In Her Sights Read Free Page A

but I will not stand to have a smudge over mine.”
    There was more to her than what he realized. Stronger than
he’d thought. Smarter, too. But then, he didn’t know her up close, only made
observations from across a crowded room.
    And they had something in common. “Then we agree.”
    She frowned. “On what?”
    “You don’t want your name attached to it. Neither do I. It’s
why I broke in. Give me a chance to prove the dagger is stolen, and I’ll
take care of it. No one has to know you ever had it.”
    Her head tilted to the side. Eyes narrowed as she searched
him. His reputation—until ten minute ago—was golden. If she could just see
that, see beyond this situation. She would realize this benefit. His breath was
trapped in this throat as he waited her answer. Mouth filled with cotton.
    She clicked her tongue. “What do you propose?”
    Police sirens sliced through their conversation. Shit.
    She turned so fast, her ponytail slapped her on the cheek as
she looked to the tall, slender older man to her right. “Did someone call the
police?”
    The man looked to the younger guy who shrugged. “I’ve been
with you the whole time.”
    They all looked to the older woman, whose shoulders slouched.
“I’m sorry, Lexie. I made the call when Alex woke me. We always do that with a
breaking and entering.”
    Lexie twisted back to him and studied him a moment. The sirens drew closer. The sweat on his brown increased. Finally she nodded and sealed his fate, whatever it could be. “Very
well. Hold still while I free you. If you dare move an inch, Mike is going to
pop you again. If I get electrocuted because of that, I’m going to leave you
for the police.”
    His pulse threaded through him at racing paces. She was
letting him go. Heat gathered at his lower back and spread up his spine. Holy,
shit. She was really letting him go. “I understand.”
    He faced head down, forehead against the cool marble
flooring. He’d rather she just cut the wires. It’d be
faster, but he didn’t argue. Her hand flattened on his back, and he gritted his
teeth. Fingers brushed his shoulder blade as she found her grip, and it
happened. Fire, burning, ripping of skin as the first probe was yanked out. He
grunted and squeezed his eyes as she went for the second one. With another
snatch, she surely ripped half the skin off his back.
    She raised her chin and looked down her nose at him. “Get
out of my house. I’ll be at your office at nine to finish this discussion. You
cross me on this, and I will ruin you in every possible part of your life
imaginable.” She pinned him with a hard glare. “And then in ways you can’t.”
    He’d heard that threat before and had been arrogant enough not to listen to it. His wife and daughter had paid the price. This time, he
wouldn’t be so naïve. He left the tiny room, and a whoosh of relief dropped on
him. He was nearly free. His business nearly saved. She said not a word as he
stepped past and in the direction of the opened door to the office. He didn’t
care to leave his back to her twice, but with no time, he turned and ran
through the maze of her home to the back where he’d crept in.
    He sprinted across the acres of her huge backyard as streaks
of blue and white light danced across the treetops. With her security disabled,
he cut across the center of the well-trimmed yard without worry of being seen.
Along the backside of the security wall, he grabbed the rope he’d left there and pulled himself
up, climbed high enough to throw a leg over the security wall, and dropped to the
other side. He hobbled to the truck, his back screaming.
    He closed the passenger door and reclaimed most of his wind.
“Drive.”
    His right-hand man, Reid, didn’t wait for further
instructions and did as told. “What happened?”
    Clayton looked over his shoulder for any flickering blue
lights on their tail as they drove away, but saw none. “I got caught.”
    Shit. He rubbed his face. Heart still pounded and