home.”
“ Y ou sure ?”
“ I t’s fine , just go on.” I grabbed his arm before he could walk away. “And go straight home.”
“ O r you could just nag me some more.”
“ N o stops , I mean it.”
“ Y es , no stops. You need to lighten up, sis.”
I rolled my eyes as he practically skipped to the doors of the courthouse. It was obvious that a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. And most of me was overjoyed for him.
B ut the other part of me knew what was coming next.
A s soon as the double doors slammed closed behind my brother, I walked to the little alcove in the corner of the massive entryway, where Julian Berkmore-Sullivan waited for me.
“ F ancy meeting you here ,” I said, as I approached.
H is hands were tucked into the pockets of a pair of khaki chinos. The short-sleeved, collared shirt that he wore was tight enough that it molded to the muscled wall of his chest.
“ I s sarcasm your only defense mechanism?”
I avoided looking at his face because I knew even a passing glance would destroy my resolve. “Is battering through every obstacle, regardless of the consequences, yours?”
“ M ost of the time , actually.” He removed one hand from his pocket and I tensed, but he only glanced at the expensive watch on his wrist. “I assume everything worked out in your brother’s favor.”
“ A ll of the charges were thrown out. No probation, or anything.” My voice was flat.
H e crossed his arms over his chest. “You don’t make that sound like good news.”
“ E very deal with the devil starts with good news.” I reminded myself that we were in a public place, surrounded by people — some of whom had guns. There was nothing that he could do to me here. “I’m just worried about what you want in return.”
“ D id you get my flowers ?”
“ Y es , and the necklace.”
H is grin was cheeky . “You’re welcome.”
“ I didn’t thank you . How did you get into my house anyway?”
“ T hey gave me virtually no information about you at the Dollhouse, you know,” he said, clearly ignoring the question. “Broad strokes — first name and some general information — but nothing specific. The catering company was much more forthcoming, they even had your social security number.”
“ J ust because you’re rich , doesn’t mean you can’t also be a stalker.”
“ I get what I want .” There was a warning in his voice.
I fought the urge to take a step back. “You can’t do anything to me here or I’ll scream. There are half a dozen cop cars outside. It doesn’t matter how much money you have, they’ll be on you in a second.”
“ Y ou’re perfectly safe . Here.” He took a step forward. “But I know where you live. I know where you work. I know who your friends are.”
I stayed where I was , determined to show him that I wasn’t afraid of him. “I’m not running.”
“ C ome with me .”
H is fingers reached out to brush the skin of my cheek in a touch so light that I could barely feel it.
“ I ’m not a toy or a pet. You can’t buy me.” My voice was hoarse.
“ B ut I have before ,” he said softly.
“ T his is insane .” I didn’t know if I was talking to him or myself, because I hadn’t already walked away. “You can have anyone you want.”
“ I want you .”
I swallowed hard . “And what about your wife?”
“ S he doesn’t have anything to do with this. It doesn’t matter.”
“ Y ou’re wrong .” I stepped back and his hand fell away. “It matters to me.”
“ I t isn’t what you think,” he said. “The situation is complicated.”
“ T hen un complicate it for me . Make me understand.”
J ulian didn’t speak for a long moment. “Come with me and I’ll tell you anything you want.”
“ I don’t think so .”
“ O r I could just take you.” He advanced on me then, the expression in his hard, green eyes suddenly menacing. “You would just disappear from
“ Y ou sure ?”
“ I t’s fine , just go on.” I grabbed his arm before he could walk away. “And go straight home.”
“ O r you could just nag me some more.”
“ N o stops , I mean it.”
“ Y es , no stops. You need to lighten up, sis.”
I rolled my eyes as he practically skipped to the doors of the courthouse. It was obvious that a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. And most of me was overjoyed for him.
B ut the other part of me knew what was coming next.
A s soon as the double doors slammed closed behind my brother, I walked to the little alcove in the corner of the massive entryway, where Julian Berkmore-Sullivan waited for me.
“ F ancy meeting you here ,” I said, as I approached.
H is hands were tucked into the pockets of a pair of khaki chinos. The short-sleeved, collared shirt that he wore was tight enough that it molded to the muscled wall of his chest.
“ I s sarcasm your only defense mechanism?”
I avoided looking at his face because I knew even a passing glance would destroy my resolve. “Is battering through every obstacle, regardless of the consequences, yours?”
“ M ost of the time , actually.” He removed one hand from his pocket and I tensed, but he only glanced at the expensive watch on his wrist. “I assume everything worked out in your brother’s favor.”
“ A ll of the charges were thrown out. No probation, or anything.” My voice was flat.
H e crossed his arms over his chest. “You don’t make that sound like good news.”
“ E very deal with the devil starts with good news.” I reminded myself that we were in a public place, surrounded by people — some of whom had guns. There was nothing that he could do to me here. “I’m just worried about what you want in return.”
“ D id you get my flowers ?”
“ Y es , and the necklace.”
H is grin was cheeky . “You’re welcome.”
“ I didn’t thank you . How did you get into my house anyway?”
“ T hey gave me virtually no information about you at the Dollhouse, you know,” he said, clearly ignoring the question. “Broad strokes — first name and some general information — but nothing specific. The catering company was much more forthcoming, they even had your social security number.”
“ J ust because you’re rich , doesn’t mean you can’t also be a stalker.”
“ I get what I want .” There was a warning in his voice.
I fought the urge to take a step back. “You can’t do anything to me here or I’ll scream. There are half a dozen cop cars outside. It doesn’t matter how much money you have, they’ll be on you in a second.”
“ Y ou’re perfectly safe . Here.” He took a step forward. “But I know where you live. I know where you work. I know who your friends are.”
I stayed where I was , determined to show him that I wasn’t afraid of him. “I’m not running.”
“ C ome with me .”
H is fingers reached out to brush the skin of my cheek in a touch so light that I could barely feel it.
“ I ’m not a toy or a pet. You can’t buy me.” My voice was hoarse.
“ B ut I have before ,” he said softly.
“ T his is insane .” I didn’t know if I was talking to him or myself, because I hadn’t already walked away. “You can have anyone you want.”
“ I want you .”
I swallowed hard . “And what about your wife?”
“ S he doesn’t have anything to do with this. It doesn’t matter.”
“ Y ou’re wrong .” I stepped back and his hand fell away. “It matters to me.”
“ I t isn’t what you think,” he said. “The situation is complicated.”
“ T hen un complicate it for me . Make me understand.”
J ulian didn’t speak for a long moment. “Come with me and I’ll tell you anything you want.”
“ I don’t think so .”
“ O r I could just take you.” He advanced on me then, the expression in his hard, green eyes suddenly menacing. “You would just disappear from
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