down, Aimee.”
Well, crap. I just had to ask. As I sat on the sofa, he joined me, turning his body so he faced me directly. “I think Reynolds is behind this.”
Okay. Truth was, I’d thought the same thing. But I had disregarded it because he wouldn’t do something so petty. Would he? “Why do you think so?”
“I’ve seen him do something similar in the past.”
“Really!” Now this was news to me so I questioned, “To whom?”
He glanced away. “Doesn’t matter. Point is, until we know for sure you’re better off here.”
I had no argument. Or maybe, I just wanted to stay close to him for a little while longer. Which was really a bad idea, the man was wreaking havoc on me. I needed to leave. Instead I acquiesced, “Okay. But only until I get my place back in order.”
His lips curved up in a sexy half-smile. “I’ll take care of it in the morning.”
“Oh, no. That’s not necessary. I’m sure insurance will cover it.”
“It’s already being handled, Aimee.”
“Well, then.” I was shocked silent for a moment. Then I held out my hand and said, “Thank you.”
He took my hand in his and lightly stroked my inner wrist. “No problem.”
I would never know what might have happened, for at that moment, Alex walked back into the room. “Nik,” he announced, “We need to talk.” His voice held a seriousness that I had no doubt he used in the courtroom.
Nik inclined his head towards the door and then met my gaze. “Excuse me, Aimee.”
Once Nik and Alex were absent from the room, I was left to contemplate just what the hell I was doing.
For the record—I didn’t have a clue.
Chapter Seven
Nik
Once Alex closed the door to my home office, I demanded, “Tell me.”
“No, Nik. You’re the one who needs to start spilling his guts,” he retorted.
I spun to face him. “Enlighten me, Alex. What am I supposed to convey, exactly?”
“Please. As if you have no idea why I brought you in here.”
“I really don’t have a clue. You need to elucidate.” Annoyed, I walked over and poured myself a drink.
Alex shook his head in disapproval. “You’ve had enough,” he asserted.
“Shut up.” To make my point perfectly clear I added, “I don’t need you mothering me.”
“Fine,” he incensed. “It’s your liver.” He began to pace the office. “Mind telling me what the hell you were thinking when you had your goons perform an illegal search of a senator’s private residence?”
Ah, the interrogation begins. I nonchalantly shrugged one shoulder. “Hunch.”
“Come on, Nik, work with me here,” he implored. “What were you searching for?”
I raised my brows at him. I swear he had his head so far up his ass he was going to find his lungs any second! “Evidence.” I fought like hell not to add the “duh.”
“Last time I checked, you were not the police.” He shoved both hands through his hair in exasperation— family trait, that . “Do you realize you could have gone to jail if you were caught?”
I shrugged. “But I wasn’t.”
Alex stormed across the room, got right up in my face and hissed, “Stupid, bastard. What if I had not been alerted? Were you ever going to tell me?”
I glared into his eyes. To this day I couldn’t handle anyone—not even my brother—in my personal space. Flashes of the prison yard went through my mind in rapid fire: me, bloody and damned near unconscious; L.D. stepping in at the last moment before I became Rex’s bitch; the initiation with my blood, sweat, and tears. Adrenaline roared through my veins as the need to fight—to win at all costs—tried to take hold. I shook my head to clear it and growled, “Back the fuck off. Now.”
Alex realized instantly what was going on with me. He stepped back and put his hands up in surrendering fashion. Then he apologized, “I was out of line. Sorry, Nik.”
I nodded, needing a minute to get my act together. Shit! I could’ve hurt my brother, my best
Well, crap. I just had to ask. As I sat on the sofa, he joined me, turning his body so he faced me directly. “I think Reynolds is behind this.”
Okay. Truth was, I’d thought the same thing. But I had disregarded it because he wouldn’t do something so petty. Would he? “Why do you think so?”
“I’ve seen him do something similar in the past.”
“Really!” Now this was news to me so I questioned, “To whom?”
He glanced away. “Doesn’t matter. Point is, until we know for sure you’re better off here.”
I had no argument. Or maybe, I just wanted to stay close to him for a little while longer. Which was really a bad idea, the man was wreaking havoc on me. I needed to leave. Instead I acquiesced, “Okay. But only until I get my place back in order.”
His lips curved up in a sexy half-smile. “I’ll take care of it in the morning.”
“Oh, no. That’s not necessary. I’m sure insurance will cover it.”
“It’s already being handled, Aimee.”
“Well, then.” I was shocked silent for a moment. Then I held out my hand and said, “Thank you.”
He took my hand in his and lightly stroked my inner wrist. “No problem.”
I would never know what might have happened, for at that moment, Alex walked back into the room. “Nik,” he announced, “We need to talk.” His voice held a seriousness that I had no doubt he used in the courtroom.
Nik inclined his head towards the door and then met my gaze. “Excuse me, Aimee.”
Once Nik and Alex were absent from the room, I was left to contemplate just what the hell I was doing.
For the record—I didn’t have a clue.
Chapter Seven
Nik
Once Alex closed the door to my home office, I demanded, “Tell me.”
“No, Nik. You’re the one who needs to start spilling his guts,” he retorted.
I spun to face him. “Enlighten me, Alex. What am I supposed to convey, exactly?”
“Please. As if you have no idea why I brought you in here.”
“I really don’t have a clue. You need to elucidate.” Annoyed, I walked over and poured myself a drink.
Alex shook his head in disapproval. “You’ve had enough,” he asserted.
“Shut up.” To make my point perfectly clear I added, “I don’t need you mothering me.”
“Fine,” he incensed. “It’s your liver.” He began to pace the office. “Mind telling me what the hell you were thinking when you had your goons perform an illegal search of a senator’s private residence?”
Ah, the interrogation begins. I nonchalantly shrugged one shoulder. “Hunch.”
“Come on, Nik, work with me here,” he implored. “What were you searching for?”
I raised my brows at him. I swear he had his head so far up his ass he was going to find his lungs any second! “Evidence.” I fought like hell not to add the “duh.”
“Last time I checked, you were not the police.” He shoved both hands through his hair in exasperation— family trait, that . “Do you realize you could have gone to jail if you were caught?”
I shrugged. “But I wasn’t.”
Alex stormed across the room, got right up in my face and hissed, “Stupid, bastard. What if I had not been alerted? Were you ever going to tell me?”
I glared into his eyes. To this day I couldn’t handle anyone—not even my brother—in my personal space. Flashes of the prison yard went through my mind in rapid fire: me, bloody and damned near unconscious; L.D. stepping in at the last moment before I became Rex’s bitch; the initiation with my blood, sweat, and tears. Adrenaline roared through my veins as the need to fight—to win at all costs—tried to take hold. I shook my head to clear it and growled, “Back the fuck off. Now.”
Alex realized instantly what was going on with me. He stepped back and put his hands up in surrendering fashion. Then he apologized, “I was out of line. Sorry, Nik.”
I nodded, needing a minute to get my act together. Shit! I could’ve hurt my brother, my best
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