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Kimmy issued a small cry at Bronte’s words.
Bronte shivered against him.
“I don’t know, but I’m going to find out.” He gently brushed his lips over her forehead.
As he comforted Bronte, his gaze met Kimmy’s and it hit him that he didn’t have topretendto be her fiancé. Comforting this woman came as naturally as breathing.
“I’m scared, Jace,” she whispered.
He tightened his hold on her, but he didn’t tell her that he was too.
He knew all too well what happened when a person ignored a request from The Broker.
* * * * *
The high-pitched whistle of Bronte’s teakettle filled the kitchen. Jace pushed off the counter he was leaning against and switched off the burner. Muscles flexed and the brand-new, clean black T-shirt he’d donned pulled across his spine as he fixed two mugs of tea—one for her and one for Kimmy.
Her assistant’s eyes were wide as she took everything in. Emotions washed across Kimmy’s face, from awe at the bodyguard fixing them tea to despair at what they were facing.
What had Bronte dragged her into.
She was kicking herself for ever telling Kimmy she could come to her place with the files. Now she’d traumatized her employee with the most horrific unboxing of that bloody shirt.
Jace set the tea mugs before both of them. The smell of fragrant herbs drifted on the steam. He’d added spoons to the mugs and went back for the sugar bowl. When he set it in the middle of the table, Kimmy reached for it.
Bronte bowed her head and breathed in the aroma meant to calm her. “I owe you a huge apology, Kimmy.”
The woman looked up, her blue eyes wide. “For what?”
“For dragging you into this mess. It’s not fair to you. You’re just doing the amazing job you always do.”
Kimmy reached across the table and squeezed Bronte’s hand. “I’m as invested in Artemis as you are—not financially, of course, but emotionally and professionally. And I’m your friend, Bronte. Don’t forget that.”
Jace took this all in, saying nothing. He hadn’t spoken in at least twenty minutes and had been texting furiously on his phone. She had a feeling that when he slipped into the guest bedroom to change clothes, he’d also called his team.
Bronte brought her tea to her lips and let the herbs and warm liquid work into her system. Kimmy did the same. Falling into deep thought, Bronte didn’t notice that Jace had said her name until Kimmy touched the back of Bronte’s hand.
She flicked her gaze up to his. God, he really was so ruggedly handsome. She loved how protective he was with her, how tender and caring. Even getting her tea to calm her nerves went above and beyond the call of duty, in her opinion.
Butwasit duty? They’d shared a bed. He’d blown her mind not once but several times with the most soul-altering orgasms of her entire life.
When he held her or brushed his lips over her forehead a little bit ago, it hadn’t felt like something a paid employee would do.
“Two guys from my team are on their way up here,” he announced.
She straightened in her seat and Kimmy set down her mug.
“All right. Good. That sounds like a good step toward figuring this all out.” Bronte pushed away from the table.
Jace gestured for her to stay seated. “I’ll let them in and then we’ll discuss everything. Kimmy, are you going to be okay with all this?”
“Yes.” She fidgeted with her teabag, dunking it over and over again.
Jace gave them a nod and walked out of the kitchen.
Kimmy leaned in to whisper, “Do you think the guys on his team are as hot as he is?”
Leave it to her assistant to find the sunshine in a stormy day. A smile tipped Bronte’s lips upward. “Let’s hope not. I think we’ve had enough excitement for one day.”
