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He nodded and let the liquid brush his lips though he didn’t swallow any. “To the most beautiful woman in the room.”
“And the hottest man.”
He opened his mouth. Ross cut across him. “Move the ward. Now!”
“Fuck!” He grabbed the glass out of a stunned Bronte’s hand and practically snapped the stems setting them down on the bar. He locked her against him. With a hand on his side in position to grab his weapon and shoot whatever threat Ross had seen, he prepared to throw her over his shoulder and make a run for safety.
“What’s happening?” she cried as they burst out of the room. Jaren flanked him on his right as Noah Wynton moved on his left. The pair matched his steps.
“Where to?” he asked into the comms device.
“Closest door with a lock. This way.” Noah jerked his head for them to follow.
Jace’s chest burned with a battle roar. Whatever Ross saw in her purse would send him into a fury and he knew it. Was it another threat? A bug planted?
Noah’s long legs ate up the floor, but Bronte wasn’t moving as quickly. Jace guided her at a slower pace and Jaren hung back on their six. When Noah reached a door, he held it open, ushering them inside.
The small office was furnished with a single desk and chair. A few photos of Napa Valley hung above the desk. Noah partially closed the door but kept an eye on the hallway outside.
Jace felt Bronte tremble and he pulled her into his arms, tucking her under his chin.
“I don’t understand what’s going on,” she whimpered.
He squeezed her closer, aware that his brother was taking it all in and even more cognizant that Jace didn’t give a damn anymore.
“We’ll know in a minute, sweetness.”
Jaren’s crooked grin was very out of place in the moment, but Jace only held his stare.
“Ross is coming.” Noah’s statement preceded the man entering. The door shut and locked behind him.
Jace faced his boss and teammates, still absorbing the tremors racking Bronte with his own body. “What did you find?” he demanded.
Ross extracted the purse. The air seemed sucked from the room as he pulled out a slip of paper.
Bronte made a choked noise.
Jace loosened his grip on her enough to let her turn in his arms.
Ross held up the paper. “Have you ever seen this before? Was it in your bag when you carried it into the dining room?”
She shook her head.
“I didn’t think so. He was right under our fucking noses and we missed our shot.” Ross’s harsh words were punctuated with fury.
“Let me see it.” Jace held out a hand for the note. Ross handed it to him, and he unfolded it.
The blocky shape of the handwriting was the same as the first letter she’d received back in San Francisco.
“You have two days to accept the offer,” he read aloud. He flipped the note over and skimmed the back. It was blank.
Bronte’s hand flew to her lips. She stared at him with huge eyes. “Do you…think it’s about the system I just partnered with Miles Morgan on?”
Jace nodded. “I do. It’s big—he even said so himself when we met in the winery. The Broker must be trying to get it for somebody.”
“For who is the question,” Noah interjected.
Jace stared at his guys. “We have the answer. Or there’s already someone who can tell us. Bronte’s ex-partner. We need to find her.”
