Free Price of Surrender by Unknown Page B

experienced a flicker of genuine fear. If things got worse she was going to have to
    scream for help. What did Jeff think he was doing, anyway?
    „Don’t bother lying to me! I know you sold yourself and the information both to the bastard! You were out with
    him last night down in Sausalito!“
    „How did you know about that?“ Adena stared up at his enraged face.
    „You were seen,“ he snarled. „And don’t think the person who saw you hesitated to bring the little matter to my
    attention today. What other information have you sold, Adena? What other Carrigan secrets have you traded for the
    honor of being Holt Sinclair’s latest mistress?“
    „I didn’t sell him any information, damn it! I told him the truth about the payoffs because I felt he had a right to
    know, but I didn’t sell him the news! It wouldn’t have done me any good if I’d tried, you fool, because he already
    knew who was giving you SinTech data!“
    „The hell he did! Our man was providing us with information right up until the day after you walked out!“
    „If it’s stopped it’s only because Holt put an end to it. He said he was only waiting until he had sufficient
    evidence.“
    „No wonder you didn’t plan to come back to your job! You knew you’d burned your bridges in favor of a better
    offer from Sinclair, didn’t you? But it’s not going to work, Adena! I’ll teach you to walk out on me and sell yourself to
    a higher bidder! I’ll bet he’s not fool enough to offer marriage, though. Better take what you can get in the way of
    pretty little trinkets, because Sinclair doesn’t make a habit of marrying his women!“
    „Jeff!“
    Adena’s voice rose in sudden dismay as he reached for her. She heard Max’s growl deepen ominously as she
    turned to escape. Jeff ignored the dog, clearly not seeing much danger in the animal, or perhaps still too enraged with
    Adena to pay heed.
    Adena’s attempt to evade him failed. With a lunge Carrigan grabbed for her wrist, yanking her off balance.
    „No!“
    The single protest from Adena was all that was finally needed to send Max into action. He lunged for Carrigan’s
    leg just as the front door swung open with a crash.
    „What the hell…?“
    Adena heard Holt’s icy voice as he came swiftly through the door. But she didn’t really see him as she struggled to
    escape Carrigan’s grasp.
    In that last effort she was assisted by Max. She heard her captor yell and knew the dog had sunk his teeth into
    Jeffs leg. The hold on her wrist slackened, and in the next second Jeff Carrigan was being whirled away from her.
    „Take your hands off her, or I’ll pull you apart, piece by piece!“
    Max was barking now, short, snarling yelps of encouragement for Holt, who had flung his victim away from Adena
    and toward the front door.
    „She’s mine,“ Holt rasped as Jeff landed against the door frame. „And if you so much as touch her again I’ll not
    only destroy you, I’ll destroy Carrigan Labs. Do you understand me, Carrigan? What I have, I protect, and it will cost
    you everything if you ever forget that fact!“
    „You’re welcome to her, Sinclair,“ Jeff grated, edging through the door. His face was still reddened with the force of
    his rage, but common sense took hold as he realized the situation in which he found himself. One didn’t get to be a
    vice-president at Carrigan Labs without some native intelligence, even if one was the president’s son. „She’s
    obviously a cheap little tramp out for what she can get, and if that’s your style in women, help yourself. Personally, I’m
    glad I found out in time before I made the mistake of marrying her!“
    „Get out of here, Carrigan!“
    Max issued another warning bark, advancing to stand beside Holt. Together, they made a formidable pair, Adena
    thought a little hysterically. Apparently Jeff Carrigan came to the same conclusion. He jerked himself away from the
    door and down the short flight of steps to the street Without