Page 6 of Indecent Proposal

Vaughn looked at me for a long moment, then turned his head with a frown and looked out through the window. I had to admit that I was nervous about the floor-to-ceiling windows in this office, but I was consoled by the fact that this was one of the tallest buildings in the area. I was also pretty sure that Vaughn wouldn’t have brought me in here if I would actually be in any kind of danger.

He finally glanced back at me, sighing heavily, as though I was a burden he really didn’t want to take on. “Look, I get that you can’t pay right now. Normally we require some kind of upfront deposit for our services. But I’m not going to let you go back out there and get hurt. So here’s what we’re going to do. I have a safehouse, which I own, and you’ll be one hundred percent protected there. It’s not a place that we take clients since it’s through me personally and not through the company, but I think that’s a good thing in this case. It keeps you off the books. And it means we won’t be using company expenses for you.”

I stared at him in shock. The man’s whole attitude had given me the impression that he wouldn’t be interested in helping me. I figured he would give me the contact for some other person who charged less or would do things for free, or maybe even take me to the police and tell them to handle me.

But instead, he was offering up his personal place to keep me safe?

Vaughn folded his arms and arched his eyebrow, like he was expecting a response—understandably. I realized my mouth had fallen open a little and I quickly closed it.

“Thank you,” I said gratefully. “That’s very generous of you.”

“If the other option is letting you die? It’s not going to happen on my watch,” he replied grimly, at least letting me know he had a conscience beneath his surly attitude. “We’ll get to the bottom of this.”

I nodded, and bit my bottom lip. “I don’t suppose… I could speak to any of your colleagues as well, about this?”

Not that I thought the man couldn’t do his job, but we’d clearly hit it off on the wrong foot. He seemed to think I was the equivalent of gum stuck to the bottom of his shoe, and frankly, I didn’t have that much higher of an opinion of him. His whole personality rubbed me the wrong way.

Vaughn shook his head. “They’re all busy on other assignments and are out of town for a few days. Time is clearly of the essence with this kind of thing. I’ll get you to the safehouse immediately, and we can go from there. With a sniper somewhere out there, your safety is the priority.”

What he said made perfect sense, unfortunately. I couldn’t insist on someone else now, that would be rude, and there wasn’t any reason to do that anyway. If I tried waiting for one of his colleagues, I might be dead by then. Shit.

I forced a smile onto my face. “Thank you. I really appreciate it.”

“Don’t thank me yet,” Vaughn said, smirking a little. “You haven’t seen your bill for when this whole thing is taken care of.”

“You seem rather sure of yourself that it will be taken care of.”

“We’re the best.” Vaughn’s smug smile only grew. “Or would you prefer that I tell you we’re not the best and we might,maybe, get the people who are out to kill you? Would my humility fill you with confidence over your safety?”

I grit my teeth. “No, I appreciate the confidence.”

He could’ve said it in a more gracious tone, though. What was it about this man that was driving me so crazy? He was the complete opposite of Richard in that way—Richard, bless him, had always flown under my radar. Sometimes I had forgotten he was there.

I was pretty sure it would be impossible to forget that Vaughn was anywhere near my orbit. He was so unapologetically bold and brash and in your face.

“All right.” Vaughn pulled out his phone and began tapping away. “I’ll get you relocated, and then we’ll figure out a game plan.”

Then he lifted his gaze to mine, and something serious dropped into his eyes, like everything else had been swept away. “Whatever else, Miss Turner, we’re going to get to the bottom of this.”

My stomach twisted. “I really, really hope you’re right,” I admitted, my voice wobbling in spite of myself. “I’m tired of being scared and in the dark.”

Vaughn nodded. “I promise you, we’ve never lost a client, and I don’t intend for you to be my first. All right?”

“Thank you,” I whispered, for the umpteenth time.

The man might be annoying in general, but the tone he adopted now soothed me. He really was in control, and this company was supposed to be the best. He was helping me, even though I couldn’t pay him right now (or at least not pay him what he was worth). This wasn’t going to be anything personal. I was a client, and he was performing a service. I could put up with someone I didn’t like if it meant getting justice for Richard and safety for myself.

Profound relief surged through me. This was going to be all right. I would finally be safe and protected.

Or at least, that’s how Vaughn made me feel for the first time in weeks.

CHAPTER3

Vaughn

I’m sure I was going to get a lecture from the guys when they returned.

Using my personal safehouse? Accepting a client when there was no solid information or leads? Arguing with a client? Taking on a client who didn’t have the means to pay for our services? And worse, lusting after a client I couldn’t touch.

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