Inescapable

“I didn’t think there was a connection,” Seth commented, “but I need to check everything, you know?”

“Yes, I see.” He frowned, working back in his mind. “There’s no connection. Lily and I met on the net, in an online chat room, way back, before Carlisle employed me. We’d arranged to meet properly tonight, that’s all.” Adrian sighed and sank back into the cushions. He was gutted that Laidbacklady been dragged into this because of him, and he wished he could turn back the clock. “Was she really in danger, I mean, did you really have to bring her here with us?”

Seth took another deep swig of his tea—eyes fixed on the flickering flames of the faux log fire—before answering. “I’m afraid so. She clocked the bloke who was sent in for you, I couldn’t risk leaving her in London.”

Adrian waited for more information, but apparently the man said as little as possible. Adrian thought about what little he had said, and a tsunami of guilt washed over him. “Christ. What a mess.”

“Not really. All we have to do is lay low until the court case. If your friend tows the line, she’s safe.”

Adrian nodded, relieved.

“She’s a very attractive woman,” Seth commented.

Adrian nodded. “You can say that again.” Would she hate him for this? She had every right to do so. “I should go talk to her, apologise.”

“You need to rest, and she needs time to get used to this. She’s upset. You’ve had a bit longer to come to terms with it.”

“That’s true.” He looked at the door, concerned about her and how she must be feeling right now.

“I’ll check on her, okay?” Seth got to his feet. “I’ll get you some food first.”

“Brandy,” Adrian bartered.

“Food, then brandy. You know it makes sense.”

“You drive a hard bargain.” Adrian forced a smile he didn’t really have the energy for, and gave Seth a thumbs-up.

When Seth had gone, he let out a deep sigh and settled back on the sofa. If only he hadn’t taken the Carlisle contract. None of this would be happening. He might have been having dinner with Lily instead, getting to know her properly. Instead she was in her room hating him for what he’d dragged her into. Life played some weird tricks on a man. Reaching back, he punched the cushion behind his head, pushing it more forcefully into the crook of his neck.

Then again, if I hadn’t been on edge about Carlisle, I might never have asked her out and I might never have looked into those sexy eyes. His head throbbed, and he mumbled half-heartedly, cursing as he closed his eyes, giving in to the urge to doze.

Chapter Five

Lily couldn’t rest, no matter how hard she tried. Instead, she paced up and down the narrow passage between the twin beds in her designated room, trying to come to terms with her situation. It wasn’t easy. She was in some sort of protective custody, in the depths of the Welsh countryside. The building they were in was an old manor house, done out like some sort of hotel. Not what she was expecting, but then she wasn’t sure what to expect. Being thrust into witness protection was way beyond her personal experience.

The room reminded her of an old youth hostel she’d stayed at years ago, except that place was sparsely furnished with bunk beds and this was comfortably furnished and kind of plush, if a bit tweedy and old-fashioned. It made her think of Fawlty Towers, and she had a slightly crazed laugh at the idea of it, flopping on to the nearest bed.

There was a portable TV on a bedside cabinet and she turned it on, watching the news and yet feeling as if it were about a different planet to the one she currently inhabited. After a while she got up again, too restless to concentrate, and stepped into the en suite bathroom. She peered at herself in the mirror, for the third time that evening. She didn’t look too bad, considering. Her mascara was smudged and her eyes were a bit wild, otherwise she looked as if she had just had a night out on the town. If only. Sighing, she tugged the bathroom light cord, and went back into the bedroom that she had been designated. True to her captor’s word, the room had warmed up quickly, despite the high ceilings and the fact the place had obviously been empty a while. She glanced around.

“How long am I going to be stuck here?” She stood with her back against the old-fashioned Victorian radiator warming her hands and legs and stared around the strange bedroom while she tried to make sense of everything that happened over the course of the evening. The witness protection officer, Seth, had taken charge as if it was his god given right. He’d been so high-handed and arrogant that her back was well and truly up. She balked at following his instructions, and she expected at least a modicum of respect—especially if Adrian and she were such highly valued members of the public that they needed his protection. He riled her. Then there was the fact she’d accidentally gotten intimate with him, which apparently had given him an excuse to act as if he owned her. Was he that way with everyone?

The question made her remember each and every detail of what had happened between them, and her response to the memory was physical as well as mental. Tossing her hair back, she pushed the memories away as best she could. One thing was for sure, she wanted her phone back. She had to get in touch with her flatmate. Andrea would be worried sick. They worked together, and they had a business to run. Andrea knew she was out on a date but if she wasn’t there in the morning Andrea would have to bring in a temp, and they couldn’t afford that right now.

After a moment she gathered her resolve and listened at the door. Clicking it open, she found that the hallway was now in darkness. Across the corridor light poured out of an open doorway. She could hear the sound of the television and the two men exchanging comments. Somebody laughed, and for a moment she was tempted to join them. On principle, she denied herself that luxury.

It’d been hard, because her curiosity was raging—about both of them. Adrian, the man who she had been so intimate with online, and Seth the arrogant man who was now in charge. Phone, she reminded herself. As her eyes grew accustomed to the gloom she could see that the two phones were still sitting on the hall table, where he had left them.

Opening the door a little wider, she winced when it squeaked. Squeezing through the narrow gap, she took a deep breath and darted across the hallway. She had the phone in her hand when a tall shadow blocked the light from the sitting-room doorway.

“Don’t even think about it.” Seth was beside her inside four paces, his expression overcast and inscrutable. He removed the phone from her hand, flipped it over and showed her the back panel.

Lily’s mouth tightened when she saw that he’d removed the SIM Card. She glared at him. He’d left the phones there as bait, the bastard. “I suppose you think that’s funny.”

A half-smile broke the stern look on his face, and that only served to emphasise his dominant hold over her. Lily didn’t want to hear whatever smart remark was about to come out of his mouth. Turning on her heel she went back to her room, but when she went to close the door she found it blocked by the weight of his body. Her pulse tripped and then raced on.

Seth stepped inside, closing the door behind him. It was then that she was reminded of exactly how large he was. His physique was solid and strong. He’d abandoned his leather jacket and the shirt he wore was closely fitted, revealing the breadth of his shoulders and the narrowness of his waist and hips.

“What do you want?” She issued the question sternly and then folded her arms across the chest, every pulse point in her body aware of his presence. The way he was looking at her—with a slow and obvious up-and-down perusal of her body—left her in no doubt of what he wanted. Great, I kissed the man, and now he thinks he has rights.