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  When he’d apologized back at the house, she’d desperately wanted to stop him. The last thing she felt was remorse for what they’d done. She’d wanted him, he’d wanted her, and she hadn’t been about to let her past control her anymore. She was out of that prison now.

  “I’ll send Chance over to keep an eye on you,” Devlin said and she knew he was talking about Chance Valentine, the other partner at VJS. “I’ll go back to VJS and review the flash drive—”

  “Chance doesn’t need to come.” She’d never officially met Chance, but she knew his reputation. The guy was one top-notch security expert. She didn’t need him to be anywhere close to her right then. “I’ll be here with Sophie for at least the next hour. Maybe two. When I’m done, I’ll call you.”

  A faint furrow appeared between his brows.

  “I’m perfectly safe here. There’s plenty of security. Really, I’m fine. Go take care of that drive.”

  He nodded, but he didn’t look happy.

  “Devlin—”

  His hand slid down to curve under her chin. “Dev.”

  She blinked at him.

  “My friends call me Dev.”

  Is that what they were now? Friends? She’d rather thought they were lovers. “Mine call me Julie.” The few that she had.

  His thumb brushed over her mouth, a sensual slide across her too-sensitive lower lip. Then he leaned forward and kissed her. This kiss was far different than any they’d shared before. The desperation was gone. The wildness was tamed.

  But…

  It was sensual. Maybe the most sensual kiss she’d ever had. His lips stroked over hers, seemed to savor her. The kiss was open-mouthed, but he took his time, first sliding his tongue lightly over her lower lip, then dipping it inside her mouth.

  Her hands rose and pressed to his chest as she arched up even higher on her tip-toes. It had been too long since she’d wanted a man with abandon. Too long since she’d been swept away. Too long since—

  Jeremy.

  A chill skated down her spine.

  Devlin—Dev—slowly pulled back. He stared down at her, his gaze unreadable, then he said, “I want you again.”

  She nodded. “I want you, too.” Truth. Maybe it was dangerous, but the desire was there. Far stronger than it should be.

  “Tonight, I’ll have you again.”

  Promises, promises.

  He took off his coat and wrapped it around her. “The snow’s starting to fall,” he said a bit gruffly. “Go on inside.”

  She hadn’t noticed the snow. She hadn’t really noticed anything but him. She caught the edges of his coat and pulled it closer. Then she turned and headed into the law office. The glass doors shut behind her even as Matt, the guy who pulled double-duty as a receptionist at the law firm and as a body builder—rose in greeting.

  “Ms. Smith?” Matt called. “What are you doing here?” He glanced down at his desk. “I don’t have you on the calendar.”

  She peered over her shoulder and watched Devlin drive away. Her hand slid into the pocket of her jeans and curled around the flash drive, a drive she’d slipped away from Devlin without him even noticing. “I’m so confused,” she murmured and grimaced. “All the stress…I think it’s getting to me.”

  He nodded sympathetically.

  “Will you do me a favor?” Julianna asked. “Call me a cab? Please?”

  “Of course.” Matt instantly reached for his phone.

  Good. Because I’ve got someplace I have to be.

  Chapter Six

  Devlin stopped at the red light. His fingers drummed on the steering wheel. He didn’t like leaving Julianna alone. His body was tight with tension, worry. Something was off. Just…wrong.

  His hand slid into his pocket, looking for the flash drive. Maybe that little drive could help Julianna’s case.

  Only…that little drive wasn’t in his pocket.

  He had a sudden flash of Julianna. She’d been sliding her hand down his arm. She’d brushed her fingers over his hip.

  And that woman took the flash drive right out of my pocket!

  What the hell? Just where had Julianna Patrice McNall-Smith learned to be a pick pocket?

  A car horn honked behind him. Swearing, he accelerated because the light had changed—who knew how long ago—but he quickly pulled a U-turn and rushed back to Sophie’s law firm. When he was a few blocks away, he saw the unmistakable flash of Julianna’s blonde hair.

  She still had his coat on and she was waiting at the corner of the street.

  So much for a meeting with Sophie.

  Hell, didn’t the woman get it? He was trying to help her.

  But she was…what? Lying to him? Stealing from him?

  Seducing him? Avery’s accusation flashed through his mind, but Devlin shook his head. Fuck, no, he’d been seducing Julianna just as hard. That hadn’t been any kind of one-way street. Yet the knot in his stomach told him this whole set-up was wrong. Innocent people weren’t supposed to lie. They sure as shit weren’t supposed to trick the bodyguard that had been hired for protection.

  A taxi pulled up at the curb. Julianna instantly jumped in the back of it, and the cab took off. Devlin waited for two cars to get between him and that taxi. He waited, then he began his pursuit. Julianna wasn’t slipping away from him. This wasn’t amateur hour for him, despite what she might think. She wasn’t going to manipulate him.

  He was there to protect her, but he was also there to find the truth. With every second that passed, the suspicion within him grew ever stronger. Innocent people don’t lie. They don’t run.

  He knew that with certainty. His parents hadn’t been innocent, not by a long shot. They’d run. Far and fast. And they’d left him behind.

  Just as they’d left a wake of destruction in their paths.

  Had he been wrong to let down his guard with Julianna? Hell, he’d been blindsided by her from the beginning. He rarely ever looked at a person and saw a victim, but from the very first moment, he’d looked at Julianna and just wanted to protect her from everyone and everything that might hurt her.

  He kept following that cab. Maybe she was just going to a hotel. Or perhaps even going back to VJS Protection or—

  The cab stopped. It didn’t stop in front of a hotel and that building sure wasn’t VJS. The car had braked in front of a club. One that was, unfortunately, too familiar to Devlin.

  Wicked.

  It was a club owned by a fellow that Devlin couldn’t stand on the best of days and on the worst of days—well, he figured Ethan Barclay was a straight-up killer. VJS had been through enough run-ins with the guy that Devlin knew the fellow was trouble.

  Why was Julianna going to his place?

  Devlin braked near an alley. For just a moment, he remembered another night. A night that he’d gone running down that exact alley. At the time, he’d thought that Ethan had been stalking his buddy Chance’s lover, Gwen Hawthorne. Devlin’s job had been to go around back, to seal off that escape route.

  Too late, Devlin had found a killer waiting back there for him. Not Ethan Barclay, but a man who’d made it his mission to destroy the club owner. Devlin had been caught in the crossfire, and he still had the battle wounds to prove it. He’d been left in that alley, bleeding out, with the garbage, and he’d been sure that he was dying.

  Julianna exited the cab and ran toward Wicked.

  Why is she going to him? Devlin had been digging into Julianna’s life. He’d found no connections to Ethan Barclay.

  But maybe he hadn’t dug deep enough.

  The door to Wicked opened and Julianna disappeared inside.

  Devlin turned off his vehicle. He stared at the club and he knew that twist in his gut—it was suspicion.

  It was also jealousy.

  Why is she going to him?

  ***

  “You weren’t supposed to come here, Julianna,” Ethan said as he headed toward the bar. The club was empty, and Julianna knew Wicked would stay that way, until dark. When the sun set, Wicked always came alive. “The plan,” he continued, as he downed a gulp of what she thought might be whiskey—she’d never been too savvy on her drinks, “was for you to stay safely away from me. You already look guilty enough without me dragging you down into the mud anymore.”

  Her heart stuttered a bit at those words. Most folks thought Ethan was the bad guy. And, well, truthfully, he wasn’t a good guy. But he wasn’t evil, either. She stared at him a moment, her gaze sweeping over his face. Once, he’d been the perfect embodiment, the tall, dark, and handsome ideal. But that had been before a twisted bastard named Daniel Duvato had attacked Ethan with a knife. Now, twin scars marred Ethan’s perfect cheeks. He was still handsome, but definitely with a dangerous edge.

  “No one can look away,” Ethan muttered as his fingers rose and brushed over the scar on his left cheek. “At least now I look like a villain.”

  “Stop it,” she told him. “Play that game with someone else. Someone who doesn’t know you. Not me.” She pulled out the flash drive and put it on the bar. “I had to come over because I found this.” She hesitated. “Actually, Devlin found it. The drive was taped under one of Jeremy’s desk drawers.”

  His hand closed around the flash drive. “Devlin?”

  “Devlin Shade. He’s a body guard,” Julianna rushed to explain. “He works for—”

  “VJS.” Ethan appeared pained. “Sophie referred you, right?”

  She nodded. “You know him?”

  “Unfortunately, I know him and his buddies.” He shook his head. “And I’ll tell you now, he isn’t going to be happy about this little visit.”

  “He doesn’t know I’m here. I-I took the drive and ditched him.”

  Ethan’s lips quirked. “Old habits die hard, huh, Jules?”

  Jules. Ethan was the only one who’d ever called her that. She’d been telling the truth when she told Devlin that her friends called her Julie. They did. Ethan didn’t qualify as a friend. Not exactly.

  He lifted up the flash drive. “Let’s see if this is the one.”

  Her heart beat faster. “How will we know if he made copies? I mean, what if—”

  The cry of an alarm broke through the interior of Wicked. She jumped at the sound.

  “Easy.” Ethan didn’t look at all ruffled. “After that knife-wielding asshole came in here and tried to carve me up, I instituted a few new security measures.” He turned away and a few seconds later, a screen appeared behind the club’s bar. The shelves of glasses slid back, revealing a flat screen. He tapped on his phone, and an image appeared on that screen.

  “You didn’t ditch him,” Ethan said flatly.

  Devlin’s furious features filled the screen.

  Oh, crap.

  Ethan glanced at her. “How is this going to play out? I can tell you now, he’s not just going to walk away. He’ll stay there until he gets in, and then, the way I see it, we have two options.”

  She couldn’t look away from Devlin. He definitely looked pissed. Julianna swallowed.

  “Option one. We tell him the truth. Unfortunately, I think the guy is one of those freaking Boy Scouts. You know, the kind that really gets on my last nerve. With his history, he could have gone either way.”

  His history? She finally managed to glance back at Ethan.

  “But Devlin decided to put the bad guys away.” He quirked a brow. “He might think you’re one of the bad guys.”

  Was she? “I-I…” Dammit, why couldn’t she remember what had happened the night Jeremy died?

  “Option two.” He shoved the flash drive into his pocket. “We lie our asses off. You don’t owe that guy anything, Jules. I’ll back up any story you want to give him.”

  He would. He’d backed her up before.

  “So what’s it going to be?” Ethan asked her.

  Julianna squared her shoulders. “I had sex with him.”

  Ethan swore. “Because you just wanted to make things more complicated?”

  Her gaze strayed to the screen—and to Devlin’s face—once more. “No,” she told Ethan quietly. “Because I just wanted him.” But he wouldn’t see it that way. Not if he realized she’d taken the flash drive. He’d just think that she had been trying to distract him. That she’d used him.

  She hadn’t.

  She’d been free with Devlin. She’d been able to let herself go and just feel. The house that had been a prison for so long—she’d broken out, with Devlin. No pain. No fear.

  Only him.

  Devlin lifted his hand and pounded on the door.

  “Let’s turn on the audio,” Ethan murmured. He tapped his phone again and sound came out around her as—

  “Open the fucking door,” Devlin snarled. “I know she’s in there. Now…Let. Me. In.”

  ***

  Someone had gone slumming.

  Julianna Patrice McNall-Smith had certainly shown her true colors. From a mansion to the darkest club in the city. It had just taken a few clicks to get pictures of her rushing inside Wicked so desperately. Going to see Ethan Barclay?

  Maybe he was still her weakness.

  But now the new lover had joined the fray. From the looks of things, he was about to tear down the door in order to get to Julianna. A jealous lover could be a very dangerous thing for Julianna. A jealous lover could be pushed to the edge…so very easily.

  Time to learn about that lover. Time to see how he could be used.

  Then eliminated.

  ***

  Devlin lifted his hand. Ethan needed to hurry up and open that damn door. His fisted hand swung toward the wood once more—

  The door opened. Julianna stood before him, and his hand hung in the air, far too close to her beautiful face.

  “I—” Shit. He dropped his hand.

  Julianna backed up a step. Had fear flickered in her eyes? He didn’t want Julianna afraid of him. Never that. He’d like to kick the crap out of Ethan, but he would never do anything to Julianna.

  “You should come inside,” Julianna said. She swung the door open a few more inches and Devlin saw Ethan, standing far too close to Julianna. “I’ll explain everything inside.”

  He crossed the threshold and marched right up to Ethan. “Why is it…” Devlin gritted out. “That every time I turn around, I’m tripping over you?”

  Ethan smiled. A cold, dangerous smile.

  Devlin just glared right back at him.

  Julianna shut the door. “I had enough violence with Jeremy. Don’t even think of swinging a punch right now.” Her gaze cut between them. “That goes for both of you.”

  And Ethan’s face softened. “I’m sorry. If that bastard were still alive—”

  “Ethan…” A warning edge entered Julianna’s voice.

  But Devlin knew what the guy had been about to say. Maybe because he felt the same way. If that bastard were still alive, I’d kill him.

  Julianna’s left hand curled—rather protectively—around her right wrist.

  Ethan locked the door. “Come this way. We should go into my office.”

  They didn’t speak again until their little group was inside Ethan’s office. A place that was filled with fancy leather furniture. Devlin’s sweeping gaze took note of the giant screen that took up a whole wall. He saw that a desk was near the far right of the room, and a computer waited on top of it.

  “Let’s just save some time,” Devlin said as he crossed his arms his chest and inclined his head toward the computer. “Put the flash drive in and show me the contents, now.”

  Ethan glanced over at Julianna.

  “I know she took it.” Did he look like a moron? “What I don’t know is why she ran straight to you.”

  Ethan shook his head. “Oh, Devlin, I’m afraid you have this all wrong—”

  “No.” Julianna’s voice was sharp. “He doesn’t. He has it all right.” She moved to stand in front of Devlin. “I took the flash drive from you.”

  She sounded…miserable. Guilty.

  “But don’t even think…” Now her finger jabbed into his chest. “Don’t think that me having sex with you had anything to do with the flash drive.”

  “Oh, shit,” Ethan muttered.

  Devlin caught her hand. “How the hell am I supposed to think anything else?” She’d wanted the drive. He’d had it. She’d—

  “I wanted you. I still want you. That house was hell for me. Being with you there, I was breaking free. Of Jeremy. Of his cage. I was living. You gave me so much pleasure…” Her breath shuddered out. “What we did had nothing to do with the flash drive, I swear it.”

  He stared at her. Devlin wanted to believe her but… “You never had a meeting with Sophie.”

  She shook her head. She didn’t try to pull her hand from his. “I had to meet Ethan.”

  Why did it just feel as if someone had shoved a knife into his heart? Not someone—her. “Who is he to you?”

  “Someone I owe.”

  “That answer isn’t going to cut it, baby. I want the full truth from you, and I want it now.”

  Ethan sat down behind his desk. His leather chair squeaked. “Why do people always run around demanding the truth? They don’t really want it. You don’t want it, Devlin. You want to go around, living in your happy bubble and pretending that bad things don’t happen.”

  Bullshit. He squeezed Julianna’s hand, then stepped around her, directing his attention on Ethan. He didn’t let her go, though. He wasn’t sure if he could.

  So how fucked up am I?

  “I know bad things happen,” Devlin snapped.

  Ethan looked him up and down. “Because your parents were some of those…bad things?”

  Devlin fired a quick glance at Julianna.

  “What?” Ethan drawled. “You want all her dark secrets, but you don’t want to share your own? I can dig into a person’s past, too, you know. And yours was so easy to obtain. I mean, when two people go on a spree like your folks did, it does tend to make the news. They killed—was it four? Five people?—before the cops took them out. They were on drugs, right, and—”

  “They were high for most of my life.” He couldn’t look at Julianna right then. Not when he talked about this part of his life. “I don’t remember them any other way. They were young and they were wild and they didn’t care about anyone but each other.” He sure hadn’t thought they ever cared about him. But his grandmother had. She’d taken care of him. Tried to protect him.

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