Free The Givenchy Code by Julie Kenner Page A

the proud?”
    “I got my discharge papers three years ago,” he said, his voice tight. “Honorable, since I’m sure you want the full résumé.”
    “And now?” I hadn’t had the upper hand all day. I wasn’t about to drop it now.
    “Now I’m in the private security business. Freelance work.”
    I thought of the gun on the table, and the gun I assumed he’d kept hidden. “What exactly does that mean?”
    He fixed me with a hard stare. “It means it’s private. And that means it’s none of your business.”
    He must have read my reaction on my face, because he held up a hand, effectively stopping me from spewing a string of invectives all over him.
    “It also means that I’m more than qualified to protect you. And as for Jamie Tate…” As he trailed off, a shadow crossed his eyes. I, of course, felt guilty as hell.
    He shook his head like someone shaking off sleep. “Let’s just say that you can rest assured I won’t make the same mistake twice.”
    A sarcastic retort flew to my lips, but I managed to hold it back with my tongue. I did want this man on my side. I’d be wise not to insult him. Or piss him off.
    Slowly, I nodded, letting the matter drop. “All right,” I finally said. “Do you still have it? The photocopy of the message, I mean.”
    “Burned it. But I read it first. You can guess what it said.” His gaze was tight on me, and I squirmed a little under the attention.
    I opened my mouth to speak, realized my throat was too dry, and took a sip of water. “‘Play or Die,’” I said.
    His eyes narrowed just slightly, but otherwise his expression didn’t change. “Okay, Melanie,” he said. “I think it’s your turn to fill me in on just what happened to you today.”

Chapter
18
    M elanie didn’t answer right away, and Stryker didn’t push her. She had to take her time. Reach her own conclusions. Learn to trust him and realize that he could help her. He couldn’t help her if she didn’t trust him. Or, rather, he could. Hell, he intended to help the girl whether she wanted him or not.
    He just hoped that she wanted his help. Working together would make this whole thing so much easier.
    Now she looked up at him, her eyes sharp despite fear, and once again he got a peek at that core of strength.
    “All right,” she said. “You want my story? Here it is.” And then she told him. Running into her ex-boyfriend. The note in the park. Going back to her ex’s place last night. Translating the code, then scoffing at the message. “I was pissed,” she said, “and Todd calmed me down.” Her cheeks colored a bit. “We had our problems, but in some ways we were good together, too.”
    “Go on.”
    She licked her lips, not meeting his eyes as she explained how she’d discovered the body, then had run straight into the killer’s arms. “I was so scared. I was sure he was going to kill me. And then I ran into you—”
    “And I scared you even more.”
    “Hell yes,” she said. “You’d broken into my apartment.”
    He held up a hand to ward off a fresh tirade. Her being pissed at him might have calmed her fears, but neither of them had time for another dressing-down.
    “You came to help,” she said, her tone even.
    “I was assigned to help.”
    “Why kill Jamie and not kill me?” she asked.
    “Don’t know. Different assassin, maybe.”
    She cringed. “Nice to know it’s so easy to round up assassins to pick off innocent grad students.”
    “Put an ad in Soldier of Fortune and you’d be surprised who’ll come running.”
    “The Most Dangerous Game,” she said. “I watched that movie once. Didn’t like it much.” She met his eyes, and he was impressed by the spark of humor he saw beneath the fear. “I can’t say I like the concept any more today.”
    “Me either.”
    She frowned. “It could be the same killer, though. Maybe the police have a lead. Maybe they can find him. Track him down.”
    “No go,” he said. “I checked. The case has gone completely