Tom’s mouth twitched in a humorless smile.“Not even close.That was her neighbor—Kelly Ferguson.She used a spare key from under a flowerpot to let herself in yesterday.”
Rylan’s frown deepened.“Why the hell—”
“She’s a self-proclaimed interior design enthusiast,” Tom interrupted dryly.“Brought in fresh flowers, swapped out throw pillows.When the alarm we installed went off, the police got there before she could leave.Her statement?She thought Natalie’s place needed ‘a little brightening.’”
Rylan’s tone sharpened.“This happened yesterday, and I’m just hearing about it now?”
Tom didn’t miss a beat.“You were otherwise occupied.”His delivery was perfectly even, but the faint twitch at the corner of his mouth gave him away.
The memory hit instantly—Natalie, tangled in his sheets, their phones ignored for hours.Suddenly, a grin tugged at his mouth despite himself.“Fair enough.”
But the smile faded as fast as it came.“Focus on the real threats.Who tried to run her down?”
Tom clicked over to another camera feed.“The driver from the crash—your instincts were right.This was personal.We finally were able to track him on street and traffic cams several streets away from the scene of the accident.And Natalie was right about the odd gait she mentioned.It wasn’t a woman.It was her boss, Henry.”
Rylan’s posture stiffened.“Henry?You’re telling me her boss tried to kill her?”
Tom nodded grimly.“Rental car traced to a shell company tied to him.Footage shows him ditching a blond wig two blocks from the crash site.We recovered it—DNA’s a match.”
Rylan’s fists curled on the counter, knuckles whitening.“So she’s still in danger.”
Tom’s scowl was dark enough to match his tone.“Would I let your future wife be in danger?”
The words hit Rylan like a blow.Future wife.He’d accepted that Natalie was the one, but he hadn’t put that word to the emotion.But hearing it out loud stirred something deeper, heavier—something that felt unshakably right.
“You haven’t proposed yet?”Tom’s voice carried an edge of incredulity.“Everyone on this team knew she’d be your wife the moment you met her.”
Rylan scanned the room, catching the subtle nods from his security team.His mouth flattened into a hard line before he exhaled, tension loosening his shoulders.“Hell,” he muttered, earning a ripple of low chuckles from the men.The levity evaporated almost instantly.His voice dropped.“Where is she?”
Tom’s hand flicked toward a monitor.“At a client meeting.My people are posted outside the house.”
A cold twist coiled in Rylan’s gut.“New client?”
Tom gave a clipped nod.“We ran the client through the system—clean as a whistle.No flags.”
“Boss!”one of the guards barked, urgency cutting through the room.He jabbed a finger at the live feed.
Henry.
He was striding up the client’s walkway, jaw set, his movements sharp with purpose.On-screen, Rylan’s men stepped down from their positions in front of the house in unison, forming a wall between Henry and the door.The confrontation flared immediately—Henry’s face flushed, his mouth moving fast, his gestures growing sharper.He shoved forward, trying to break through, but the guards stood like stone.
Tom leaned toward his mic, his tone steely.“Do not let him inside.That’s our guy.”
Chapter 34
Henry’s grip on the steering wheel tightened until his knuckles blanched.He’d parked a few houses down from Natalie’s latest client meeting, but the sight of the big SUV in the driveway only fanned the flames in his chest.His pulse pounded—not from fear, but from sheer indignation.
Natalie Gibbons.The office golden girl.Charming every client, soaking up their loyalty, making his agency—his name—fade into the background.For months, he’d watched her smile her way into contracts, watched clients praiseherwork while forgetting the firm that made it possible.She wasn’t just another employee anymore.She was a threat.
And threats had to be dealt with.
He glanced at the black SUV parked nearby, its windows dark and impenetrable.The kind of car people withrealpower used.The sight stung.She’d surrounded herself with muscle now, broadcasting control—and making him look small.
That wouldn’t stand.
He strode toward the house, his anger barely contained.When two men in dark suits stepped down from the concrete stairs, blocking his path to the client’s front door, he didn’t slow.“Step aside,” he barked.“I’m Natalie’s boss, and I need to speak with her immediately.”
The taller guard didn’t so much as blink.“Sir, Ms.Gibbons is in a client meeting.She will speak with you afterward.”
