Rough Edges Read Free Page B

distracting him with the shiny polish and her pretty toes. “A few hours. The crew doing the sweeps had the rest of the team’s homes to do. Including yours.”
    â€œWhy not have them do your place last?” he asked. “You’re the biggest target, being the head of the company.”
    Her tone was distracted, and her gaze held on the front door with absolute focus, as if she could will the cleanup team to come out faster. “I don’t have family since I disowned Payton. Not as many people would miss me as would miss the rest of the team. The bigger window of time is a calculated risk I’m willing to take to protect my people.”
    Victor’s body tensed at her casual dismissal of her safety. He tried not to let his anger at her recklessness invade his tone, but failed. “Next time I’m checking your place out myself before you step so much as one pink toenail inside your front door.”
    She slid from the truck in a single, controlled move. Feminine muscles rippled under her skin, and the scent of ripe berries flowed around her damp hair. She faced him, hands on her hips as she got right up in his personal space.
    It took all his willpower to not grab her hips and drag her body up against his. Only the look of hostility on her beautiful face helped him hold his position. “If you think I need you to protect little ol’ me, baby cakes, then I’m going to have to fire you.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œBecause I don’t work with stupid people, honey. I may be a lot of things, but weak and helpless aren’t anywhere on the list. Or haven’t you heard about my past?”
    Victor had heard rumors. And ignored them. “Office gossip doesn’t interest me. Your safety, however, does.”
    â€œYou were raised with genteel manners, so I’ll forgive you the slipup, but you’ll be happier if you don’t question my capability again. Especially not where my men can hear you.”
    â€œYour men are inside your house. They can’t hear a thing.”
    â€œFranklin,” she called without raising her voice.
    A second later, a young man with wing-nut ears, a crooked nose and an eager-to-please vibe poked his head out of her front door. “Yes, ma’am.”
    Bella gave Victor a look that screamed
I told you so
. “How’s progress?”
    â€œThe device is disarmed and removed. We’re packing it up now for analysis.”
    â€œAnd the rest of the house?” she asked.
    â€œClean, ma’am. And I fixed your microwave.”
    Franklin went back inside. Bella grinned, obviously pleased with herself for showing up Victor. “Kid’s got good ears. Handy as hell with tech, too.”
    â€œSo what now?” he asked.
    â€œI go back inside and go to bed. You do the same.”
    His eyebrows went up at the idea of going to bed with her. A thrill of excitement surged through him, settling in his cock, and it began to swell with eagerness.
    â€œYour own bed,” she hurried to say.
    â€œWhat about dinner? And our conversation?”
    â€œThe conversation you can have, at least for as long as it takes the team to clear out. After that, you’ll have to make an appointment with Lila to meet with me sometime this week.”
    Victor had been with Bella every day for two weeks, searching for signs of Gage or the hidden lab of a crazy scientist who needed to be put down like the rabid animal she was. Sure, there had been other people on the team with them, making the task less intimate, but he’d still felt like they’d grown closer—close enough that he didn’t need an appointment to see her.
    Apparently he’d been wrong.
    Victor covered his irritation and disappointment. She was his boss. He had a job to do, both for her, and for General Norwood, to whom he owed his life half a dozen times over. Whatever it took to complete this assignment of taking down Dr. Norma Stynger, he’d