Page 8 of When He Protects

Esme looked back.

Tyler realized he should say something to her.

But he had no idea what the hell to say.

She sent him a little wave. “Don’t forget me.”

Tyler didn’t think he could if he tried. There were some people you never forgot.

The young agent that Gray had called forward—Agent Sam Garcia—took Esme’s arm and escorted her forward. And that was when Tyler noticed the raindrops on Garcia’s back.

“They are fuckinggone!”Jorlan Rodgers erupted out of his bedroom suite. His hands were waving, his tux wrinkled, and a vein near his forehead bulged to an alarming degree. “Someone stole my diamonds!”

Tyler and Gray exchanged a long look. Then Gray turned to the angry billionaire and tried to sooth him by saying, “Look, Mr. Rodgers, we have all the jewels that the thieves tried to steal. They’re currently being kept as evidence.”

And Jorlan had just snatched the big evidence bag fromone of the uniforms on scene. He upended the bag and glittering gems flew across the gleaming, marble floor.

“What in the hell?” Gray exploded. “That’s fucking evidence! You don’t do that shit!” He motioned to the stunned agents and uniformed cops who leapt into motion.

“My diamonds aren’t there!” Jorlan rounded on Gray. “They were stolen from the safe in my bedroom. I want them,now.Bad enough that these morons held me at gunpoint. For them to take my diamonds…” He whirled back and glared at the blond thief who was being marched out by two cops. The ring leader. “You will pay,” he vowed.

The blond thief blanched.

“You need to calm down,” Gray announced. Then, blasting, “Do not touch those!”He snapped at two women in red dresses who’d edged closer to the jewels. “What in the hell is this? A circus?Bag and tag the evidence. I want guards on the jewels.”

Jorlan’s breath heaved in and out. His nostrils flared. “Not just anyone could get in my safe.” His gaze swept dismissively over the blond and his young crew that were being cuffed and led away. Jorlan whirled back to face Tyler. “You were supposed to guard my possessions.”

That had been part of the deal. They’d suspected a hit would occur that night. And in order for Tyler to get admittance to the party so that he could catch the robbers in the act, Jorlan had needed to extend an invitation to his old boarding school buddy.

“Where the hell were you during the theft?” Jorlan snarled.

Was that snarl supposed to be intimidating? Tyler barely managed to contain an eye roll.

“Locked in the library,” Gray answered when Tylerremained silent. “But he got out via your secret passageway.”

Jorlan’s eyes narrowed. “How the fuck did you know about that?”

“And then he stopped the bad guys so…yeah, you shouldthankhim,” Gray instructed.

Jorlan didn’t thank him. The vein bulged even more. “Five million dollars’ worth of diamonds are missing. Someone got in my bedroom. Got to my safe. No one leaves until I have my diamonds!”

The rich prick didn’t get to make demands. Time for him to realize that extremely important fact of life. Time for him to?—

Esme isn’t here.

Tyler did a double-take. Nope, no gorgeous brunette in a body-hugging black dress. Guests were being questioned, yes, so maybe she was being interviewed in a different room…

Tyler took off and began searching for her.

“Hey, asshole!” Jorlan yelled after him. “I was talking to you!”

Like Tyler cared. His heart was racing, and tension had burned its way through his body. Several of the other agents had wet hair. He’d noticed that a few moments ago. First, he’d seen the slight wetness that darkened the back of Garcia’s coat. Then he’d caught the slick hair some of the late arriving agents and uniforms sported. And a few moments before, he’d seen a flash of lightning beyond the picture window on the right.

Why did Esme’s hair seem damp?

If she’d been in the library the whole time, why was her hair damp? It shouldn’t be damp. Not unless she’d beenoutside. Like some of the agents. Like some of the uniforms. If she’d been outside and she’d gotten caught in the rain…

Impossible, right? Unless…

---