Protected by a Dangerous Man: By a Dangerous Man, #10

Chapter 1

I stood in the dark, musty stairwell, a can of pepper spray in my left hand, my phone in the right. In a hallway four floors above me, my twin brother was trying to sweet talk a teenager into telling him if she’d seen her father recently.

We’d gotten a tip that our target had been hiding out with his ex-wife for weeks. She’d likely been the one who’d called; an ex on the couch probably didn’t take ten minutes to become irritating. This guy, Joey Adams, was a small-time swindler, a smooth talker, from what I’d gathered. He had girlfriends and kids spread across three states.

I rolled my shoulders.

What I needed was a massage. Better yet, a nice, hard… But I couldn’t let myself think about that. Keeping my distance from Corbin was killing me, and I didn’t know how much longer I could hold out.

Just the thought of his name was enough to summon memories of his scent, his spicy aftershave mixed with powerful male. And his touch, his hand slipping under my shirt…

Things between us had been going so well, and then Corbin had to ruin it with his goddamn secrets. It was bad enough that he wouldn’t talk about what had happened when he’d been summoned to DC, but I understood his reasons. The other secret, though…

It was going to drive me insane. The only time I didn’t obsess over it was when I was working.

Above me, a door eased open, then gently closed. This was a building of loud noises, of blasting radios and slamming doors. Someone didn’t want to be heard.

I moved the hand holding the pepper spray behind my back.

Joey Adams came skipping down the steps, light on the balls of his feet like he didn’t have a care in the world. He was a wiry man in his late twenties with fashionably shaggy brown hair. The combination made him look like a drummer for a rock band. He certainly wasn’t my type, but I could see how he’d racked up all those girlfriends. He tensed when he saw me—when he realized there was someone loitering at the bottom of the stairwell.

But then he took a longer look, grinned, and resumed descending the steps.

I bristled.

Everyone knew that women weren’t tough enough to do anything but sit at home, paint their nails, and squeeze out babies. There was no way I could be a threat, right?

Some days, that patronizing attitude merely irritated me. Other days, like today, it made me want to kick the fugitive in the teeth. The sheriff wouldn’t let us surrender someone with a bloody mouth, so I generally refrained.

Adams came to a stop a few feet away. Hey, sugar, he said, his voice more raspy than sexy. Haven’t seen you before. You new here?

If there was one thing I hated more than being dismissed as harmless, it was being called sugar, baby, darling, or sweetie by any man who wasn’t Corbin. And this creep? He was as far from Corbin as a chihuahua was from a wolf.

Oh, I don’t live here, I said, aiming for flirtatious but hitting neutral. I’m waiting for someone.

Maybe I’m the one you’re waiting for, Adams said.

Gag me. You know… I think you could be right. Hold up. I gave him a seductive smile as I shoved the pepper spray into the waistband of my jeans. One second—I want to see where my friend is.

I texted Rob. I could handle Adams on my own, but the whole point of working in teams was to make things easier. Safer.

Listen, sugar, I gotta go, Adams said. You wanna give me your number?

No, no, I’m done, I told him as I slid my phone into my back pocket. Where are you running off to? A party?

He grinned. I can make that happen. Maybe your friend wants to tag along. She cute?

Maybe. The smile wouldn’t quite come this time.

The door on the fourth floor banged open. From the cacophony echoing down the stairwell, I guessed it had hit a metal railing. Very subtle of my brother. That was my fault; I should have told him there wasn’t any hurry.

Adams looked up, his brow creasing. Maybe next time. He headed for the exit, but the heavy metal door wouldn’t budge. I knew because I’d jammed it myself.

"Hold up, sugar, I said as he pushed futilely on the metal lever. We just met. What’s the hurry?"

He froze, then swung stiffly my way. You’re a cop. He sounded simultaneously disgusted that I might be on the other side of the law and hopeful that he’d misunderstood, that there was another reason for my chattiness, for the fact that someone was barreling down from the fourth floor.

Technically, it was as illegal for a bounty hunter to impersonate an officer as it was for anyone else. When people assumed I was a cop? I considered that a gray area. One I comfortably inhabited.

Unfortunately, local law enforcement was pissed at me, pissed at Stroop Finders, and I couldn’t afford to make a mistake.

Not a cop, I admitted.

Adams looked relieved.

Fugitive recovery agent, I said, pulling a zip tie from my other back pocket.

Bounty hunter? A little thing like you? he asked, a hopeful and flirtatious smile playing across his face. We can make a deal if you do like to party. I’ve got a stash.

Maybe next time. Show me your wrists.

Adams’s smile slid away. His face went completely blank, then he feinted to the left, dashed to the right.

I grabbed the back of his T-shirt as he flashed past me. The momentum whipped me around, but I threw my weight into him, slamming us both against the wall. Adams made a stuttering gasping sound.

Should we try this again? Before you answer, you should know that I’ve got pepper spray. Never mind that only an idiot would use it in an enclosed space. I knew because I’d been that idiot. Once.

Yeah, he said. I’ll behave. Don’t spray me with that shit.

Slow movements. I stepped back, giving Adams room to turn. I could tell he was thinking about making another run for it. Go ahead, I told him. I’ve got a gun, too.

That was a lie, but Adams held out his hands. Usually I buy a girl a couple of drinks before I let her tie me up.

Gross, I said, cinching the zip tie around his wrists. He wiggled his fingers but didn’t complain.

Guess you don’t need me. Rob was lingering on the first floor landing. His red hair was pushed away from his face, and even though he’d been wearing contact lenses for several weeks, it was still jarring to see him without his glasses.

That’s a wrap, he said, yawning as he descended the last of the stairs. Once Rob had a hand on Adams’s shoulder, I crouched in front of the door and grabbed the handle of the screwdriver I’d forced into the push bar.

It took a few tugs, but I wrenched it free. A rusty metallic scent filled the air. It’s not that late, I told Rob. We have time for one more.

He groaned. He wanted to go home, which was reasonable after twelve hours on the streets.

Let me go, Adams said, and I’ll help you get the next guy. We can go out for a drink after. I could show you a real fun time, sweetness.

I reached for the pepper spray. Rob elbowed me, and I let my hand drop, pretending I’d been intending to rub my hip all along.

One more, I said to Rob, ignoring Adams’s leering face. Maybe that deadbeat dad? An extra capture a day and we might not have to dip into our savings accounts to make payroll this week. Even that was optimistic; things were tight.

Audrey… Rob ran a hand through his hair. Yes, we need money, but you—

I grabbed Adams’s arm and pushed into the soft, quiet evening.

A couple of hours later, Katrina met us outside the sheriff’s office.

As an employee of Stroop Finders, she was persona non grata, too, but because she wasn’t a flesh-and-blood Stroop, she ranked lower on the shit list. She was 5’10" of humorless efficiency, and Adams didn’t call her baby, didn’t say anything at all.

Rob and I waited in the parking lot while Kat took in Adams—our second bounty hadn’t panned out.

Rob jammed his hands into the pockets of his hoodie. Ok, he said.

The way he said it, I knew what was coming next. I wanted to plug my ears.

What happened, Audrey?

We got a bad tip, I said with a shrug, but my heart was pounding. I didn’t need Rob asking why I was avoiding going home.

He let the silence drag on and on, and I stared at the glass doors, willing Kat to emerge.

Rob pivoted to face me. Is it because Corbin’s our landlord? he asked, referring to the fact that Corbin now owned the Stroop Finders building, which was currently undergoing renovations.

I voted for it, I reminded my brother, jerking my gaze away from his brown eyes. I had voted yes… eventually. My approval had been symbolic; we were equal business partners with our father, but Dad owned the building. It’s not about the office, I said.

Then what? What happened?

It wasn’t that I didn’t want to tell my brother, but I couldn’t.

It was too humiliating.

Everything is fine, I said flatly.

Rob shifted his weight, his shoes scattering small stones. Corbin doesn’t think everything is fine.

I looked at him sharply. Since when do you know what Corbin thinks?

Well, I took your advice and called him about Jennifer, Rob said. We grabbed a drink. He says you’ve been acting strange ever since he bought the building. What gives? Is it about the money? He’s a billionaire, Audrey. He can spare it.

There was no point in asking when Rob could have met up with Corbin. Given all the hours I’d been working lately, there’d been plenty of opportunity. He only bought the building a week ago, and two of those days he was in DC, I said.

I don’t see your point, Rob said.

I threw my hands up. Maybe he’s exaggerating? We’re talking about a very short period of time—

You think I haven’t noticed that you’re avoiding going home? If it’s obvious to me, of course Corbin has figured it out. That guy is crazy for you.

I snorted, and Rob gave me an alarmed look. Things are that bad?

I don’t want to talk about it, I said before he could pry further.

Kat was just pushing through the glass doors, and that meant I could leave. Even though I didn’t want to go home, if my brother kept probing, I was either going to strangle him… or worse, tell him everything.

Besides, I had to head back eventually. If I spent the night at my own place, then Corbin would demand that we talk, and I wasn’t ready for that. Better to sneak in late.

See you tomorrow. I headed for my car.

Rob followed me across the parking lot. I tried to ignore him, even when he draped his upper body over my car door, preventing me from closing it. He cleared his throat. If you’re going to shut me out—

I’m not shutting you out, I said. Maybe it was the fact that he was on the door, or because he’d used the word shutting, but an idea occurred to me.

Uh-oh, Rob said. He moved off the door. I don’t like the look on your face. You’re planning something I won’t approve of.

You’re right, I said. Something is off between me and Corbin. He’s got secrets.

Of course he does, Rob said warily. He used to be an assassin. And he’s dealing with that crap with his ex-wife.

The ex-wife who had led a secret life as a spy. She was abducted and murdered over five years ago… except it turned out she wasn’t dead after all, and according to Corbin, even the abduction was now in question. For the moment, she was still somewhere in Nigeria, but one of these days, the French were going to get her back. Then my troubles would truly begin.

I nodded in agreement. If that’s all he’s hiding, there’s no problem, right?

Rob’s eyes narrowed.

I have a lock that needs picking, I said. I could probably do it myself, but… I shrugged. You’re better at it than I am. Faster. And while I could handle it on my own, I suspected I would need moral support once we got the door open.

What lock? Rob asked, looking unhappy.

The new one that Corbin stuck on his office door.

My brother’s face went blank. Then, Damn it, Audrey. Corbin’s not cheating on you.

It hadn’t even crossed my mind.

Kat waved at us as she pulled out of the parking lot. I closed my door and headed home, where Corbin was probably locked in his office.

I told myself that I’d go right to bed, that I wouldn’t try to spy on him, but I knew better.

Chapter 2

Trailing my fingers along the wall, I passed the kitchen and one of the guest bedrooms, following the hallway to the spacious living room. A slight citrus scent lingered in the air, proof that the house cleaners had been through. The shades on the windows and skylights were closed, making the large condo feel smaller, tighter.

It wasn’t too late. I should turn around, go to bed. Except… I couldn’t. This had become a ritual ever since the night I’d overheard suspicious noises.

Moving quietly, I sidled up to Corbin’s office and placed my ear on the door.

The sharp cracks of gunfire were dulled by the thickness of the door. My breath caught in my throat. Screams of terror… sounded real.

Then, the explosion.

It was the same sequence as always, and if it had ended there, I would have been fine.

I held my breath, bracing myself for what I knew was coming.

Heavy breathing. The woman’s rhythmic panting was unmistakably sexual in nature.

The sounds faded, and I pressed harder against the door, trying to hear what was happening. If I could understand what she was saying…

The woman began moaning, and her voice became louder as her vocalizations transformed into… begging?

Don’t hurt me, she seemed to be saying. It sounded sexual. She sounded like I did when Corbin tied me up and spanked me. I want to live, she said. And that… freaked me out.

The sound cut off abruptly.

Tense, I waited for the screams of pain, but they didn’t come, not this time.

No, there wasn’t any way in hell I could tell Rob about this.

As the silence dragged out, I started to become paranoid that Corbin knew I was out there. Reluctantly, I raised my hand and rapped on the smooth wood.

Just a second, Corbin called out. I was barely able to hear him through the door. That told me something about the volume of whatever it was he was watching.

The door opened and Corbin leaned into the doorway.

You’re home, he said, his voice a deep rumble. His shockingly vivid blue-green eyes latched onto mine, and even though I couldn’t look away, I’d already gotten a glimpse of what he was wearing.

Or, rather, what he wasn’t wearing.

Silky black pajama bottoms hung low on his hips.

And that was it.

No shirt, no pajama top, no tank top.

Just sculpted abs, a wide, hard plane of a chest, bulging biceps that looked even more intimidating because of his pose—one arm raised and resting on the frame—and broad shoulders that drew attention even when he was fully dressed.

Those silky pajamas, though, were only being kept in place by the drawstring tied in a sloppy knot.

It was the sort of closure that would probably give way under nothing but a casual brush of the fingers. Not that I was interested.

Yes, I’m back, I said belatedly.

Corbin’s handsome face hardened into an inscrutable mask as he asked, Did you have a good night at work?

I nodded. Did you?

He smiled, or more accurately, his lips moved upward. I did.

We stared at each other in silence. He was distractingly gorgeous. Stubble darkened his broad jaw, and his thick hair was messy. He’d probably worked out within the last couple of hours, then showered and hadn’t bothered brushing it.

What are you working on in there? It wasn’t the first time I’d asked, so I knew his response.

An important project.

For work?

What else would it be for? He tilted his head and continued to study me. His dark eyebrows drew together an almost imperceptible degree.

I don’t know, I blurted. Porn?

Porn. Now he did smile, a real one that turned his handsome face irresistibly and breathtakingly sexy. You think I’m holed up in here watching porn?

I folded my arms across my chest. Being a bounty hunter, I knew damned well when someone was bullshitting me. Corbin hadn’t answered the question about whether it was for work.

Deflection, deflection, deflection.

Do I look like I was watching porn? he asked, his voice a low growl. Look at my cock, Audrey. Am I hard? He shifted his weight to the other foot and moved both arms high in the doorframe.

The muscles of his chest flared even wider.

I’m not the least bit interested in your genitalia, I said, suddenly a little breathless.

Look. Now. His voice was deep and commanding, and maybe I was too damned horny because even though I didn’t want to, my gaze slipped down his perfect body.

Well, he certainly wasn’t hard.

Maybe you got off, I said.

Touch me, he ordered.

He didn’t wait for me to comply and instead grabbed my arm and pressed my hand against his hips. The satiny pajamas were decadently sensual under my fingertips.

Sadly, I’d been wrong about the drawstring; the bow didn’t unravel at the slightest touch.

Corbin moved my fingers down. His cock was sleeping, but within seconds, it was lengthening, growing longer, thicker. My body responded, my pussy getting wet, my heart hammering against the confines of my chest.

I swallowed hard, as if that could stem my sudden and dizzying arousal.

Tell me, baby. Did I just get off? he demanded.

I swallowed again. I couldn’t bring up the sounds I’d overheard. Even though I was dying of curiosity, I wasn’t willing to risk letting him know the extent of my obsession. I didn’t want to call him a liar when my only proof was a gut feeling. "You’re spending a lot of time in here lately."

And you’re spending a lot of time at work.

My hand jerked away from his stiff erection. Only because you’re so busy with… whatever you’re doing.

Frustrated, he plunged a hand into his dark hair. Audrey, you know I don’t like keeping secrets from you. If I’m not telling you something, there’s a very good reason.

Of course. I’ll just have to trust you, like always.

He leaned forward, and my breath stuttered in my throat. I’d never seen irises like Corbin’s. The blue-green shade alone was singular, but there was always a burning intensity in them. An electricity. The first time I’d seen him, I’d wondered if they were contact lenses, the kind that fourteen-year-old girls bought at the mall.

Except there was nothing cheap looking about his eyes.

And now he was staring into my soul.

I returned his scrutiny, willing myself not to bring up his reaction to my ill-timed marriage proposal—something else Rob didn’t know about.

But the more I tried not to think about it, the more space it occupied in my mind. Corbin’s response to my question? "Let me think on it."

In other words, no. And then he’d become even more secretive than usual.

Corbin, I said. God, those eyes. When they were cold, it gave me a glimpse of how it might feel if we ever broke up. I hated