Free Aegis Security 02 - Sinful Surrender by Elisabeth Naughton

not related to Jake Ryder, the CEO of Aegis, is she?”
    “Sister,” Brian answered.
    The detective glanced past Brian to Grace behind him, and though she was quiet, Brian could all but feel her enraged stare boring into the back of his head. “Is there a situation here we should be aware of? I’m starting to think this wasn’t just a random break-in. The damage in this room is way more severe than the other two.”
    Brian wasn’t ready to share any info with the local cops yet. Not until he talked to Grace. And her brother. “Jake Ryder has more than a few enemies. His sister’s safety is his top priority.”
    The detective harrumphed, obviously knowing Brian wasn’t ready to divulge details. Turning away, he signaled another man in a suit standing near the door.
    The other man rushed over and shook Brian’s hand. “I’m Walt Siegfried, manager of the resort. We’re going to move you to one of the villas for the duration of your stay.”
    “That won’t be necessary,” Grace said in a clipped tone, moving up on Brian’s right. “I’ve just decided it’s time to leave.”
    Brian glanced at her. Her jaw was hard, her shoulders tight, and she wasn’t daring to look his way, but he could tell by the way she was staring at the manager that she was pissed.
    The manager glanced to the detective. “Um…”
    “Ms. Ryder,” the detective said, zeroing in on Grace. “We’ve got a major storm moving in. Up to fourteen inches expected by morning. I-70’s already shut down west of here. If you leave now, you’re going to get caught in it. Let the hotel put you up in one of the villas while we sort all this out. Between your private detail here and the tighter security in the VIP villas, you’ll be perfectly safe.”
    A muscle ticked in Grace’s jaw, and she crossed her arms over the notebook plastered to her chest. “Fine. But I’m going there alone.”
    Brian grasped Grace at the elbow and gently tugged her away from the group. “Excuse us for a minute, would you, gentlemen?”
    Grace tried to yank her arm from his grip but he only held her tighter. He pulled her into the corner of the room and worked to keep his voice quiet when he said, “You can be pissed at me all you want, but be smart about how you do it.”
    Grace wriggled her arm free and crossed her arms over her chest again, careful not to make eye contact. “I’m not having this conversation with you.”
    “Yes, you are. And after this”—he nodded toward the demolished room—“you’re not going anywhere without me. Tomorrow you can call whoever you want and get someone else in here to watch over you, but tonight I’m here to make sure nothing happens to you, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do. So get used to it.”
    He moved away from her, knowing he was leaving her seething, but pushed it from his mind. When he reached the detective again, he nodded toward the resort manager. “We’ll take that villa.”
    “Perfect.” The manager pulled a two-way radio from his belt. “I’ll make sure it’s all set up for you.”
    As the manager moved toward the hall, Brian focused on the detective again. “Now, about those surveillance tapes.”
    “We’ll get you what we can,” the detective answered. “But so far it looks like the break-in happened from the patio. Come over here and let me show you.”
    He followed the detective to the sliding glass door, and behind him heard Grace huff and drop to sit on one of the only unbroken chairs in the room. He knew she was mad, and she had every right to be, but right now the only thing that mattered was keeping her safe. Something he should have been thinking about long before this.

 
     
     
CHAPTER SIX
     
     
    Jake Ryder was a dead man. But he’d have to get in line and wait, because Grace had plans to kill Brian Walker first.
    Standing in the middle of the marble bathroom in the villa the hotel had given her, Grace pressed both hands against her forehead. The room spun, and her