't shown the least bit of interest in me since she started working here. She's not making a play for me, so you can stop with your suspicions."
Alana laughed. "You may be blind. But I'm not. That woman is more than just interested in you." Alana glared at him. "So just watch yourself. She's not what you want. Humans never are."
With that, Alana turned on her heel and stalked out of the room, slamming the door behind her.
Lukas watched through the open door as Kat lifted her eyes from her paperwork and saw Alana walking down the aisle between the desks. The expression on her face was calm and unaffected.
But when she shifted her gaze to him, he saw something in her eyes, something that made him sit forward in his chair.
Alana might just be onto something, he thought. And for once, Lukas wasn't planning on running for the hills.
There was something about Kat Brandon that intrigued him.
5. KAT
"YOU DID WHAT?"
CARSON'S VOICE rang around the living room as Kat threw her yoga mat onto the floor and grabbed the remote.
She'd revealed her plans to her friend as soon as she got home, and as expected, Carson hadn't been thrilled for her.
"It's a way for me to give back, Carson. You must understand that." Kat avoided her eyes and aimed the remote at the flatscreen.
"Kat, you don't understand." Carson's voice shook, and Kat paused the yoga video and turned to her. "It's not the donation I care about. It's just those Sarkozy men... You don't know... You'd do well to stay far away from them."
Kat went to her friend and put her arm round her shoulders. "He's nothing like Marek. And from what I know of Marek, he isn't all that bad himself. You two will work things out eventually. I'm sure of it."
Carson shook Kat off. "You don't know what you're getting into."
Kat shook her head. "I'm not interested in Lukas. I just want something to spend that money on."
But Carson was already heading down the hall to her bedroom.
Kate played the yoga video and settled into the poses, breathing deeply and trying to draw some calm over her.
Something had happened between Carson and Marek that seemed to have destroyed her friend. She'd refused to tell Kat anything more than they'd had a bad breakup, but Kat knew there was more to the story than Carson was willing to reveal. And she knew Carson well. Whatever it was that Marek had done, she'd never tell Kat.
But it didn't matter anyway.
It's not as if Kat was even interested in Lukas.
6. LUKAS
LUKAS STOOD BENEATH THE WATERFALL showerhead in his bathroom, enjoying the feel of the spray as the drops spattered on his skin. The shower was large enough to hold a dozen people.
And large enough to accommodate a full-grown male bear. Something that was necessary while living in the city. Trips to the Klamath Mountains didn't happen often enough, and sometimes the bear needed to be let free, if only to pace within the confines of the bathroom.
But today, Lukas kept his bear under control.
He leaned his forehead against the cool tiles, pressing his hands against the wall. He ached, the persistent throb of need in his groin a constant reminder of the feelings that Kat Brandon had evoked in him. He needed release, but he wasn't going to allow himself to give in.
He'd arranged to see her tomorrow morning, telling himself it was to finalize details for the donation. He'd been so focused on Kat that he'd remembered too late that they hadn't gotten around to discussing the amount of the donation.
And he suspected she'd need to speak to this mysterious donor of hers first before she could come up with a number.
His muscles tightened as he lifted his face to the spray.
Kat's face hovered before him, his mind returning to their encounter. She'd been inches from him, and he recalled the way she'd bitten her lip, the curve of her neck, the hint of skin just above the top button of her blouse.
Her scent had driven him crazy, something he'd kept hidden beneath a facade of cool. But he hadn't been able to stop his imagination from filling in details for him. Details of what lay beneath that cream silk blouse, of what her generous breasts would feel like within his hands.
No. He wasn't going to jerk off to thoughts of Kat.
He slammed the faucet off and strode from the shower and out of the bathroom, not caring that drops of water fell in his wake, soaking into the carpet as he headed for his closet.
Lukas dried off and pulled his biking gear on. Before long, he was grabbing the keys to his Harley from the hall table, headed out of the house.
He needed to think.
7. KAT
ALL MORNING, KAT HAD FORCED herself to concentrate as she prepared her deposition for tomorrow's case. Now, Maria Hernandez sat across from her at the small oak table in one of the rooms they used for meetings with their clients. Today, Maria's dark curls were spread out across her shoulders, her face more tense and fearful than Kat had seen in weeks.
Maria got to her feet and stretched, placing her hands on her hips as she waddled back and forth across the floor, her flower printed maternity dress swinging as she went. Three months ago, Maria had been beaten so badly by her boyfriend that they'd thought she would lose her baby. Her case came to them via Maria's priest, who'd been so concerned for his parishioner's life that he'd risked his own to get A&L involved.
"So how long before I go?" Maria asked, her forehead scrunched up with worry as she paused her pacing. The poor woman looked like she might keel over any minute.
Kat frowned, wondering if Maria was confused. They weren't meant to appear before the judg
e until tomorrow morning, but the woman was probably stressed to the max. She glanced up at Maria. "Are you sure you want to do this?"
Maria nodded and patted her stomach. "If not for me, then for my baby." A baby that was due any day now.
Kat smiled. Maria had never failed to amaze her with her strength, even when she'd fought to survive the injuries inflicted on her by her boyfriend James King. He'd almost broken her jaw and had threatened the life of the child. It hadn't been hard to procure a restraining order, but it soon became clear that King was connected.
When King broke the restraining order and visited Maria at the safe house, they'd realized that even the cops were afraid of the man.
Kat reached for the brightly colored bag on the floor beside her. She placed the bag on the table. "This is for you. I though you might need a few things for when the baby comes."
Maria smiled and unzipped the bag to take a peek inside. Soon, she was poring over the little baby clothes and diapers and bottles Kat had bought. Inside was an envelope with a wad of cash that Kat had stashed deep within the bag. Maria hadn't seen it yet, and Kat preferred that she discover the money later.
Before Kat could speak, a knock on the door announced Alana, who entered with a cool smile for Kat and a much kinder one for Maria.
"They're here. Are you ready?" asked Alana softly.
"I'm ready." Maria hefted the diaper bag onto her shoulder and gave Kat a grateful smile.
Kat frowned as Alana reached out a hand and held on to Maria's shoulder. "You take care of yourself, okay? And don't forget what I said. No getting careless. No calling home."
Kat watched the light in Maria's eyes die, but the woman forced a smile onto her face. "For the nina." She patted her tummy again as if the mere touch gave her strength.
Kat pushed to her feet as Alana reached the door, intent on asking her what the hell was happening. She didn't want to have an argument in front of Maria. The woman had enough going on. But Kat didn't get the chance.
A thin, ash-blond woman entered the room carrying a small suitcase. Alana held a hand out to Maria and said, "You can go with Lizzi. She'll help you change your appearance so when they come to take you away, you won't be recognizable. We have to be careful in case someone is watching the building."
Kat silenced a soft gasp as Maria nodded, her expression now grave. She followed Lizzi out the door. Kat suspected what would happen now. They'd help Maria to escape her husband.
Alana paused in the doorway as they both watched the powder room door close on Maria. Then, as she began to walk away, she called over her shoulder. "Lukas wants a word."
The woman was gone before Kat could blink.
Her heart raced as she headed for his office.
He was ready for her. But was she ready for him?
8. LUKAS
LUKAS WATCHED AS KAT ENTERED the room, her eyes flashing. He'd known Alana would have taken far too much enjoyment from her ignorance as to what they'd had planned for Maria Hernandez.
He was now certain that he should have told Kat what was going on before she'd taken on Maria's case.
He waved Kat inside, and as she stepped into his office, he had to kill the urge to smile. She glared at him, her spine stiff as she folded her arms across her chest and planted herself in the middle of his office. He surged to his feet, ignoring his chair as it went sliding across the wooden floor behind him.
He rounded his table and walked to her, the silence in the room weighing down on him. She didn't move as he stepped closer to her.
"I guess we have some explaining to do?" he said.
She gave a curt nod, but he noticed the hesitation in her eyes. He knew enough about reading people to know that her anger might have been depleted, and he was going to take advantage of that opportunity. He took her elbow with one hand, then waved the other at the sofa beside the door.
Kat pulled her elbow free from his grasp and slid down onto the seat, holding her chin just a bit higher. He knew where he stood.
Lukas took a seat beside her and shifted to face her. Before he could say anything, she asked, "What the hell just happened?" Her jaw tightened. "She's supposed to be in court first thing tomorrow morning. But I guess you guys have other plans?"
Lucas nodded. "I'm really sorry about that, Katriona. There was a change of plan, and by rights, we should have told you about it. But generally, we don't reveal such information to anyone until we know them well enough to trust them with this part of our work."
Kat bristled at the mention of the word anyone.
He held out his hand in defense. "I didn't mean it like that. You've only been working here for a few months, and I've barely been around enough to know if you were the type of person that we could trust. The work that we do here is very sensitive, and sometimes, it can be very dangerous for our clients."
Her silver eyes flashed as she shook her head. "This is a law firm. We're supposed to be defending these women, ensuring their safety." She paused and took a silent, controlled breath. "And where is she going? What happens to her appointment with the judge tomorrow morning?"
Lukas smiled. He was enjoying the passion she displayed far too much. He wondered if that passion would translate in bed.
He jerked himself from his thoughts. "The court date is no longer relevant to Maria's case."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean? What's going on here?" Her eyes flashed and suspicion shone from them as they narrowed and focused on his face.
Lukas got to his feet and hurried over to his desk. He tugged open the left hand drawer and retrieved a file that he dropped onto the desk. He didn't need to invite her. She was already on her feet, hurrying to flip the file open.
Her eyes widened at the sight of a handwritten letter protected by a plastic sleeve, dark smudges of fingerprint dust outlining several prints along the edges and face of the paper. "What is this?"
"What it looks like." He'd seen this type of thing before, and it was never pretty.
Kat lifted the letter from the file, her fingers shaking as she read it. "Dear God." Those were the only words she spoke as she let go of the letter as if it were a poisonous snake. "That bastard."
Lukas leaned over to look her in the eye. He pointed a finger at the letter. "It came in the mail this morning. We sent it for testing, and the techs confirmed it's a match for King."
Kat let out a huff and sank onto the armchair in front of his desk. "Can we use this to make him go away?" She looked uncertain as her gaze flicked from the letter to Lukas's face and back again.
Why did she not trust him?
Lukas nodded. "Yes. We've spoke to the lieutenant on Maria's case, and the DA confirmed that we have enough to firm the retraining order even without Maria's testimony, but it's irrelevant."
"Why? We have enough to get him out of her life--"
Lukas leaned forward, placing his hands on the table and meeting her gaze. "Do you really think a restraining order is going to keep a man like King out of her life? He has money, connections, power. He has enough to ensure that even if the cops protected her, he'd find out where she was."
Kat sat back, silent as she chewed her lip. "He won't stop."
"No, he won't. The letter proves his state of mind. He's not insane, but he is crazy. Who threatens the mother of his child this way?" Lukas lifted the letter and began to read. "I will cut you up into tiny little pieces and feed your remains to the sharks. You cannot hide from me, you can't escape. Wherever you go, I will follow you, and I will take my child back. Don't trust the cops or the judge. There is nobody that I can't pay to do my bidding."
Kat sighed. "So you made Maria go away?" She met his eyes, her face still pale. "Witness protection?"
Lukas nodded. "Our version of it, anyway."
"What does that mean?" She frowned.
"It means we don't get the cops involved. We procure the paperwork for our clients legally, so that there is never ever an opportunity for failure through documentation. Maria will have d
ental work and minor plastic surgery. We've found drastic changes are more expensive and sometime unnecessary, unless the client has a defining feature."
"Defining feature?" she asked absently.
"Like those eyes of yours. If we put you into protective relocation, then you'd have to hide those gems behind contact lenses for the rest of your life."
She flushed, but ignored his words. "So this is what you do?"
Lukas straightened and pulled his chair back into position. He sank into it with a sigh. "Yes. It started as pro bono defense, and we realized that some men don't let go. That sometimes restraining orders don't fix things."
"So this is the reason you need the donors?" Kat was sitting stiffly, her spine ramrod straight.
"Yes. Fast-tracking paperwork, relocation, payments for property, applications for schools, school fees, living expenses. There are a lot of expenses involved in seamless relocation."
"How long do you look after them?"
"Just until they're back on their feet. We place them in locations where people we know can keep an eye on their progress from a distance."
"Oh."
Lukas laughed. "No, they don't spy on them. We place our clients in towns and schools and jobs where people within our network also live and work. They simply keep an eye on their activities, and if they consider anything unusual, they report to us and we send someone to investigate."
"Unusual?"
"Sometimes, as successful as the move is, either the client slips up, or the abuser manages to find them."
"I thought you said you moved them permanently."
"Permanently yes, but some of these men are connected and powerful, and they have ways of finding people. Our operation isn't perfect, and admittedly we've had two incidents in which the abuser managed to track down the victim. But both times, we got there in time and managed to move her to safety."
An Heiress For The Bear (Sarkozy Brothers 2) Page 2