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She snorted then almost immediately pressed her hand across her mouth.
Something had changed within her. Or had our last night of shared passion been nothing more than an act?
I pulled into the parking lot next to a bakery I’d been to a couple of times before months before. Before exiting the car, I pulled a weapon from under the seat, sliding it into my pants in the small of my back.
Her stare was hard and cold, her eyes glistening from another hint of animosity. “Do you really think one of your enemies managed to find you in paradise?” Her question dripped of discord.
“In my world, you can never be too careful.”
“That’s why I already abhor your world.”
“It’s a necessary evil, Jade.”
“Someone will need to explain the concept to me one day.” She threw open her door, bounding onto the cracked pavement as if purposely ignoring my caution.
I jumped out, barely closing the door before taking long strides around the back of the car, grabbing her by the arm. When I jerked her as close as possible, she seemed shocked I’d use so much force. “You need to listen to me. You can never let down your guard. Not once. That single time will likely be the day a bullet gets put into that intelligent brain of yours.”
Her eyes opened wide. “I don’t understand how you can ever enjoy a day in your life or relax for a single minute. How can you live that way?”
“You adapt. When that’s the way you’re raised, that’s what you do.” That wasn’t always the case. My father hadn’t hired round the clock security until after I turned eight. Then the house and grounds had been made a fortress, every damn inch of the place wired.
“What a terrible way for a child to grow up.” She tilted her pretty little head, keeping her earlier rebellion.
“I assure you that there are worse things than growing up with money, security, and power. I would prefer that to not knowing my father, being treated like he’d been a sperm donor and nothing more.”
She jerked her arm away, shaking her head as she took several steps backward. “You’re such a fucking horrible person.”
I’d heard zilch from Tristen, and it was starting to piss me off. I needed to know for certain whether the girl had been playing me from the start. I took a deep breath, holding it while she continued glaring at me. “That you already knew.” When I took her arm again, she squirmed but thankfully didn’t try to pull away.
The yin and yang of her personality indicated she’d grown weary of pretending to be something she wasn’t. Well, I’d get to the bottom of that soon enough.
As we walked inside, some of the tension eased.
“Get what you want,” I told her.
“Can I use the bathroom?” she asked.
I glanced at the small store, noticing the door just to the left of the bakery counter. “Yeah, but make it quick.”
“Of course. Sir. Oh, and I have no money thanks to you.”
All I did was half smile and she huffed and headed for the register while I stood near the glass door, peering out at the street. There was no reason for the hair to be standing on the back of my neck, but it was. I glanced over my shoulder just as she walked into the bathroom and sighed.
Then I yanked out my phone, punching in Tristen’s number. When he didn’t answer, I hissed, almost tossing the piece of plastic through the glass. I headed outside to leave him a message and would deal with his lack of attention later. “I need to know what you learned about my guest. As soon as possible. We’re leaving here early. Today. Get the damn plane prepared.” When I ended the call, I closed my eyes, raking one hand through my hair.
I didn’t like being without all the facts. That had pissed me off about the trial all those years ago. The Feds had kept their little secret regarding their witness from us until the day before the start of the trial. That had left Barrett scrambling to discredit her, which had been far too damn easy.
No. Something had been off about how the entire case was handled. If it hadn’t been for Barrett’s piranha-like barrage on the unsuspecting young woman, I’d be rotting behind bars. Fuck this shit. She would talk.
I stormed back inside, glancing from one side of the small space to the other. She was still in the damn bathroom? Oh, what the fuck? I took long strides toward it, pushing my way inside. There was nothing but dead air.
The girl behind the counter backed away and it was easy to see she’d noticed my weapon. Damn it. Jade had gone out the back door. I threw it open, rushing out into the dingy alley, searching one side then the other. There were dozens of small shops and restaurants; she could be inside any one of them. Fuck. What the hell was wrong with me?
I moved from one to the other, finding half locked, the stores still closed. Then the sun drifted over the tops of the buildings, and I caught a single glimpse of her long red hair. As I took off running, I did what I could to keep my anger in check.
As soon as I rounded the same corner where she’d gone, I heard her high-pitched scream. I yanked the weapon into my hand, barreling down the side street. When I noticed some asshole with his arm around her throat, I launched myself in their direction.
“Give me your money,” he snarled.
