Page 71 of When He Protects

A USB drive rested in the palm of his hand.

“Want to tell me the truth now?” Tyler pressed. “Or shall I just go ahead and pop this into a computer so we can see—together—exactly what is on the drive? SoIcan see what you were willing to risk your life to steal?”

All of the color fled from her face.

The drive was fucking not there.He’d searched fast and hard. He’d ripped apart the luggage bags. Searched the drawers in the bedroom. Gone through every item thatEsme and Tyler had brought to the safe house, but he’d turned up absolutelynothing.

Sweat beaded his brow.Where the hell is it?

He didn’t have much time to waste. He couldn’t be found in the house. And he’d left wreckage in his wake. Not like he’d had time for acleansearch.

His breath sawed in and out.

He picked up Esme’s shoes. Expensive as hell heels—and one of the heels turned in his tight grip. Frowning, he peered down and saw the hollow opening hidden in the heel.

But nothing was inside that opening.

Though his gut told him somethinghadbeen inside those heels. Once upon a time.

So where in the fuck is the drive now?

Chapter Fifteen

There wereseveral ways that she could play this scene. Unfortunately, none of those ways seemed promising. Esme swore she could feel her head spinning, and the last thing she wanted to do was pass out while Tyler glared at her. “You should smile more,” she blurted as her mind kept right on whirling. “Makes you look so much less scary.”

His glare intensified. So much for following her stellar advice.

Her gaze zipped down to the USB drive in his hand. “Where did you get that?”

“It was tucked inside one of your bras.”

Dammit. That had been her hiding spot. A man was not supposed to go plundering in a woman’s personal space. “Why on earth would you be searching inside one of my bras?”

“Because I knew you’d taken something other than those diamonds from Jorlan. My job is to figure out your secrets, remember?”

As if she could forget. “Yes, I remember.You must uncover all of my deep, dark secrets, even if you have to fuck them out of me.” Horror filled her. “Mon Dieu.That’s what you did, isn’t it? After we…last night…when I fell asleep with you—you searched then, didn’t you?”The betrayal she felt was staggering. Betrayal, followed swiftly by rage.

He didn’t speak.

She shoved against his chest, and he took a step back. “Asshole!” A very loud yell.

He didn’t flinch.

“Youusedme. I thought that what we did meant something, but you were just trying to fuck me into oblivion so you could search my stuff!”

“What’s on the drive, Esme?”

Rage and pain and fear swirled within her. All of her careful plans were in ashes. “Heroes aren’t supposed to do things like that.” She swiped at her cheek. “Such an utter disappointment.”

“Are you crying?”

“Yes, dammit!” Another disappointment. “And I can’t march to the bathroom and cry in peace because some jackass locked the door and I’m trapped in here with him!” Another swipe at her cheek. “Can’t believe you did this to me. Itrustedyou! Heroes don’t do this. Heroes don’t?—”

“Sweetheart, heroes will do anything to get the job done.” He spun away from her. Stalked toward the desk. He pushed aside the plate of croissants that she’d carefully prepared and grabbed a black laptop. “I didn’t have one at our safe house. Was gonna have a secure computer brought in tomorrow, but I can use Kane’s right now. He always has the best tech, and I know his password.” He tapped on the keyboard. Plugged the USB drive in place.

Esme knew she had to stop him. But how? Inspirationcame in only one way. “It’s a sex tape!” She lunged forward. “Do you really want to watch Jorlan fuck me?”

Wrong words. Oh, so wrong. But they’d been desperate words.

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