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There was a low burn in her belly after hearing him disparage her work like that. She’d basically just landed a job that was similar to his. She was more qualified and was probably going to out-earn him, yet all he saw was a female body. But there was more. It was that he taunted her. She should have known he’d try to use everything in his power against her. It was his style. Mark was unpredictable and he obviously had a second, very robust career as a stalker.
“Let me buy you lunch,” he said. “You can tell me everything. I’d like to help you if I can. I do know people.”
Was he kidding? Lunch? He knew people?
“Thanks, I’ll pass. I have work to do.”
She made it to the door of the conference room but his voice stopped her. “I can help you.”
“You said that,” she said. Her hand was on the doorknob, and she didn’t dare turn around because he might see how nervous she was. How scared. Why was she scared? Why? She heard a chair move and within seconds he was pressed behind her, trapping her against the conference room door.
“Don’t underestimate me, Caroline. I could be very good for you.”
Her breathing was short and shallow and the confined feeling she had from the closeness of his body and the lack of air made her a little light-headed. He seemed to be enjoying the game. When she looked back over her shoulder, the turn of his mouth told her he felt fully in control.
“Mark, let me go.” She took a deep breath and thought about how she would get out of this if he didn’t back off. “Let go of me now.”
There was a second’s hesitation before he stepped back, and Caroline bolted from the conference room. She got back to her desk, grabbed her things, and knew she had to leave. She’d take a sick day. And she would be sick. Thinking about what he said made her want to vomit.
Just as she turned to go, Josh walked into view. Oh, no. His meeting. He’d had his meeting. But the minute he set eyes on her he knew something was wrong. His face changed. His posture. And he closed the gap between them in record time. The sight of the big man heading toward her turned every head.
He dropped his hands on her shoulders and looked her into the eyes. “What happened? You’re white as a sheet. Did he do something to you?”
Caroline nodded. Her breath was catching in her throat and all she could think about was how much Mark knew. But she couldn’t cry here, she couldn’t.
“I should fucking kill him,” Josh growled.
“No, just get me out of here.Please.”
He looped his arm around her and guided her through the cubicles to the reception area, where even Fern looked concerned. “Do I need to call anyone?”
Josh shook his head. “I’ve got her. Tell Strickland he’ll be hearing from me.”
Fern’s eyes widened and she watched as Josh guided Caroline onto the elevator. Thankful when the door finally shut, she collapsed into him.
She felt his arms around her and his hands moved rhythmically up and down her back, soothing her as best he could, but her sobs came out in big, breathy gulps. “Please calm down, honey. Please.”
Looking up at him, she blurted out what she’d discovered. “He’s stalking me.”
His face washed out.
“He must have installed something on my computer. He knows things. He knows things he shouldn’t.”
“Your computer?” They walked from the building into the plaza near the street and Josh knew exactly what to do. Quick and decisive, he pulled out his phone and made a call.
“Jason, it’s me. Caroline’s boss might have installed something on her computer that he’s using to spy on her.”
He looked at her and planted a light kiss on her forehead while his hand gently rubbed her back again. His soft touch, the depth of his voice; all of it calmed her. “We can be there in fifteen minutes.”
He ended the call and walked her right to the curb where Neil waited with his car.
Once inside, he took her hand and wove his fingers with hers. Gentle, sure, steady. Caroline was in a daze and all she could do was be grateful he was there to help her. She was such a wreck she didn’t know if she’d have even thought to call Jason.
“Jason said we should bring your computer to him, and he can have his team analyze it. He’ll be able to figure out exactly what happened.”
“I had no idea. He could have been tracking me for months.”
“I really want to go back there and hurt him.”
