Page 95 of Ricochet

The dull thump in his chest strengthened. If he could takeher worries away, all might be better. “Man, your smile is gorgeous.”

But to take away her problems and troubles, she’d have to let him into her world, and he couldn’t see why Adelia wanted to stay silent. To protect herself? Protect him? Or, maybe, protect the club that had brought her nothing but a death sentence.

“Aw, thanks,” she finally said. “You’re lucky you’re one of those tough guyswho is actually cute.”

“I don’t know about cute, but I’ll take what I can.”

“Now your turn.” She modeled a saccharine beauty they’d both see right through with fluttering eyelashes and a pose. “What am I?”

“How about…” This wasn’t going to end well. “You’re a handful.”

She laughed again. “Baby, that’s why you’ve got two hands.”

“Ha. Good come back.” Any time he thought he had something onher, she came in and made him smile. “Come here.”

He leaned across the table to kiss her. It should’ve been simple and quick. But nothing with them was ever that way.

Her lips were sweet and the gentle brush against his mouth was brief, but long enough that he wanted time alone. “Now, I have another reason to get you out of here. More of that.”

But her face fell. “They’re going to kill me.”

He settled back, squaring his shoulders. “They won’t.”

She ignored him. “And I don’t want you near that mess. Seven and Victoria don’t involve their husbands because there is nothing to say, but I’m different, and it’s a code, Colin. You can’t change their law.”

Their code was nothing more than criminals protecting criminals, and she was caught in a spiderweb. “I can do a lot.”

“Not with them.”

“Jesus, Adelia.” He pushed his hand into his hair. “You won’t know unless you give me a chance. Will you?”

A tiny crack of silence lingered, and he hoped that meant a moment of self-reflection. Their brainwashing was almost too much, but he couldn’t convince her of that.

“Why are you going to lose your job?” she asked, catching him off guard. “Or another one?”

Hell. He never should’ve letemotions run his mouth. “Nothing. Just a job I had to give up, but it’s nothing anyway.”

“Obviously, it’s something.”

He nodded, wishing to hell he’d kept his big mouth shut. “Yeah, but boring. Bodyguard detail for a billionaire. Nowhere I want to be.”

“Sounds like super-secret stuff to me.”

Colin pursed his lips. It wasn’t classified, though he shouldn’t talk about work. Still, knowing whotheir client was might even lift her spirits, and that went a long way in the field when a lack of sleep and doubt kicked in. He glanced at the table of snoopy listeners, but they were spoons-deep in their desserts, not coming up for air anytime soon. “Have you ever heard of Gloria Astor? I think most people have.”

“Gloria Astor?”

Adelia’s excited face wasn’t what he thought it would be, ormaybe his assumptions were wrong. “She’s this rich lady who has always shared intel, and her ass is on the line now.”

He paused and waited for Adelia to ooh and ahh, but her face paled.

“What?” Colin glanced over his shoulder. “You okay?”

Adelia’s fingertips locked on the edge of the table. “Who knows you found me?”

“What?” He couldn’t wrap his mind around the panic in her voice.

Her fingernailsturned white and pink as she dug them onto the edge. “Who knows you’re looking for me?”

His eyes roamed the restaurant’s perimeter, searching for what he’d missed. “All of Mayhem probably thinks I’m looking for you. Delta team. Parker helped me triangulate you, and—”

She swept her purse and duffel bag into her arms and bolted.

What the hell triggered that? Suspicious, he let his gaze cruiseonce more before he followed her to the sound the booth of women alltsk-tskhim.

He stopped short, turning to the busybodies. “For the record, I didn’t do anything wrong. Ease up already.” Then he took off after Adelia.

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