“What if she’s innocent?” Had he really said that out loud? He winced, ready for Portia to swipe at him.
Instead, her voice was pure Ice Queen. “She delivered the bomb. She’s guilty. What else do I need to know?”
Killian rubbed his eyes. He was exhausted, his brain too fuzzy to have this conversation.
Even at his best, he didn’t think he could break through Portia’s grief and change her mind. The bitch of it? If Tommy were alive, he’d know exactly how to get through to her.
Chapter17
Dizzie knockedon the door of the office. Killian looked up, startled.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt. Elsa told me to come here…?” She studied him from the doorway.
Killian sat behind a piece of furniture that was half desk, half sculpture. The base was a half-cylinder of gleaming metal, rising in a graceful arch from the ground. The dark bronze glowed with warmth. A slab of dark wood balanced on the top of the curve, the surface polished to silky smoothness. The mix of old and new suited him. Just like the building and the rest of the room.
“I asked Elsa to bring you here.” He waved her in and gestured to the chair opposite him.
Dizzie sat carefully on the edge of the chair. The frame was the same metal, but dark leather that perfectly complemented the desk covered the seat and back. “Thanks for the clothes.” Several outfits had been waiting in the bedroom after her bath.
A flush crawled up his cheeks. “I had Elsa dispose of the ones you were wearing. It was the least I could do.”
She inclined her head and waited for annoyance that he had destroyed her clothes to hit her, but it never came. She’d miss her jacket and boots, but the rest of her clothes wouldn’t have survived the last twenty-four hours. Not to mention, she’d forever associate them with the events of the night.
The black leather pants and a deep blue shirt that she’d paired with high black leather boots at least somewhat looked like “courier” clothes. If the courier was on a high-fashion runway. Underneath she wore cute blue panties and a matching bra that had been impossible to resist, especially since she’d rather burn the ones she had been wearing for two days than wear them again. Softer than the leather pants, these made her feel girly and powerful at the same time.
Now, knowing the man in front of her had purchased them for her, she tried not to squirm.
Elbows braced on the desk, Killian studied her. “Portia Tremaine knows I got you out of headquarters.”
Dizzie shot to her feet. She’d expected Tremaine Security to be after her, but not Porta herself. “I can’t stay here.” For a few minutes she’d let herself believe in the fancy fairy tale that Killian and his home presented. His words had stripped that option away. The only options left were to prove her innocence or get out of town. Not that she had any idea how to accomplish either.
“Where do you think you can go that the Tremaines won’t find you? It’s a global company with resources you can’t imagine,” he asked, his tone matter-of-fact.
Oh, she could imagine the resources, all right. One didn’t grow up in the company, literally, without understanding how vast and heartless it was.
Once she’d been clearheaded enough to think again after Killian’s interruption, she’d spent her time in the cooling bath drafting a plan. It focused mainly on the savings she had with the Jack and the bar owner’s reputation of being willing to take any job, for a price.
“I have some money set aside. I’ll pay for protection until I find a way out of the city.” Hysterical laughter bubbled up and she forced it back down. Her savings might cover a few hours of protection, especially against a corporation.
Killian looked at her. “Do you think it will be that easy? Portia’s out for blood. Whatever you pay, she’ll pay double or triple to track you down.”
“What do you care?” she lashed out. “You had your own plan when you barged into the cells last night. What changed?”
“I…don’t know.” He sighed and settled back in his chair. “I can’t help feeling that there’s something bigger at play here.”
“Then let me go,” she pleaded.
“I can’t,” he said, shaking his head. “Portia would never forgive me.”
Dizzie paced back and forth. There had to be a way out of here, but she wasn’t seeing it right now. She needed more information.
“Then at least tell me what Portia’s planning. Is there a reward?”
“There’s no reward,” he said. “Internal resources only, so probably a lot of Tremaine Security.”
There was no reason for Killian to share information, but he had. Did he think it would intimidate her into staying? She parsed his answer, but it didn’t make sense. “Why would she do that?”
“Asking any other company for help will damage the Tremaine reputation.”
