Page 34 of Dangerous Liaisons

The bartender set two bottles of beer on the table. Jesse started at realizing the man’s size, then caught the leer he gave her. She dropped her gaze. Dammit, the man could wrestle King Kong and win.

After the big man left, Jesse leaned closer to Cole and whispered, “First, you tell me to trust you, then you tell me to trust complete strangers—strangers who won’t hesitate to kill me the first chance they get.”

“No. These men are on our side.”

“You thought Lanton was on our side. You don’t know anything for sure. You don’t really know I’m innocent.”

He started to reply, but broke off, distracted by something behind her. Jesse started to turn, but Cole pulled her close. She froze when he nuzzled her ear.

“Our friend at the bar is watching,” he whispered. “We have to play nice.”

Cole brushed his nose against her ear. His warm breath tickled the tiny hairs on her neck. Heat rippled through her midsection.

“I admit I wanted revenge," he whispered. "After reading your service record, I had to know why someone like you would turn.”

Her stomach did a flip. Her entire life was in that file—growing up in North Dakota, losing her father at age eleven, Amanda, her military service. She remembered the investigation when she had gotten her Top Secret clearance. Federal agents had interviewed her high school teachers, neighbors, college friends, and family.

“I latched onto every bit of information that came within ten miles of me.” He squeezed her shoulder. “I got so good, I could smell when something was in the air. In the beginning, I thought I knew you better than your own mother, and was convinced I’d figured you out.”

He brushed his lips against her throat. She’d forgotten how soft a man’s lips could be. She grabbed her beer, glad for the cool bottle against her palm.

“I got my hands on your service record.” His voice caressed her senses the way his mouth caressed her body. “Then your psyche file, your exemplary record with Blue Team, your college days at Berkley.

Berkley. Had he learned about Michael Quesada?

Even your childhood,” he ended.

Good Lord. She had been so proud of herself for doing recon on him. For the first time in her life, her target knew more about her than she did about him.

“None of that says I’m innocent.” She wasn’t feeling innocent. The warmth of his fingers penetrated to the bone, and she wished mightily they weren’t in a tavern. She took a swig of beer and set the bottle on the table.

“After you ran out on me in New York, I dug deeper and found out about the endowment fund,” Cole said.

Jesse jerked her head around before halting the reaction.

“Easy, Jess,” he warned. “Let’s not attract attention.”

She couldn’t believe it. He was giving her tips on how to stay inconspicuous? Mr. Apple Pie, All American? He stood out like a bulldog on a greyhound racetrack.

Cole gave her an approving look. “A six million dollar endowment fund buried under four corporations. No trite offshore banks, but right there under the noses of anyone who knew where to look. Very nice.”

Jesse’s mind raced. He had found the endowment fund, which meant he was the one who found Amanda’s trust fund. She should have realized that when he admitted knowing about the transfer from the Caymen account into the Philips and Rothman fund. He hadn’t lied. Cole had led Lanton to her, and her money and—she stared.

“You found my safe deposit box.”