Free Accounting for Lust by Ylette Pearson Page A

photo’s he or she must have had Cassie’s father’s confidence to such an extent that the old man told him where he would be and with whom. And trust me, the old bastard got around.”
    “So it’s someone close.” Matt stated. “It almost always is. Where do we begin looking? Just point the way and we’ll do the rest. Oh, by the way, the female guard is not trained enough to look after your girl. She’s all yours for the duration.”
    Jake refused to analyse the relief flooding through him. He had more pressing things to think about than how he felt about Cassie. They needed to find the thief before he upgraded to murder.
    Jake stared at the minivan. “Let’s talk to Cassie . She must know more than she revealed so far.”
    Silence reigned inside the van when Matt slid open the door. “Take her to the office.” He met every single person’s eyes. “Make sure she gets there or you’re asses will be in a sling. You saw the photo.”
    The five masked faces inside nodded and closed the door. Jake and Matt followed the team at a safe distance and Jake sigh ed with relief when they finally pulled into the building. Once inside the office, Jake steered Cassie to his office, closed the door in Matt’s face and hugged her close.
    “You okay?”
    “Yes. Scared, but okay .” She buried her face in his chest . The flowery scent of her hair drifted upwards .
    “I know, babe. ” He squeezed her shoulder before gently putting her away from him. “ We need to talk. Are you up to it?” She nodded and Jake opened the door to let Matt in. 
     
    Cassie took the time to study the interior. The office was minimalistic with no sentimental ornaments adorning the walls or shelves. A large uncluttered wooden desk huddled in a corner opposite the windows, offering Jake a panoramic view over the city. Several comfortable chairs and a couch surrounded a low coffee table with a lamp sitting behind a well-used recliner. On the wall, coloured pins dotted the maps of the city and surrounding countryside.
    Matt cleared his throat and Cassie accepted the offer of coffee before she perched on a single chair, crossing her ankles. The two men took a seat opposite her and Matt flipped open a file. With his pencil poised, he started the interrogation.
    She told them about Joshua’s suspicions and blushed when she retrieved the flash drives from her bra. When they started asking about her father, her hackles went up. Graham Adams worked very hard to establish the business and gain the confidence of his clients. It cost him his marriage and al ienated his children from him. H e had a problem controlling his sex-drive . At the moment, Cassie couldn’t fault him on that. Maybe if someone asked her the same question two weeks ago, her answer would have been different. But s he suffered the same fate. She had the same weakness. And she understood.
    “You ’re an only child?” Matt persisted in questioning her while Jake ravished her with his eyes. I t was difficult to breathe with the animalistic lust his gaze invoked .
    “No, I have a brother as well. Dorian is an interior designer.” She saw their brows lift . “Yes he is gay and he is extremely good at his job.”
    “Your mother?”
    “She divorced my father when I turned eighteen and remarried about a month later. She lives in France and as far as I know, she hadn’t returned to the States ever since.” Cassie mentally calculated the timeframe. “Must be more than ten years now.”
    “Any other biological siblings?”
    She shook her head. “Oh, we’re not their biological children. After an accident in the factory, my father lost the ability to father children together with his testicles.” The men winced and clamped their thighs together. Cassie bit back a smile.
    “They adopted us when it seemed appropriate for an up and coming entrepreneur to have a family. Dorian is two years my senior.”
    “But, the photo’s on the flash drives . . .” Jake didn’t need to finish