Page 18 of Come For Me
Kelly’s smile peeked out from beneath a dark mustache, giving him a boyish look that wreaked havoc with Olivia’s perceptions. “Of course.”
That was ridiculous, but Kelly didn’t seem to sense the irony—or didn’t let on that he did. She drilled the man with her stare, demanding he explain.
Her demand seemed to amuse him. “She’s a hellcat, isn’t she?” he asked Dain. The muscle in Dain’s cheek flexed, but he didn’t answer.
Kelly shrugged. “If you’ve got a problem with us being here, talk to your boss. It’s all on him.”
“Stan?”
“No. Your boss. Cecil Derrick.”
Of course. He’d been arguing with Cecil when she first arrived. She glanced over her coworkers, the conversation she’d heard making more sense now that she was in the room with them. What didn’t make more sense was how Cecil was involved with Kelly. Their CEO was nice, unassuming—a family man, not a criminal. She doubted he knew anyone who owned a gun, much less men like this.
“See, Mr. Boss Man Derrick owes some very important people a large sum of money. Money he hasn’t paid back in a timely manner. That’s where we come in.” He jerked up his gun, his implication obvious. Olivia’s heart gave a hard thump. “We’re here to collect.”
“Collect money?”
One dark eyebrow went up at her question. “What else?”
“That would be a fine plan if we actually had money here, but we don’t,” Olivia pointed out. “Not even petty cash. We don’t need it. Nowadays no company does unless they’re retail; everything is online.” That was Modern Business 101.
“We know.” Kelly stepped closer, that gun aimed right at her belly. Instinctively Olivia sucked in her stomach, as if the hardened muscles could protect the baby from a bullet. “But access codes have to be on hand for companies to access funds online. I believe…Stan? Was that his name? I believe Stan had the access codes we wanted. Unfortunately for him”—he glanced toward the hall again—“he did not want to provide them for us. He objected. Forcefully.”
A chill skittered across her skin. “So you killed him?”
How could a man so immoral have eyes seemingly clear of guilt? “It’s not personal,” he said, “just business.”
And where was Cecil? If, as Kelly said, he was responsible for all of this, where had he been when Stan was shot? Where was he now?
“You screwed yourself; you know that, right?”
Kelly’s eyes slitted at Dain’s taunt. He glanced at his crony and jerked his head. The man headed for Dain.
Olivia moved too, no more than a step, but she couldn’t ignore the instinct to protect Dain. Her hand slid into her pocket. Godzilla’s rough paw stopped her before she could withdraw it.
“What is that?” he growled, his grip tightening on her throat as he pillaged her pocket. Olivia closed her eyes and pressed herself into his body with all the force she could manage. The feel and smell of him made her want to gag, but she’d tolerate it for even a single millimeter of space between her throat and that damn knife.
The harsh crunch of a fist landing on bone jerked her eyelids open again. A large red bruise marred Dain’s cheek.
“Stop!”
“Livie, be still!” Dain’s eyes met hers. A slight shake of his dark head warned her to wait. She didn’t want to; she wanted to make them hurt like her husband hurt. She wanted them to feel the fear that consumed her every time a weapon swung her way. She wanted—
Kelly stepped between her and Dain, his grin wide. That look scared her more than his anger, though she wasn’t sure why. “I never would’ve thought you had it in you, lady.”
“Had what in me?”
His hand came up, making her flinch. Her dull knife and fork looked silly in his heavy fist.
Kelly tsked. “Maybe it wasn’t the big guy over there that we needed to worry about all this time.” Still grinning, he leaned forward. “Was it you that took out Morris?”
Hot breath washed over her face. All of Kelly’s attention was on her; everyone’s attention was on her. Would admitting what she’d done keep their focus—and free Dain to make a move?
“Yes.”
“Thank you.”
She blinked.
