Free Trove (The Katie Walsh Mysteries) by KJ Montgomery Page B

so sweetly.
    Lucy Millar, head of the Inner Circle, never ceased to amaze Katie with her ability to sniff out any hint of scandal or intrigue. She was worse than a damn bloodhound. She’d had it in for Katie ever since she’d been hired nearly eight years ago. Rumor had it that her one goal was to get Katie out of the Institute, preferably by scandal, ensuring the gossip would follow her everywhere she went professionally. Lucy clearly saw her as a threat, though for the life of her, Katie couldn’t understand why. She didn’t even know what Lucy did besides torment her.
    Lucy tossed back of her head and cackled. “If I thought there was anything interesting going on in your bedroom, I might be tempted, but it’s a well-known fact that you’ve been in a sexual drought for ages now. Or should I say you’re in a deep freeze?”
    Katie’s body twitched at the additional reference to her Ice Princess reputation.
    “Perhaps you’ve forgotten what to do?” Lucy sighed loudly. “Maybe you can study some of the cave art drawings stored in the Institute’s basement for a refresher.”
    Katie jumped up, her soda hitting the wooden planking and rolling toward Laura, her hands at her side, fists clenched. “At least I know how to satisfy a man, you, you—” Just as the insult was about to jump off her lips, a large hand clamped down over her mouth as another slid around her midriff, pulling her backwards, slamming her into a very hard, very male body.
    “I’d advise you not to say another word, Katie,” Alec said into her ear.
    Katie squirmed, trying to break free. Her hands pried at the one holding her against him. His grip tightened. She relaxed, her self-defense training kicking in. As she expected, his grip loosened. She took the moment to elbow him in the stomach and spin out of his reach. “You son of a bitch, what do you think you’re doing, manhandling me like that?”
    He crossed his arms, eyes glaring. “You kiss your parents with that potty mouth?”
    Laura gasped. Lucy winced. Katie froze. She breathed in deep, consuming the air around her as she straightened her spine, and willed the shield to fall into place from head to toe. She felt it cascade down through her body as she counted to ten before she faced him. Her eyes looked past him, focusing on the lighthouse in the harbor. Calmly she answered, “No. I do not.” She turned and walked back toward the Institute.
    Laura shook her head at Alec then strode after Katie.
    Alec turned to Lucy. “What the hell just happened?”
    Lucy, her smug smile gone, replied, “Katie’s parents died in some horrific accident. No one knows the details. She doesn’t talk about it. I don’t think even Laura, who’s like a sister to her, knows the whole story.”
    “Damn it. I had no idea.”
    “Come on, Alec,” she said as she hooked her arm around his, tugging until his feet moved. “I think we should talk. It’s been too long.”
     
     

Chapter Three
     
    Katie slammed her office door and paced back and forth in front of her desk. “Who the hell does he think he is? I can so have his ass in a sling for what he just did.”
    There was a knock on the door. Laura stepped in before closing the door behind her. “You all right, Katie?”
    “No,” Katie snapped. “Who the hell does he think he is? He assaulted me. He manhandled me.” She crossed the room again. “And then he had the gall to bring up my parents. Ooh, I just cannot work with that man.”
    “I agree he had no right to touch you like that but…” Laura hesitated.
    Katie stopped walking and planted her hands on her hips. Her eyes locked on Laura. “But what?”
    “Katie, I’m sure he didn’t know about your parents. It was an honest mistake.”
    Katie pursed her lips, paced a few steps and then turned back to face Laura. “You may be right, Laura, but if he didn’t try to muzzle me, it wouldn’t have been said.”
    Laura shrugged. “You’re right.”
    “I just can’t work for