She frowned. “By the Light? What light?”
The woman had trouble staying on topic. “Never mind. Tell me again what this list represents.” I noted Michael Davis on the list, as well as several of Temita’s logisticians. “Oh, and don’t think we’re not going to discuss our tug-of-war over my pen.”
She rolled her eyes. “Of course we’ll discuss it, because you say so.” She arched her brow in an exact imitation of me. “We’ll also talk about your macho seduction yesterday.”
“Which worked,” I added smoothly, pleased when she flushed and stammered a denial. “Much as I regret my behavior, I don’t regret what I learned from the experience. But we’ll return to that later,” I promised, in control once more.
Sparring with Tessa revitalized me, made me feel strong and surprisingly like a man worthy of holding my own with my contemporaries. I eyed her with a mixture of desire and curiosity, wanting to know about her now more than ever.
“Tell me about the list, Tessa.”
She studied me for a long moment before conceding. “I have a very good source who informed me someone at the company wants me gone.”
“Gone?”
“As in arrested on charges of embezzlement, for starters.”
Tessa would never steal from the company. How absurd. “But why?”
“Good question. Unfortunately, I don’t know. I came up with that list of people, the only ones I could think of that might want me out of the way. The five logisticians and I competed for my last promotion. But they’re clean.”
“You already searched their offices?” My focus was clear, though a myriad question floated in my mind.
“Yeah. No paper or computer trail to follow. I also crossed two of the secretaries on this floor off the list.”
“Why them?”
She bit her lip. “I may have said some uncomplimentary things about you in their hearing.”
I couldn’t help a small smile. “My staff is fiercely devoted.”
“I know,” she added glumly. “Neither of them had anything suspicious in their files either. I have five, no, four more candidates to study since you’re off the list.”
“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
Obviously, she’d missed the dryness of my tone.
I sighed. “What do you hope to find?”
“Something that shows me squandering company funds. A money trail or embezzlement scheme I can follow.”
“I still don’t understand why they’d be after you.” I was unable to think of any reason to rid the firm of Tessa. From what I could tell, everyone from her boss to the company staff thought the woman could do no wrong.
“I don’t either. But I know if I don’t find this supposed evidence against me before Monday, I’ll be facing the police.”
I stared at the wound-up redhead bouncing in my chair. Irritating, emotional, passionate—she was all those and more. But a criminal? One look at her clear blue eyes and anyone could see her strength of integrity.
Odd, but I’d never before noticed the power behind her gaze. I frowned and circled the desk to pull her to her feet.
“What?” She blinked up at me.
Words caught in my throat. A wave of evil washed over me at the same time Tessa’s eyes widened in horror at something over my shoulder.
Without thought, I took us both to the floor, narrowly avoiding a freezing blast of blue fire that seared its way into the desk.
“What the hell?” Tessa stared in shock, and I felt a rush of power move from her through me toward the threat.
