Free Sweet Seduction Sabotage by Nicola Claire Page A

afternoon coffee sessions with his law firm partners without giving away we were connected. Him being here was acceptable, unexpected sure. They usually arrived at two-thirty and were gone by half past three. Clearly they'd all been held up at court.
    Oh, fuck.
    "Kels?" Kane asked.
    Right. This was happening now. This was me drowning, about to go under. This was where my choices had led me. Right here. Right now.
    A quick glance around the room and, not surprisingly, several pairs of eyes were on me. Dan and Kane. To be expected. Genevieve and Drew. Not a shock. But also Dominic, a steady, calm look in his eyes.
    I'm twenty-eight years old. I'm an adult. I live an adult's life.
    Oh, fuck this sucked.
    "OK," I said, almost to myself. "Hold on just one minute." I held a hand up to Kane and then hustled him over the pillow pit, which thankfully happened to be devoid of slouching High Street customers sipping lattes right now. Then I turned and hurried over to Dan, who was in his uniform ready for work.
    I'd chosen him first, because I knew he would be the most straightforward. Dan's laid back, free and easy, like I used to be. He held my gaze as I approached, no doubt registering there was no sway to my hips at all. His big hands were spread out on the table in front of him, where he'd taken a seat when he noticed a showdown was about to transpire. Dan's not stupid. He could see the writing on the wall. The request to meet here was signal enough.
    "Hey," I said, slipping into the seat opposite. His eyes darted over my shoulder to where I knew Kane was watching. Probably with a scowl on his face. Kane was not laid back. He liked fast cars and faster women. But he liked them to be his and no one else's.
    Bad choice for one of my stable, but he drove such a sweet ride.
    "Hey yourself," Dan returned, automatically reaching over to grasp my hands in both of his. I pulled them back. Then closed my eyes. It had been instinctive, natural to pull away. I'd already said goodbye to Dan in my heart. I just had to let him know now.
    When I opened them Dan was leaning back in his chair, eyes on me, arms crossed over his chest.
    Not so easy then.
    "I'm sorry," I whispered, and why do people start with that line when they're about to let someone down? Of course you're sorry, saying it just sounds like a cop-out.
    "I figured as much," Dan murmured. "You've been pulling away for months now."
    Months?
    "Is it him?" Dan nodded towards where Kane waited. I shook my head, frown in place. "Can I know his name? The one who's caught Kelly Quayle."
    "No one's caught me." And that was the wrong thing to say.
    "So, it's just me." He didn't sound hurt. He sounded angry.
    I fidgeted in my seat.
    "I'm not hanging around for a public execution," he added, shoving his seat back and making those eyes, that weren't already watching, turn to us at the screech.
    I didn't know what to say. It wasn't him, it was me. But that's another of those lines, isn't it? It might be true, but it would still sound like a cop-out.
    So, unbelievably I said, "I'm sorry." Again. Could I make this any worse?
    He started walking away and then stopped at my shoulder, his big hand coming down and resting there. I noticed, out of the corner of my eye, Dominic and Drew stiffen. I couldn't see Kane. Dan squeezed once and then left my life for good.
    A weight should have been lifted off my shoulders, metaphorically speaking that is. But I knew what awaited me in the pillow pit. A bubble of hysterical laughter spewed out of my mouth. Hell, maybe I could go for a hat-trick today, and follow this all up with Drew.
    My body felt a million years old when I stood to my feet. My heart heavy, my bones weak. My head a mixture of blame and torment and a darkness so black I couldn't think.
    I turned and there was Kane, right there. His head cocked, his eyes narrowed, his hands in fists.
    What had I ever seen in him?
    What had I seen in any of them?
    Without conscious thought my head turned so I could