by Mia Dymond
“You know your customers well?”
She nodded. “Women seem to open up when relaxed.”
“About men?”
“Yes, and other things. Kids, families, vacations.”
“Have you heard anything you’d consider out of the ordinary?”
“Loads.”
“Like what?”
“I value my ability to keep a secret, Sergeant.”
“Do you feel threatened by anything else you’ve heard?”
“Heavens, no! Most of my clients are wealthy and have been with me for years. Believe me, these women have nothing to be threatened by or a reason to threaten anyone else.”
“There’s always a reason.”
“The threat did not come from one of my clients.”
He wished he shared her sentiment. “Where’s your staff?”
She glanced at her watch. “Annie should be here any minute.”
“Annie?”
“Annie Lawson. She works the reception desk.”
“Has she worked here long?”
“Since day one. Her mother is my father’s secretary.”
“Is she married?”
“Annie or her mother?”
“Both.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Annie’s too young for you and her mother is old enough to be your mother.”
“Jealous?”
“No! Geez, you have a healthy ego. Yes, Annie is married and Delores is widowed.”
He allowed his brain a couple seconds to process that information. Employees usually proved to be viable suspects. He’d add these women to Thunder’s background search.
“What kind of a relationship does Judge Abbott have with his secretary?”
“A professional, respectful one. Delores has been around almost as long as I have.”
“I didn’t see her when I met with your father.”
“Annie sent her on a senior singles’ cruise.”
“Who takes care of things for the judge while she’s gone?”
“James, of course.”
“James?”
“I take it you didn’t meet him either.”
He shook his head.
“James is my father’s personal assistant. And before you interrogate me further, he’s middle–aged with a girlfriend.”
“He handles professional matters for the judge?”
She nodded. “And personal. Scheduling, shopping, cleaning, etc.”
“He shops and cleans for your father?”
“No, he arranges to have those things done by other people.”
A wave of apprehension rolled across his shoulder. Unsurprisingly, the list of suspects was now a mile long. Although that wasn’t unusual for a man of Judge Abbott’s prominence, it made his job a thousand times more difficult. Kat was now a walking target for a maniacal whacko they couldn’t even identify. As badly as he hated to approach her with the subject of solitary, he may not have a choice.
The sound of the bell over the front door put that confrontation on hold. Like a trained rat, he stood and moved in front of her desk as the sound announced a visitor.
“I’m guessing this is not Annie,” he drawled as a short, round man entered.
“No.” Kat smiled as the man approached the desk with a smile of his own. “Good morning, Steven, how are you?”
“I am well, thank you. How are you?”
“Fine, thank you.” The man’s curiosity slapped him in the face as Kat placed a hand on his forearm. “Steven, this is a friend of mine, Jace Taylor. Jace, this is Steven Hawthorne.”
Chaos extended a hand as Kat continued.
“Steven serves on the board for Hope for the Hungry.”
Hawthorne returned his handshake and then handed Kat a stack of paper. “These are the tally sheets for the dinner.”
“Great! Jace and his team have graciously agreed to participate.”
Chaos intercepted even more curiosity but waited in silence for Kat to explain.
“Team?”
Kat nodded. “Yes. He is part of Alpha Four, a new security firm here in Everglade Springs.”
“Well then, welcome to town. And we appreciate your help.”
“My pleasure,” Chaos answered, both relieved and impressed by Kat’s explanation.
“I’m on way into the office and thought I’d stop on my way. I’ll pick up the sheets after the dinner.”
“I’ll make sure they’re complete,” Kat assured him. “Thanks for stopping by.”
Chaos waited until the door closed behind Hawthorne before jabbing Kat. “Friend?”
“Well, how else was I supposed to explain your overwhelming presence?”
He had to concede her point, even though friendly wasn’t the term he would choose to describe the relationship between them. No, his friends didn’t trigger the thoughts he had around Kat.
“Good choice. Fill me in on Hawthorne.”
“I don’t know much other than he’s an accountant and very generous with Hope for the Hungry.”
“He donates money?”
“Well yes, but more importantly he donates his professional time to keep the books for the charity and makes sure it’s financially solvent.”
“How long has he been involved?”
“The last two years. In fact, we’ve been better financially–prepared since he volunteered.”
“Is he married?”
In his peripheral vision he noticed the ends of her hair graze the tops of her breasts as she shook her head in denial and he relied on years of self–discipline to keep his gaze trained on hers.
“Girlfriend?”
“Now that you mention it, I don’t know for sure. A woman normally accompanies him to charity functions but I don’t know specifics about a relationship.”
“The same woman?”
“No, not always.”
He raised an eyebrow, encouraged that her response may have opened a door. If Hawthorne needed social companionship, perhaps he frequented a dating agency – quite possibly Forever Yours, owned by one Olivia Blackwell who just happened to be Kat’s close friend.
“Do you suppose he’s one of Liv’s clients?”
She gave him a sly grin. “Ask her if you’d like, but she won’t tell you. Her client list is as exclusive as mine.”
“Oh come on, how secretive can you be when you purchase a date?”
“Liv isn’t a Madame, Chaos.” She released a bubbly giggle and the sound went straight to his groin. “She’s a professional matchmaker and she’s very successful.”
He silently agreed. Liv had impressed him when she used her exceptional people skills on Thunder. In fact, maybe Thunder could get information from Liv; very few people, if any, denied the captain’s request.
“Are you sure you want to spend the day here? I’m probably safe inside these walls.”
“Probably isn’t good enough.”
“You can’t follow me around all day. My clients appreciate privacy.”
“I’ll sit in your office at the computer. I can watch the monitors from there. Just don’t come back up here without me.”
“This is borderline insane.”
“Kat, I need your cooperation on this.”
“Okay, okay. I’ll cooperate.” She glanced at her watch. “I have time if you want a massage.”
As tempting as the offer was, the absolute last thing he needed was to lie beneath her soft, skilled hands. No way on Earth could he keep his hands off her after that. Besides, he saw right through her tactic.
“Nice try.” He gestured down the hall with one hand. “Time to go to work.”
***
Ace kept his gaze trained on his raven–haired target who flitted around the open, tented area like a hummingbird searching for nectar. He watched in awe as the woman moved probably 100 miles an hour, issuing orders to her staff in a soft, silky but direct manner and receiving the utmost respect in return. A beautiful, confident leader who obviously shared his desire for order and
cooperation – his kind of woman. Now, if he could just commandeer her for cooperation in his mission, they’d be on the same page.
He’d hidden in the shadows for the last thirty minutes, skillfully escaping detection but just barely. Her speed and determination, coupled with the difficulty in maneuvering around the seven tents staked in the ground, sorely tested his skill.
His observation of the area told him Carley Kensworth was a pro in her line of work. From the decorated atmosphere he concluded the party’s theme was based on Arabian Nights. He stood next to a tent draped in sheer, blue material and mounds of bright blue, purple and gold pillows piled high on a large Moroccan rug inside. Copper pots that held gold beads sat on tables draped in matching material and soft candlelight illuminated the interior – quite obviously a sheik’s lair for his harem.
Adjoining tents covered tables of food and drinks where waiters prepared for guests. The largest tent occupied the majority of the manicured, green lawn, under which rows of dining tables rested. At the moment, Carley gave instructions on setting the tables.
Thanks to the warm, gentle breeze, her voice traveled the distance between them and coated his body like thick, sweet honey – wrapped him up tightly with little chance of escape. Damn, she was sexy.
Although her head was bent and he couldn’t see her face he knew her facial features by heart. Deep, round, blue eyes with long, full eyelashes. High cheekbones and a small, pert nose. Plump, smooth, pink lips – lips that begged him to kiss her every time she spoke. His cock jumped behind his zipper, reminding him that appreciating anything below her neck would make for a miserable afternoon. Today, anyway. He released a long breath. Time to crash the party.
He eased out of the shadows and ambled to the main tent, prepared for the fall out. Carley was an extremely astute woman – she wouldn’t need an explanation for his presence.
When he stood across a table from Carley, the woman beside her lifted her head first. He gave her a wink and then cleared his throat. Carley raised her head, curiosity readily apparent in her gaze.
“Hello, Carley.”
She turned to the other woman. “Would you please check on the wine?” As soon as they were alone, she turned her attention back to him and folded her arms across her chest. He worked hard to keep his gaze fixed into hers – damn his peripheral vision.
“We need to talk.”
“Sure.” She nodded and then quickly frowned. “Is Kat alright?”
“She’s fine. Is there somewhere we can be alone?”
“The harem tent.”
She rounded the table and led him back to the tent he’d stood next to previously.
She eased herself down onto a long, purple pillow and patted a gold one beside her. He took the cue to sit.
“Since this isn’t about Kat, I’m pretty sure I know why you’re here.”
He gave himself a mental pat on the back for making an earlier correct assumption. Now the hard part began: convincing her to cooperate.
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah. Do you really think I’m in danger because of my friendship with Kat?”
“There’s no evidence to support that yet.”
“So you just decided to spy on me?”
“Maybe I just wanted to see you.”
“Maybe.” She tilted her head to one side. “I’ll admit, you do like to give me a hard time.”
“Not my intention.”
“Right.”
“Have you taken any self–defense classes?”
“I thought you said I’m not in danger.”
Holy God. The woman challenged him at every turn.
“Just answer the question, Carley.”
“Yes.”
“Don’t hesitate to use that training. Just be careful and don’t put yourself in any compromising situations.”
“Are you issuing an order, Ace?”
“Yes. One you should follow.”
Carley shifted her weight from one side to the other against the pillows surrounding her hips in an attempt to stop the tingling sensation that invaded her body. Something about Ace’s demand made her libido stand up and take notice.
The man had two very prominent qualities – he was bossy and arrogant. Other things about him, though, made it extremely hard to hold that against him. Every time she saw him, his green eyes held a spark of mystery, daring her to gaze deeper to discover what was hidden in the depths. To say he was built was an understatement. His body represented that of a Greek god, muscles rippling with every single movement. Yet, the reason behind his fitness intrigued her. Sophie told her that Ace was a seasoned military man just as Rebel and Chaos; she had no doubt that the warrior in him demanded discipline and strength.
Not usually one to appreciate being told what to do, she couldn’t deny that at this very moment she could very easily agree to anything he suggested.
“I’ll take your advice under consideration.”
She caught a tiny twitch of his upper lip and waited for the grin that just might make her faint. Her breath caught when it finally invaded his handsome face.
“You’d argue with the devil himself, wouldn’t you?”
“I’m not arguing,” she countered. “I’m negotiating.”
“There’s nothing to negotiate. We haven’t even identified our perp and even if we do, you still need to be careful.”
“Kat says the threat is directed at her father.”
“Look.”
He lowered his head and squeezed the bridge of his nose – an action she attributed to a search for patience. Almost afraid to move, she waited in the several seconds of silence for his response.
He finally exhaled deeply and then looked up. Suddenly the normal sparkle in his eyes was absent and the cold, stony stare that replaced it told her she might not like what he was about to say.
“At this point, we have no idea what we’re up against. Whoever is behind the threat may very well be interested only in Judge Abbott or Kat but maybe not. Because of your family’s wealth and status, you’re just as big a target.”
Her heartbeat quickened as he took a quick pause before he continued.
“And, you’re Kat’s close friend. This sick freak won’t hesitate to take you out to get to her.”
Both shocked and aroused by his blunt honesty, she found herself without an argument. In fact, she didn’t quite know how to respond. All she knew for sure was that she wanted the sparkle back in his gaze.
“Point taken,” she said finally.
“Good girl.” His facial features softened as he stood and offered her a hand.
She slid one hand into his and stood, grateful when a spark winked from his gaze.
“You think I’m a girl, Ace?”
With his thumb caressing the tops of her knuckles, he gave her a full–on, wet–your–panties smile while his gaze moved down and then up her body.
“No way in hell. You are definitely all woman, Carley.”
***
Thankful to be home under lock and key, Kat braced herself on one hip against the doorway to the kitchen and fought the urge to drool. Chaos stood at the stove, his jeans settled on his perfectly–sculpted hipbones and his light blue, crisp, cotton shirt draped over his lean torso, the sleeves cuffed and resting just above his elbows. Unbuttoned to the fourth button – not that she was counting – that lucky, lucky shirt rubbed his tanned, muscled abdomen with his every movement.
As if his body was not already stimulating enough, he was cooking.
Luckily, her clients had kept her busy all day at the spa. Otherwise she just might have locked the door and had her wicked way with the wild stallion. When they returned to her home approximately an hour ago, she’d made a mad dash for the shower. Space was the best thing for them right now, but she knew that was relatively impossible. Not with an unknown maniac on the loose.
She gave a soft sigh. The man didn’t have an imperfection anywhere on his body. And, although she didn’t know him all that well, she ha
d discovered he was a little softer under his armor than he would admit.
“Hungry?”
At the sound of his low, husky voice, she regretfully moved her gaze from his enticing body into his mysterious green eyes, and intercepted a look of what she interpreted as amusement.
“Starving,” she answered truthfully. “What did you find to cook?”
“I managed to scrounge enough for an omelet and bacon.”
Her mouth watered and she didn’t know for sure if the cause was his body or the smell of the food.
“Smells wonderful.”
She pushed herself off the wall and stepped into the kitchen just as he turned away from the stove to face her. Her heart flip–flopped in her chest and she grabbed the back of her kitchen chair to keep from reaching for him.
He took two steps forward and then stopped. “Come here, Kat.”
“Why?”
“You know why.”
“No, I don’t.”
He stepped in front of the chair and reached to loosen her left hand’s hold. As soon as he freed her fingers, he urged her forward until she stood directly in front of him.
He tipped her chin with his free hand. “Yes, you do.”
Oh, she knew. She knew perfectly well what was about to happen. She just hoped she could draw enough oxygen across her lungs to keep from passing out.
“I do,” she whispered.
Milliseconds later, their lips met and her eyes fell closed. Fireworks in vivid Technicolor exploded behind her eyelids and she wallowed in the pure, wanton pleasure of kissing him. Warm, wet desire pulsed between them. Desperate to feel more of the undisputed pleasure, she groaned and leaned into him, smashing her lips harder against his.
A slight chill at her neck told her he had brushed her hair back from her shoulder and soon she felt the warm touch of his fingers, massaging the base of her neck. Pressure on her lower back followed and soon their bodies aligned.
Goosebumps raced up her arms and over her shoulders as his fingers continued to draw circles on her skin and his lips continued to play havoc on hers. And just when she thought she’d die from the sheer pleasure of it all, he opened his mouth over hers. She wasted no time in opening hers as well and met his tongue with her own. Their tongues tangled in the heated moment and then as if he couldn’t get enough of her, he opened his mouth wider, his lips pressing impossibly harder against hers.