Page 77 of Mr. Dangerous

“Yeah,” Rob said. “We’re just trying to cover all ourbases.”

“Is there something else going on?” Iasked.

“No. Just beingthorough.”

Liam lingered, watching us both with his hands in his pockets. Rob said to him, “Why don’t you start with the master? I’ll catch up with you in a fewminutes.”

Liam took the hint, heading for thestairs.

I said, “You think I’m in dangertoonow?”

“Because you’ve been seen with me? Because of what happened in the hospital? Yeah, I think better safe thansorry.”

“Then why aren’t you telling me what’sgoingon?”

“I am,” he said. “When I know something, I’ll tell you,believeme.”

“Because this affects me too. My life, my family, mybusiness—”

“I know, Naomi.” His voice came out gruff,startlingme.

Liam was making the world’s slowest progress up thestairs.

“Let’s argue in the study,” Rob saidimpatiently.

“Are we arguing?” I felt my eyebrows rise. “I wasn’t aware we were arguing. I thought you were about to open up to me about what’s going on, since I just have this weird feeling you’re keeping secrets. Or are wearguing?”

Rob glanced towards the stairs and then ushered me forward towards the study. I rolled my eyes, but I went. I could sense Liam’s irritation as he stormed the rest of the way up the stairs, as if he didn’t trust Rob not to spill family secrets. How the hell had Liam Delaney become my enemy? Shouldn’t we all be on thesameside?

I breezed into the dark study in front of Rob. He shut the doorbehindus.

“What do we need privacy todiscuss?”

“I’m trying to piece together why Mitch might have been attacked,” Rob said. “And like I said, I will tell you anything that’s relevant.Toyou.”

“But you’re going to decide what’srelevant?”

“Yes.Iam.”

“Why the hell do you get to make all thecalls,Rob?”

“Well, I am the one who’s a SEAL,” he said, the slightest smile coming to his lips before it fell away under my gaze. “And this is my family. The Delaneys have a sordidhistory.”

“Which is why you think I might be in danger,”Isaid.

“I think you might be in danger because I careaboutyou.”

“And why are you being so tight-lipped?” I raked a hand through my hair. “God damn it, Rob, this is scary for me. I can’t be the helpless damsel in distress, waiting in your castle for you to sort itallout.”

“But the castle has HBO and a pool and a hot tub and a beautiful library…”Robsaid.

“I don’t care about any of that,” I said. “I have a life I need to get back to, Rob. My mom doesn’t want to feed my cats every day. I have work to do. A galatoplan.”

“The gala will still go off. I’ll pay someone to take care ofyourcats.”

I perched on the edge of the desk, crossed my arms across my chest. “You can’t throw money at every problem andfixit.”

“No. But itdoesn’thurt.”

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