Page 30 of The Sinner's Bargain

Bemused, I pushed away from the wall and straightened. My gaze stayed trained on the firmly closed barrier between me and the strange woman on the other side.

Maybe it was a trap.

Maybe she was going to wait until she heard my footsteps before making a move.

Maybe I’d been paranoid too long and had finally lost my mind.

Nevertheless, I carefully undid my laces and dragged my scuffed boots off. I hooked them on my fingers and made my way gingerly on my toes to the stairs, feeling ridiculous the entire way.

Cyrus glanced up when I descended the steps in my socks. A brow lifted, but he made no comment.

“Who was the guy?” I asked instead of addressing the amusement in his eyes.

He fell into step with me towards my office. “It’s three in the morning.”

I shot him a sidelong glance.

“All the normal people I would ask for information are still in bed,” he explained.

I exhaled, resisting the urge to roll my eyes. “Anything about her?”

I went to my desk and pulled back my chair. Cyrus stayed on the opposite side of the oak.

“Just what was in the bag,” he paused for a heartbeat before adding, “Who do you think she’s running from?”

I sat and dragged my chair closer. “No idea. Didn’t get much from her, except her name.”

“Want me to ask around?”

I shook my head. “If someone is looking for her, I don’t want them to find her yet.”

“Understood.”

The pen that found its way between my fingers tapped several times on the wood in rapid succession while I contemplated my new predicament.

“She knows about the roses.” I raised my eyes to the other man. “That’s where they were when I caught them. I don’t think she touched anything, but she knows they exist.”

Cyrus momentarily closed his eyes in a wince. “Shit.”

The pen tapped a little harder. “I don’t want her going anywhere until I know what we’re dealing with. We can’t let her tell anyone.”

The other man sighed. “Understood. I’ll alert the men. We’ll keep word of her presence quiet.”

“One more thing,” I sat back into the cool leather, “she’s off limits. I will personally disembowel anyone who touches her.”

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