Free Sweet Seduction Stripped by Nicola Claire Page B

up and around my waist, bringing me closer to his body with a tight grip.
    "What did you do, you bastard?" he growled over my shoulder. "She looks frightened half to death."
    "Not me, dude," Adam drawled. "Kid's got a shit-load of crap piling up on her and simply wigged out. All's good though. Her knight in shining armour has arrived and I can get to fuckin' bed."
    They glared at each other for a moment, my relief at the knowledge that Eric knew Adam not managing to override my ever increasing terror at what my life had become. I continued to cling to Ric, allowing a measure of peace to invade my body at the solid feel of his frame against mine.
    Eric was big like Jaxon. Maybe slightly smaller across the shoulders, but his arms actually felt larger. As though they could hold me forever and would never let me fall.
    I cleared my throat and tried to move out of his now suddenly uncomfortable embrace.
    "Stay still," he murmured, eyes still boring into Adam. "Nick wants you back at HQ," he said to the other man, as though he wasn't holding an almost stranger flush up against his chest.
    "Aw, fuck it. I'm knackered," Adam complained.
    "All hands on deck right now and he says you can catch some z's there."
    "He got something?"
    I felt Ric's body shift as his head tipped so he could look down at me.
    "We're hoping," he said, finally realising he was holding me too intimately and loosening his arms.
    "Dude. You are an arsehole," Adam said chuckling, and with that strange comment spun on his heel, took the coffee Gen held out as he passed, and whistled tunelessly as he banged out the front doors.
    "Prick," Ric muttered, leading me to my seat and not letting go of my hand until I'd shakily sat down. "Did he give you a hard time?"
    I shook my head and numbly lifted the coffee cup up to take a drink. My watch caught my eye, so I checked the time. Just after ten. I didn't have long before Jaxon sent the cavalry after me.
    "Where were you?" I asked at last, moving my cup around on the table's surface in front of me.
    "At work."
    I blinked.
    "Then how did you know I was here? Oh, Adam."
    "No. I watched you walk in. Been looking for you all day. Couldn't believe my eyes when I finally saw you. Got here as fast as I could."
    I sat back and stared at him. He looked too good. That sexy black leather jacket again, all black underneath. A pair of sunglasses casually slung over the collar of his t-shirt. Ray-bans.
    I shook my head to clear the fog his presence seemed to always create, and asked, "What?"
    Yeah, I was getting more inarticulate as the day progressed. Not good.
    "Sweetheart," he said with a blindingly hot grin. "ASI monitors Gen's shop. Cameras, alarms, the works. Safest place in town outside of our HQ. Wouldn't have sent you here if it wasn't."
    I glanced around the premises, trying to pick up cameras, but knowing they were undoubtedly of the spy-like variety. Is that why he wrote that code with me? For his work?
    "You really are a private investigator," I said, stunned.
    He pulled his head back, obviously surprised.
    "What did you think I was, Amber? A cop?"
    That hadn't even crossed my mind. I wondered if it should have.
    "I thought..." I stopped, licked my lips. "I don't know what I thought," I said, defeated.
    "Ah, Dancer," he murmured softly. "You look exhausted. How're you holding up?"
    My shoulders drooped and embarrassingly tears sprang to my eyes.
    "Oh, sweetheart," he whispered. "Let me help you."
    I blinked the offending moisture away, determined not to show a weakness. I'd never been a victim, I wouldn't start now.
    "You said you wanted my help, too," I reminded him, watching as a smile teased the corners of those lush red lips. His eyes darting appreciatively all over my face. I think he may have been impressed with my backbone right then.
    "Yeah, I did, didn't I?"
    I nodded.
    "So, maybe we can help each other," I suggested.
    "Don't wanna owe me a favour?" he guessed.
    I shrugged. Really, I just wanted all our cards on