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Apparently, negotiations had resumed. One point I would not cede, though, was turning her over to the people who had failed so spectacularly in protecting her. “I won’t be a party to any of this until I have more information about this team of yours, which is taking a surprising amount of time to gather, given my boss’s contacts.”
She didn’t seem surprised to hear we were checking into her background and the HEAT agency. More disturbingly, she didn’t seem overly concerned, which meant their dirt was probably buried pretty deep.
“Meanwhile, you’re holding me prisoner,” she said.
“No. I’m not making you do anything against your will. You can leave at any time. Knock on the neighbors’ doors and ask to use their phones. Head down to the lobby. The doorman will call you a cab.” I was bluffing. I didn’t plan to let her out of my sight, but because she was under my protection, not my lock and key.
“And the guys who attacked me last night?”
“In the wind,” I said. “Could be anywhere. If you stay here, I’ll do everything I can to protect you. If you leave, you’re on your own.”
Sometimes, when it comes to negotiating, honesty really is the best policy. She blew out a breath and slumped her shoulders, clear indicators she was giving in. For now.
“Fine.” She collapse back on the pillows. “We’ll do it your way. Can I at least take a shower?”
An image of Red standing naked in my shower while I soaped her up from head to toe burned its image into my brain. I managed, just barely, to think of her health, and shook my head. “The doctor said you’ll probably have trouble with dizziness for a while.”
“I can assess my own symptoms. I’ll sit down and call for you if I start to feel worse. Just ten minutes.”
I scowled, but in negotiating, you have to give a little to get a little. Which sounded very sexual and threatened to derail my thoughts again. I cleared my throat. “Five, and the door stays open.”
She blushed. “Seven,” she counter-offered, “and the door stays cracked a few inches.”
“Deal. But I’ll be right out here. Yell if you feel even the slightest bit off. Meanwhile, I’ll find you some sweats to wear.”
“And please bring me my bag when you can,” she said. “I keep some toiletries in it.”
I grinned. “I’m not surprised. It’s big enough to carry everything but your kitchen sink.”
“A lady never knows when she’ll need surgical gauze or a skin-refreshing wipe.”
I didn’t doubt there was more to it than that. I wouldn’t be surprised if she had a lock-picking kit stowed somewhere in that oversized bag. But she was too smart to discount my warnings about her attackers, so I didn’t think an escape attempt was imminent. Maybe she would try to contact her team for a rendezvous, but given my security systems for both my physical space and my electronics, I wasn’t concerned about that, either. Until Bennet and Taylor came back with a full report on my guest and her team, I’d keep her safe and sound, right here with me.
She walked into the bathroom and left the door cracked the agreed-upon few inches. I opened dresser drawers and pulled out a pair of light gray sweatpants and a navy-blue sweatshirt. My hand hesitated over a pile of white, sleeveless undershirts as my attention drifted to thoughts of her wearing one of them, pulled tight over her tits, the strained fabric revealing the shape of her hard, pink nipples.
I adjusted my cock in my jeans, then against my better judgment, added one of the tee shirts to the pile of clothes. I was sure of my abilities to protect Red from all predators except one. If I didn’t return her to her team soon, I knew I’d try to seduce her. And given the effect we seemed to have on each other, I didn’t think I’d have to try very hard.
