Page 27 of Nothing to Beat

Breck knew her apartment and to treat it as his own.As a roommate, he’d be conscientious, neat, respectful… A roommate?No, they’d never done that.Could they be roomies?

Another alien concept.

The elevator opened, producing Tripp.Ah, thank goodness, her ticket up.

“Seq…”

Laying her hands on his chest, she advanced, reversing him back into the elevator.“I need to go upstairs, Priest.All the way to the top.”

“Yeah,” he said, pressing a button that closed the doors.“You said on the phone.What’s so urgent?Want to fill me in?”

“I don’t have clearance to get into Zairn’s penthouse.”

“Not many people do.”

Reaching up, she ran her hand through his mussed hair in a pointless attempt at taming it.God, lovable rogue was so effortless.

“Ever heard of a comb?”She tucked a stray section behind his ear and smoothed his stubble.“This is the end of the day for most people.Did you just wake up?”

“Wake up?No.Get out of bed…”

Her hands dropped.“Please tell me you showered.”

“I showered,” he said, though his proceeding smirk contradicted the words.“I did…” then came a mutter, “just wasn’t the one holding the soap.”

With a head bob to the side and a brow flick, he disarmed everyone within a twelve-block radius.

“Okay, you get me inside and then you can go back to your lady… or ladies.I don’t want to know anything you wouldn’t tell your mother.”

Reaching past her, he hit a button.“Are you sure anyone’s in the penthouse?”

“It’s as good a place as any to start looking.”

“You’re amped,” Tripp said.“Cabe said you went to find Breck.Any movement?”

“Not yet,” she said, restraining a growl though there was no doubt her pseudo-brother-in-law didn’t see the truth of it in her expression.“I’m working on it.”

“It’s always you, Seq,” he said, draping an arm around her.“You’re his world.”

“That’s never felt more like an accusation.”Not because of his tone, he was ever-and-always charming Tripp, non-judgmental, accepting, relaxed.Her own conscience on the other hand… “I’ll put this back together.”

“Got a plan?”

She bit the corner of her lip.“I’m working on that too.”

Thankful for the interruption, the moment they arrived at their destination, she was out on the hunt.Her first target wasn’t far away.The person in the living room leaped to their feet, but it wasn’t the somebody she was looking for.

“Roxie,” she said on a rush of breath, looking left and right.“I need Zairn.”

“He’s not here.”Roxie’s concern slowed her heart a little.“He’s at a meeting downtown.What do you need?I have access to pretty much everything—no, make that everything Zairn does.”

Tripp eased into her peripheral vision, slipping his hands in his pockets.“Seq…?”

Her gaze trailed to him.“If you want to leave, now is the time to go, because the shutters are about to come down.This is eyes only.”

“When have you known me to shy from trouble?”

She couldn’t blame him for figuring there would be trouble.It was in her heritage.In her blood.She was the Jekyll and Hyde character in a cartoon, perfectly normal looking and amiable, while trailing around a cloud of thunder and lightning, zapping the poor people caught in her wake.Ha, if that was her, imagine what followed her father.