Page 75 of Back in Black

He blocked the bedroom door so she couldn’t leave. “A bra wouldn’t hurt anything, you know.”

“Wear one if it’ll make you feel better.” She all but pushed through him to take the lead. Following behind her, Drew made note of the defiant swish in her gait, and how that delectable ass of hers filled out her jeans. That preoccupation let her get through the front door ahead of him.

For a minute there, she’d been badly shaken by the invasion of their privacy and the residue of danger and death. Every protective instinct in him had taken over.

Now, she was back in control, and as take-charge as ever.

Damn, but he liked both sides of her: the soft, vulnerable lady and the balls-to-the-wall businesswoman.

One thing about Gillian, no matter what, she never bored him. That had to count for something, right?

As he trailed her out the door, Drew paused to grab a jacket. The evening air had chilled, so he could use that as an excuse to cover up Gillian’s impressive rack.

For one of the few times in his life, he felt possessive toward a woman. No matter the deadly conspiracy at hand, he wasn’t about to share her.

CHAPTER 12

OFFICER Sparks took statements from each of them separately. An ambulance crew removed the body, and the camera was taken for evidence.

Drew’s tolerance wore thin. Gillian held it together, but she looked exhausted. He wanted to pamper her, damn it. He wanted to tell her that everything would be okay—but he wouldn’t lie to her. Any assurance right now would be just that—a giant lie.

“So.” Sparks looked at Dickey. “What was the purpose of your visit tonight?”

Dickey surprised Drew with his tact. “Just business, to work out details on when I’ll fight next.”

Unconvinced, Sparks asked, “Is that routine, to visit the president of the company at his house?”

Dickey shook his head. “No.” And then, a little chagrined: “Maybe that’s why you won’t see me fighting anytime soon.”

Humility always got to Drew. And it didn’t hurt that Dickey was a damn good fighter, albeit with a lot to learn. “Dickey’s working through some roadblocks to success, but he’s getting there.” Drew slapped him on the shoulder, earning a funny look from Dickey.

“As to fighters visiting me at my house, this isn’t my only home. Usually I’m in L.A., and yeah, when I’m there I don’t mix business with home life. But the atmosphere here is more relaxed. Everyone knows everyone.” He gave Sparks a direct stare. “I’ve had a few of the fighters over. No big deal.”

Dickey almost swallowed his tongue over that one.

“Hmmm.” Sparks looked down at his notes. “Any idea why a photographer was running from you?”

“Probably because he knew I planned to beat his god-damned ass if I’d caught him.”

That irked Sparks. “You threatened him?”

“Didn’t get a chance. Like I told you, soon as the camera flashed, I went after him and he ran like a fucking coward who skulks in bushes to facilitate snooping into other people’s lives.”

Sparks exhibited strained patience.

“Look, I won’t lie to you. I was going to smash the fucking cameraandhis face. But he ran like hell around the corner and into the street, and bam, just like that, the car plowed him down.”

“On purpose.”

Exasperation raised Drew’s voice to a near shout. “How many drivers are going seventy, eighty miles an hour on these streets? I didn’t even notice the car until the headlights came on, and neither did the dumb-ass photographer.”

Sparks looked at Gillian with suspicion. “And you didn’t see any of that?”

Arms wrapped around herself, she shook her head. “Not the hit, no. I was a few yards behind Drew, and by the time I rounded the block, it was . . . all over.”

“Why were you following him?”

Apologetic, she looked askance at Drew. “I was going to stop him from hitting the guy.”

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