Free [BAD 07] - Silent Truth by Sherrilyn Kenyon Page A

process.”
    He’d have laughed if she had, but she’d thrown that out in honesty. He was used to getting the “you’re a snob” routine from BAD agents, but getting that attitude from a stranger—one he’d helped—pricked his temper.The point of this meeting was to get her to talk, which wouldn’t happen if he let her bait him.
    “I’m not concerned about what anyone here thinks.” He lowered his voice to an intimate level. “Besides, it gave me a chance to get you alone.”
    “Why?”
    He hadn’t expected this much resistance. Most women would have cooed over the attention and flirtatious line he’d given her.
    This one didn’t coo and her gaze kept straying the whole time she talked, as if searching for someone else.
    Another man?
    Damned if that didn’t dig at his ego.
    Didn’t she realize he was flirting? Or had he lost his touch?
    She stopped visually canvassing the room and gave him her full attention. One soft brown eyebrow winged up in a silent reminder that she still wanted to know why he’d asked to speak to her alone.
    Stick with the truth whenever possible. “Wanted to talk to you.”
    “Why?”
    Was that the extent of her vocabulary? He couldn’t remember another word that had poked a hole in his patience the way that one was doing.
    Any other woman would be smiling by now.
    Her lips hadn’t twitched, much less curved up. She still eyed him suspiciously.
    Maybe asking “why” was her way of making him lose interest first.
    Didn’t she feel the least appreciation for his help?
    Hunter released a sigh. “To be honest, I think we’vemet somewhere before, but I can’t remember where. Thought you might know.”
    “Nope. Don’t remember meeting you.” She looked away and fidgeted with her purse, both actions saying she’d just lied as much as the too-quick answer did.
    Did she know him?
    Maybe she was just nervous and saying anything to get out of this situation.
    Not that he thought all women should fall at his feet, but he’d never seen one in such a hurry to brush him off. Ego aside, her attitude generated suspicion. What could be so pressing that it kept her glancing around and trying to end the conversation?
    He pulled out a safe question she couldn’t answer with “Why?” “What brings you here tonight?”
    Her eyes snapped up at him and narrowed with a flash of wariness then she seemed to catch herself and shrugged. “Same thing brings you here, I would assume. An invitation.”
    Still not giving an inch.
    Talking to Lydia would have been easier.
    “Actually, I came as a favor.” Even if his teammates didn’t see it that way. “What’s your name?”
    She hesitated, considered something, then said, “Abbie.”
    He’d let the last name go, for now. Hunter tapped his chin and concentrated as if her name meant something when he still had no clue where they’d met or who she was. “Abbie. Abbie. Sounds familiar. What do you do?”
    Panic streaked through her gaze before she checked it. “I’m a writer. Nothing you’d be impressed with.”
    “How do you know I wouldn’t be impressed?”
    She let her eyes travel up and down him in assessment. “I know. What do you do?”
    The Thornton-Payne dynasty had a hand in everything from communications to finance to arms manufacturing. He could choose one and no one would question him, but claiming any credit for the family businesses would be unfair to his brother, who actually oversaw many of the operations.
    Also, she had some burr under her skin about the wealthy, so the less said with regard to his family the better.
    Hunter gave her what he considered a fair answer. “I solve problems for other people.”
    “Like… helping with Lydia?”
    Did she make a joke?
    Abbie smiled. Her eyes twinkled blue, a natural color that reminded him of the Caribbean waters under a blazing sun. “What are you, like a rent-a-white-knight?”
    Hell no. But he’d finally earned a smile and kept his sarcastic retort safely behind his