Page 57 of Legal Desire
Sure, the report made her look bad. But it also made her look innocent of being the mole. And she’d admitted that reporter was her friend.
It was possible that she was the source for that story as she’d been for so many others. Maybe she’d figured it was safer to sacrifice her business than risk her freedom and a lawsuit from them.
Ronan had been talking about criminal charges and Simon had been talking about monetary restitution once they had their evidence.
Her eyes widened as she stared at him. Then she expelled a shaky sigh. “Oh, you don’t trust me.”
“It’s not that—”
But she stepped around him and headed toward the door. He rushed after her and slammed his palm against it, stopping her from opening it no matter that she was turning the knob.
“You can’t go,” he told her.
“Why not?” she asked. “Did you call the police? Did you all issue a restraining order when you banned me from the building?”
“Obviously, we didn’t ban you from the building,” he said. Or she wouldn’t have been able to storm into his office like she had.
But he wouldn’t put it past Simon to have done it now. Just as he had his doubts, his partners would, too. They had all grown up the same way, in the same place, and they wouldn’t have survived had any of them been too trusting.
“Then why won’t you let me leave?” she asked him.
Because a horrible thought had occurred to him.
“If you really are the one who the mole is after,” he said, “you might be in danger.” And there was no way he was going to allow anyone to hurt her.
Anyone else.
He knew that he already had earlier when he’d suspected she was the mole and now when he hadn’t been able to tell her that he trusted her.
But he wouldn’t let her get hurt again, even if he had to put himself in danger to protect her.
Allison felt like the ice queen now—cold straight through her. Despite Trevor standing beside her in the small elevator, she shivered. Even the heat of his big, muscular body couldn’t permeate hers now.
He cursed. “I’m sorry I didn’t have an umbrella.”
The minute they’d stepped out of the cab, the sky had opened up and downpoured on them. But that wasn’t why Allison was so cold. Her chill came from within rather than her wet clothes, hair and skin.
He rubbed his big hand over her shoulder and down her arm. “You’re so wet.”
Hearing that, and remembering all the times he’d said that before, had a little ember of warmth flickering back to life inside Allison.
He chuckled, as he must have realized what he’d said, too. And his arm tightened around her. He glanced at the control panel and murmured, “I’ve heard sex in an elevator can be exciting.”
She chuckled now. “You heard that... Mmm-hmm...”
“Seriously,” he said. “That’s the only way I know about it.”
“No firsthand knowledge?”
He shook his head. “Not yet.” But then he reached for the top button of her dress.
She giggled and stepped back just as the elevator dinged. The doors slid open on her floor. But it wasn’t empty.
Thankfully, no reporters waited for her. They hadn’t been in the lobby, either, so Edward must not have told them where she lived like he’d told Trevor. He had texted her a warning that the media had camped out at the office, waiting for her to return.
It was early afternoon, and she usually worked late. At least she had before she’d started seeing Trevor last week. But she wasn’t going back now.
There wasn’t much to go back to except those reporters. She should give them a statement. Say something to exonerate herself and the firm.
