“Be careful,” she cried as that gap snapped shut.
She leaned against the wood, listening for his tread.
Never a very religious woman, nonetheless, she chanted a prayer for his safety. For the safety of both of them.
***
Ray stood poised just inside the front door of the apartment. His gun was raised. The moment he slipped out he would be exposed in the vaulted foyer that housed the elevator.
Nudging the door open, he was able to view the elevator. The light above it indicated it had reached its destination. It was sitting parked on Amanda’s floor, its panels about to slide open.
He moved out into the foyer and stood facing it with his legs spread and his arms locked. The barrel of his Glock aimed on that expanding line of light as the doors split open. Tensed, his finger caressed the trigger in practiced anticipation.
The doors opened to reveal an empty chamber. He stepped forward cautiously, hugging his shoulder to the thin slice of foyer wall as he trained the gun at the ceiling of the elevator. There were no panels amiss. The lift was completely empty.
Searching the interior he located a piece of paper on the floor. With one final assessing glance inside, he reached to snatch up the note and felt his stomach clench at the handwritten message.
You’re not as safe as you think you are.
Allowing the doors to slip shut, Ray hastened back into the apartment and rapped urgently on Amanda’s bedroom door.
“Amanda!”
She opened it, looking pale in the small gap.
“There was no one in the elevator,” he explained, trying to sound assuring.
Half-dressed in some sort of black yoga pants and a silky camisole, all he registered was champagne and lace against creamy skin.
“Finished getting dressed,” he commanded thickly. “The police should be here any second. I want to go downstairs, but I want you with me. I need to have my eyes on you.”
“Why?” Her gaze narrowed, but then landed on his bare chest.
Soft pink lips parted as she stared.
“That’s how it’s got to work now. I can’t protect you if I can’t see you.”
To her credit, Amanda was not one to argue futilely. She was smart enough to recognize when a situation called for immediate action.
“Give me two minutes,” she stated, closing the door but leaving it open an inch so that he could still speak to her through it.
“What do you think happened?” she asked, “did he run away after attacking David. Did he know that David called the police?”
With his back to the wall, Ray held the note in one hand and kept the gun in the other. No one was getting past him into Amanda’s bedroom. It was his job to protect her and it wouldn’t look good for the new business if his client was to die on the first day under his care.
“Just hurry,” he uttered.
Was this a scare tactic? A diversion?
While Ray was busy focusing on the elevator could the man have had an alternate access to the apartment? A staircase? From the roof perhaps? Feeling his muscles bunch, he searched the shadowed corners of the suite. He preferred working in the dark. His eyes were accustomed to it. Light was a foe. The darkness was always an ally.
A change in the air alerted that Amanda was opening her door. She stepped out looking composed in those black slim pants and black boots along with a long sleeved loose-fitting white shirt. In the minimal light he saw her eyes land on the gun. They flared slightly, but she just said, “I’m ready.”
“I need to get my shirt and shoes. Come with me.”
She followed him to the guest room and looked edgy when he shut the door behind her, closing her in with him. Standing stiffly adjacent to the door, those unwavering eyes followed his every motion when he slipped into a flannel shirt and stooped over to haul on a pair of boots. Each motion he did while still juggling the gun and note.
“What’s that paper?” she asked quietly.
Yes, he owed it to her to share the letter, but he was hoping to get her out of the building before doing so.
“There was a note inside the elevator.”
When she thrust forward he held the paper aloft, just out of her reach.
“When we’re downstairs.”
“Damn you,” she seethed.
“Curse me all you want, but just do it downstairs.” He took her slender arm and urged her towards the front door, motioning her to wait a second as he opened it.
The foyer was clear.
“Are there stairs?” he whispered.
Bleak eyes latched on a secreted door in the corner he had not had a chance to investigate. It blended in with the burgundy wallpaper.
It was a toss-up. The assailant could be lingering on the staircase, or he could be waiting in the lobby for them to descend in the elevator. Both means of descent bore equal hazards. Ray preferred the stairs to the whims of an externally-controlled machine.
Stuffing the note in his back pocket he reached for her hand. “Come on.”
Rooted in place, she stared down at that connection.
His expression softened. Her icy, sharp demeanor had grown so familiar, he forgot there was a very real woman beneath. Well…that was until he saw her in that camisole.
He linked his fingers with hers. “It’s going to be okay, Amanda. This is all precaution.”
A second’s hesitation and she nodded, starting towards the stairwell with him in tow.
“Whoa.” He tugged her to a halt and settled her behind him.
Sliding open the panel, he quickly pointed his gun into the dark stairwell.
“Is this normally lit?” Had the assailant knocked out the power?
“I only use these if the lift isn’t working, but from what I recall it’s always dark.”
“And how much do you pay on rent here?”
His brusque whisper faded as they crept down the first flight of stairs. The command for silence was unnecessary. Amanda trailed close enough he could feel their arms brush each time they reached out to use the thick banister for support in the dark. When they reached the landing he extended his hand behind him, intending to halt her progress. Blind fingers slipped into the gap of her coat and landed on her hip, curling around it. He could hear her suck in a swift breath, but there was no outburst. She obeyed the silent order and stood still as he moved to the top of the next flight of stairs.
In this quiet tandem they made it to the lobby where a young man sat in a chair with a hand to the back of his head. He was speaking into a cellphone but clumsily rose to attention at the sight of them.
“Miss Newton,” he ambled forward. “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine, Mr. Moore.” She reached for the man, ushering him back to his seat. “Please sit down.”
Visibly stressed, the spindly man pointed towards his phone. “Do you want to talk to the police? They told me to hang on the line until they arrived.”
On cue, sirens sounded outside.
“Everything is okay, Mr. Moore. Have they called you an ambulance?”
“Yes.” Pulling his hand down from his head he held it up for her inspection. “No blood, though. Just a knock on the skull.” He searched her face and then cast a suspicious glance at Ray. “No one was up there, Miss Newton, right? You’re okay? I’m afraid I’m going to get fired over this.”
“You won’t be fired, Mr. Moore,” Amanda’s voice soothed. “You were assaulted and still you managed to warn me. You will be commended.”
Relief washed over the ashen face.
“You didn’t see or hear the man, correct?” Ray injected.
Skeptical at first, the young man hesitated, but proceeded after Amanda’s encouraging nod.
“No. No. I have my eyes on the front door at all times. He didn’t come in through the lobby entrance. He came up behind me so he had to have come in from the worker’s access door in the alley. It’s always locked, but he must have found a way in. I just felt a bash against my head and it knocked
me to my knees, but I don’t think I went unconscious. I heard footsteps, but I was in so much pain and kind of blinded for a moment or two.” He shook his head in desperation. “By the time I gathered myself I was alone and I heard the ding of the elevator. I saw the floors numbers escalating and thought for sure someone got past me and was heading up to your apartment, Miss Newton.”
Amanda’s fingers patted the man’s arm. “You did great, Mr. Moore.” She glanced up as a pair of Bobbies and a trio of paramedics converged in the small lobby. “Now get yourself some attention. We’ll talk with the police.”
Ray marveled at her composure, but he knew now. He knew there was an anxious woman beneath all the poised veneer. And that woman was in danger. There was no disputing that. The police would take statements, but Amanda would divulge only the minimum amount of information. The authorities would have so little to work with. For some reason she trusted Ray. Grasping the magnitude of that trust inspired him. There was no way in hell he would ever let this assailant touch her.
***
“If I’m going to keep you safe, we have to do it on my terms,” Ray declared.
Anticipating her retort, he continued quickly. “I want to take you to New York.” After that little bomb settled, he added, “It’s my turf. If this man is determined enough to hop continents to follow you, he’ll be at a severe disadvantage that far from home.”
“Okay.”
“With your permission I can investigate what might have prompted your parents to take that trip to South Africa. I have enough connections—” He stopped and stared at her lips, not sure that he read them correctly.
“Okay?”
“Yes,” Amanda nodded, reaching for her laptop case.
Slim black heels clanked against the hardwood floors of her apartment as she stepped up to her front door and waited for him expectantly.
Yesterday had been consumed with police inquisitions. The authorities were beginning to get antsy with Amanda’s rash of inquiries, and she was clearly uncomfortable dealing with them. He did his best to take over the interrogations, introducing himself as her chief of security. The title didn’t impress them much, but eventually they concluded they would get nothing without going through him.
Of course, after all of that, Amanda insisted on going to the office. Ten hours later they finally returned to her apartment where they shared a take-out dinner. It was almost humorous to see the Ice Queen try to engage in small talk.
“What do you do in your downtime?” she asked while stirring a fork through her salad.
Ray watched her. Exquisite porcelain skin was shadowed by a sweep of glossy blonde hair. Elegant fingers clasped the fork with graceful dexterity. Almond silk hugged the curves of her breasts.
On the surface she had a beauty to vie with any mythical goddess. But, beneath her imperfections lurked…and they were what attracted him so much. Yes, she possessed a beautiful heart-shaped face and exotic upturned eyes a shade as vibrant as the blue diamond flashing on her finger. But at their core lurked shadows of the past. Shadows revealed only in these unguarded moments. They tempted him. He had lived in a shadow world. He connected with the shadows. For him, dusk was a 24-hour state of mind. And the dusk lingering in her eyes—beguiling him
“I don’t have much downtime,” he declared soberly.
Those tempting wells glanced up from the salad to stare at him for what some might consider an uncomfortable amount of time. He wasn’t self-conscious. He knew she was searching his shadows as well.
“And why did you say, okay so readily?” he asked suspiciously.
“You’re the boss, right?” She raised an amber eyebrow.
He wasn’t buying her acquiescence. “I suggest what you should do. Whether you want to listen or not is always up to you. I’m just surprised you’re suddenly listening. I would imagine that you feel most confident behind that desk at BLUE-LINK headquarters. Take you away from that domain, and no matter what you put on for the public, I’m sure you’re not as bold.”
Under her scrutiny again, he was surprised when a tired smile lifted her lips. It looked poignant and beautiful on her.
“Let me guess,” she said softly. “You had psychology classes in college.”
Ray crossed his arms and sat up straight on the stool. “In fact, I did. But a classroom can’t come close to teaching as much about the human psyche as warfare.”
She dipped her head in acknowledgement.
“I have a business meeting two days from now in New York City,” she announced. “My flights had already scheduled last week.”
Ray tipped his head back and laughed. He had been trumped by the beautiful Ice Queen.
“Aww hell, Amanda. Support a guy’s ego. Pretend you thought my idea was great and that you’re going to feel much safer away from here.”
“I don’t pretend, Mr. Gordon,” she replied levelly.
Ray sobered. He delved into those cerulean eyes and said, “Yes you do. Right now you’re pretending you’re not afraid.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
Amanda managed a discreet glimpse of the thick thigh sprawled precariously close to hers. What would the coarse material of his jeans feel like against her stockings? If she crossed her legs, would she brush up against it? Sunlight poured through the airplane window to pool on her lap. She reached for the shade, and in doing so, accidentally scraped her slim heel against his calf.
Holding her breath, Amanda waited. Ray’s eyes were shut. His head was tipped back against the first class seat. He slept on, undisturbed.
A persistent sunbeam leaked in the gap in the shade and scored his flannel shirt. She followed that ray and climbed his chest with her eyes, lingering on the bob in his throat. His skin looked so warm, and she was always so cold.
Her gaze climbed further, curling around the chiseled chin and the few amber whiskers that had sprouted since his last shave. In repose he looked no less intimidating. Blunt cheekbones flanked a straight nose nicked by a scar. He had surprisingly long bronze eyelashes. They suited him. As did the tawny hair infused with brown strands matted in back from the cushion.
“Enjoying the view?” his low voice rumbled.
Amanda jerked back against her seat.
“The pilot announced that we’re landing shortly.” She quickly hefted the shade, but saw only the ocean and swirling clouds below.
“Yes, I heard.”
The grin in his eyes tickled her stomach. What an unusual reaction. She’d never felt unsettled in the presence of a man before. She had traveled across the ocean with male associates several times. Never once had she stared at their thighs and wonder what they would look like out of their clothes.
“Tea, Miss Newton?” A pretty stewardess addressed her with a British accent.
Amanda noticed the flight attendant flash a smile at Ray as he held up his empty coffee cup.
Irked at the foreign stab of jealousy, she declined the offer and busily began packing up her laptop.
“Email has been clear?” he asked, rubbing his knee.
“Yes,” she mumbled, grateful for that fact.
“Interesting. He probably knows you’re out of town. He’ll either follow you here or plot something for your return.”
Amanda turned her head, aghast. “Any other positive insight?”
“You didn’t hire me to entertain. You hired me to be honest.”
True. She wanted his blunt honesty. It was how she conducted business.
“So are you going to attend the conference with me?” she asked.
Ray stood up to put his laptop back into the overhead bin. She stared at the long lines of his abdomen as his arms stretched above him.
He dipped his head down and answered quietly. “Judging by what I’ve read on this conference, the participants are of the caliber to all have personal security, so you needn’t worry about me cramping your style.”
Strangely, that wasn’t one of her fears.
As Ray slipped back into his seat and leaned
closer for privacy, she felt his breath dust her cheek as he murmured, “If I can be assured that you are safely tucked away in the conference I might sneak out and do some of that research on your parents I was talking about.”
Amanda turned her head to respond and found herself perilously close to his lips. “Or, if I finish up early, we can do that research together. I need to know what happened to them, Mr. Gordon.”
“Seriously? Mr. Gordon still?”
“I told you—”
“Yeah, yeah. You address every man formally.”
His head jerked as the wheels touched down. Instead of gazing out at the enthralling New York skyline, Amanda continued to watch him. Was this masculine vista not equally riveting?
Twitching her head in denial, she scooped her items onto her lap, silently encouraging the airport crew to get them into the gate on time.
***
“Entrepreneurs face so many challenges. But staying idle−missing out on opportunities−these are mental anchors. Use your resources. Stay smart. Thrive in goals that are attainable with a little research and help from your friends.”
A polite round of applause ensued from the assembly seated before the hotel conference room stage.
Ray stood with his shoulder hitched against a column in the back of the room and watched Amanda behind the podium. She hooked the crowd with her sedate smile and her confident nods as she made eye contact with several people in the closest rows. Hell, she hooked him in that vivid blue dress that hugged her body so enticingly.
To his surprise, her eyes lifted over the congregation—searching—searching for him. When her gaze connected with his he felt a charge run up his spine.
Was she okay?
Had she received another message?
As Amanda stepped down from the podium and paused to shake hands with a reception line that had formed at the foot of the stage, Ray hovered in the periphery. He analyzed the faces of everyone she greeted, prepared to intervene if any of them made unsolicited advances. Gradually, she worked her way towards him and he swore there was a flash of relief in her eyes as she joined him.
“Excellent speech,” he commended.
Dusk Page 7
