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“If one of you doesn’t shut up and tell me what’s going on, I’ll have you both thrown in jail.” Fred’s voice was deep, and dark, and utterly terrifying.
Amelia approached, brows drawn. Sunlight glinted on her pale hair. Her quicksilver eyes were filled with worry. She cleared her throat. “We believe Ari is planning to launch a rival company and take some of your clients with him.”
Fred gave her a heavy stare, then swung his head to face Ari. Ari shrank back against the police detective who held his arm, throat bobbing thickly as he gulped. “Is this true, Ashfield?”
“I c-can explain,” Ari stammered. “It’s not what it looks like.” His gaze flicked from Fred, to Amelia, to Leo, then over to the gathered crowd. “I only wanted to make a bit more money, Fred. You take such a big cut of the fees, and we only get paid a salary, and—”
“And you thought you could turn around andstab me in the back by stealing all my clients?” Fred’s roar sent birds flapping from the nearby trees. Amelia took a step back from him, her eyes darting to Leo.
Leo stood slowly, worried that a sudden movement would draw Fred’s ire. His temple throbbed and when he darted his tongue out, he winced. His lip was split and bleeding.
Ari bristled. “You’re a fucking billionaire, Fred. You can’t pay your staff a decent wage?”
“You make multiple six figures! I offered you stock options in the company when you started, and yourefused. Now you’re trying to steal from me to make up the difference?”
“How was I supposed to know the company would do so well?” Ari protested. His eyes darkened. “You’re just a greedy old man, Fred, and your time isdone. I’ve already talked to three dozen clients, and they’re done with you too. Done!”
“The only thing that’s done isyou, Ari. And as soon as you give me Nadia’s ring back, I never want to see you again.”
Confusion flittered over Ari’s face. He shook his head. “What? No. I didn’t steal the ring. Dumb bitch probably dropped it in the Blue Ro—”
For the second time that morning, Ari was tackled to the ground, except this time it was by a two-hundred-and-twenty-pound former linebacker with a receding hairline. Fred took Ari down, tackling both detectives in the process. Leo jumped in to try to drag Fred off and got a mouth full of knuckles for his efforts.
Vaguely, he heard Amelia cry out. He felt her hands on his arm and let himself be pulled away while Percival heaved Fred off the other man. The police officers turned Ari over and held him to the ground while they barked orders at everyone around.
Amelia’s hands were patting his chest, his arms, his face, as if to make sure everything was still attached. Her eyes were full of concern…and maybe something more. As the chaos slowly abated around them, Leo found himself staring into her eyes.
“Are you okay?” she asked, voice soft.
“I’m fine.” He reached up and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
“You scared me.”
“Sorry, baby,” he whispered, pressing a kiss to her forehead. He winced as pain splintered out from his lip and pulled away.
“Stop doing things to hurt yourself,” she chided, clicking her tongue as she turned his face to inspect his lip, his temple, the bruise forming on his jaw. “That was so supremely stupid. He could have hurt you!”
“But then I wouldn’t have you fussing over me like this,” Leo noted.
Her smile was slight, but he saw it. Behind her, the men were hauling Ari to his feet, and Fred was calming down. Amelia turned to follow his gaze and set her hands on her hips. Her frown was beautiful, but Leo still wanted to kiss it away.
“If he didn’t do it,” Fred asked, jabbing a thumb at Ari, “who took my fiancée’s ring?”
Amelia froze as a gasp crossed her lips. Leo saw her eyes widen as she scanned the assembled crowd. Under her breath, she whispered, “Holy shit.”
Then she took off like a shot.
TWENTY-ONE
How couldshe have been so blind? How did she miss it?
Amelia berated herself as she sprinted, arms pumping, lungs wheezing. She knew who’d taken the ring. It had been right in front of her face from the first day they’d arrived on the property. She tore through the hallway where the whole gang had exited, feet pounding on the wide timber floors. Skidding to a halt in the dining room, she swore under her breath.
Empty.
Distant clattering alerted her to pursuers. They probably thought she was guilty and trying to escape, but there was no time to explain. No time at all. She had togo.
At the foyer, Amelia hesitated. Was it worth going upstairs to look for the thief, or would they already be gone?
