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She narrowed her eyes. “What are you trying to say?”

“You are right that I spent as much time as I had looking into your father and his business, including people he associates with.”

Her huff was full of new vigor and annoyance. “Are you trying to suggest my father is a criminal?”

“I’m not suggesting anything. There are enough people to do that for me.”

“You fucking bastard.” She started to climb off the counter, but I stopped her, pushing myself between her legs.

Not a good idea. She immediately shoved her palms against my chest, her eyes opening wide.

There was a flash, a strange vibration of electricity we both obviously felt. Almost immediately, she curled her fingers, leaning back as far as she could.

I took a step backwards, giving her space. What the fuck had that been about?

“This isn’t about attempting to hurt your feelings or malign your father, Juliette. However, the reason I’m damn good at what I do is because I look at things from all sides. That’s all.”

At least my answer appeared to appease her for the time being. I placed the bandage on her knee and grabbed the tape.

“Is that necessary?”

“I don’t want the wound to become infected. It’s the last thing we need to deal with.”

“Oh, yeah. No hospitals.”

“Not right now. Your condominium was in a very private location. The perpetrators had no issue with the locks and used the darkness to hide what they were doing.”

“So you’re suggesting the attack might have been random.”

“I’m suggesting they had an easy time getting in without being seen. Is there a slight chance the attack was random? I can’t ignore the possibility.” When I was finished, I rose to my full height and her eyes followed my face.

“But you don’t believe it.”

“Again, I look at everything from all sides. I’m certain you’d like to see the men responsible for kidnapping you arrested.”

Her nose wrinkled and the flash in her eyes returned.

That was also the moment I noticed the freckles covering the bridge of her nose.

She was fresh faced, not like the women my father had once tried to set me up with.

Juliette was a natural beauty. Dark eyelashes framed the flecks of gold in her irises, a vivid complement to the color of blue in her eyes.

“Of course I would. But I won’t bring my father down to make that happen.”

At least her personal line had been drawn in the sand. I could live with that.

“Understood,” I said gruffly. Another thirty seconds ticked by. “I have something that belongs to you.”

“You do?”

“A couple items actually. Do you need help getting down?”

“If I said I did, would you rescue me all over again?”

My glower was tighter this time, my teeth clenched together. Goddamn, the woman was mouthy, almost every word caustic. And her lips. They were voluptuous, pursed so they formed a heart shape. Soft. Inviting.

Fuck me. There I went again thinking about her in any other way but what I should be. Her eyes were practically glowing from her latest challenge. I’d had mixed reactions from women my entire life. Lust. Anger. Longing. Hatred.

I’d even had a few who’d slapped me across the face.

But the woman remaining on the counter with her legs splayed out, in bare feet and a tight tee shirt that her nipples were poking through was determined to crack the ice surrounding me.

At that moment, I wanted to drag her into the bedroom, yanking her over my lap and giving her a spanking that she wouldn’t soon forget.

That was for insolence alone. After that, I longed to grab her jaw, pulling her against me as I whispered all the filthy things I would do over the course of several hours in her ear.

But if I did, what little I knew about her caused me to suspect she’d smack me, or worse.

She’d kick me in the balls.

I backed away before risking either. “Let me grab them for you.” Her strangled sigh as I left the room was exaggerated.

Maybe she didn’t like that I refused to play her games.

The truth was I had yet to play by anyone’s games. That wasn’t about to start now just because Ms. Carver was the first woman who’d sparked something deep and dark inside of me.

I grabbed one of the bags, pulling out the nightgown used for her scent and her camera.

Her squeal was so girlish, the sound happy.

“You brought my camera. I didn’t know if they smashed it or took it with them.”

“Why would they do that?”

Her long legs drew my attention again as she rushed toward me. When she noticed the nightgown, she frowned. “You rifled through my things? My dirty clothes? What gave you the right to invade my privacy?”

“Your scent is all over it. Perfume. Perspiration. It’s soaked with your fragrance.”

“I beg your pardon?” She shifted past irritation to being appalled.

“For Tank so he could find you, using the scent.”

She glanced down at the dog and frowned. “Oh.” With that, she snatched the gown from my hand. “At least it came in handy.”

“Yes. I was happy Tank was with me. Like I told you before, that’s one reason you’re alive.”

We’d had a lot of awkward moments. This one felt deeper somehow. I was repeating myself, something I never did.

“Back to what I said earlier, Lieutenant Rollins. I’m not like my father.

I can sense you have an utter dislike for the man just like you obviously do for me.

I assure you that there are some days I feel the same way.

But he is my father. He was both my mother and father for most of my life.

From what I can tell, he did a pretty good job.

He’s not perfect. No one is. But I won’t have you undermine him or his business.

He’s worked very hard to get where he is and I’m happy for his success.

Besides, he cared enough to hire you. Right?

” She blew out a dramatic breath, thoroughly annoyed with me.

“As you should be happy for him. As you said, he’s your father. Just call me Kage. It’s been a long time since I was called Lieutenant.” There was no reason to continue the discussion any further.

“Kage,” she whispered and the single syllable on her lips caused my balls to tighten.

With another harsh look, she walked away.

Right now, I needed to keep my distance from her. That was also better for both of us. Getting us out of the country was a crapshoot at best. The plan needed my full concentration.

There was something about her attitude and hint of spitefulness that kept my rapt attention. I watched her walk away and knew my unwanted desires could easily push me over the line. My thoughts reminded me why my decision to be a loner had been in everyone’s best interest.

However, everything about her sassy attitude furthered the fantasy of what her perfectly rounded bottom would look with my handprint on it.