Page 53 of The Billionaire's Temptation

Strong arms wrapped around her from behind and she instantly recognized Levi’s scent. “Go put some clothes on, woman!” he growled, but his tone was light and teasing. “We need to figure out what happened here tonight.”

“Right,” she replied, then smiled at him over her shoulder before she walked out of his arms.

Fifteen minutes later, Clarissa was dressed, a cup of herbal tea in her hands and a plate filled with muffins on the large coffee table. She and Levi sat in one of the leather sofas while Detective Shelton sat on the opposite side, leaning forward with a small notebook in his hand. “Okay, can you go through everything you know about tonight?”

Clarissa, now wearing a pair of leggings and a loose shirt, leaned forward and shrugged. “I’d just turned off the lights to go to sleep when I heard something. That’s when Levi called and told me that he and Lance were almost here.”

“Ian Montrose,” Levi blurted out. When the detective turned his attention toward him, Levi elaborated. “I received news that Ian Montrose, Ms. Donata’s accountant–”

“Formeraccountant. I’m firing his ass.”

Levi looked over at her, startled by the news. “You are?”

“Yes. I asked Mandy, one of the accountants at the same firm, to start her own business and take over all of my accounting needs. She agreed.”

Levi slowly nodded his head. “That makes sense. You haven’t submitted anything official to him yet though, have you?”

“No. I was going to do that after Mandy was all set up.”

“Smart, but he must have gotten news that…” he stopped, looking over at the detective who was following their conversation without asking any questions. “Ian Montrose is the head of the accounting firm that has helped Clarissa’s father for years.”

“Ian Montrose is being investigated for money laundering,” Detective Shelton announced. “He has ties with organized crime. We haven’t divulged any of that information, so I’d appreciate it if you both keep it to yourselves.”

“Of course,” Clarissa replied, feeling Levi nod his agreement. “So…” she turned to Levi. “How do I freeze my bank accounts so that Ian can’t steal my money?”

“Let me call Brett.” He paused, his cell phone in his hand. “Brett Murry is Clarissa’s personal and business attorney. He is very discreet.”

The detective nodded and Levi walked away to make a phone call.

“Officer Milton mentioned an altercation outside with your step sister,” the detective continued.

Clarissa noted absently that he was a very handsome man. Not nearly as attractive as Levi, but the man had a nice look about him. And nice shoulders. Again, not as nice as Levi’s!

“I barely know my step sister, but she arrived right after the police got here,” Clarissa explained, glancing over at Levi. He was staring back at her and he nodded his head encouragingly. Immediately, Clarissa relaxed. She’d survive if she lost all of her father’s wealth, but if she was going to lose it, Clarissa didn’t want her money being stolen by a criminal organization. And she definitely didn’t want the bland, and apparently, corrupt, accountant stealing her father’s wealth either!

She turned her attention back to the detective.

“So your step sister arrived and…? What happened?” he prompted.

Clarissa pressed her lips together, trying to remember. “She was all dressed up, obviously she’d just come from a club or party. She’s very beautiful,” Clarissa explained, then wasn’t sure why she’d said that. “Anyway, she tried to convince me that the press were on their way to the house and she didn’t want me embarrassing the family by being outside in just an ugly overcoat.”

“And she tried to…?”

“She tried to convince me to get into the car so that I wouldn’t be visible to the press when they arrived.”

The detective was writing so fast, Clarissa wondered if he would be able to read his notes afterwards.

“She tried to get you to get into the car with her?” Levi asked, sitting down next to her.

“Yes. She said she didn’t want anyone seeing me like that, with the coat on,” she repeated.

“That’s strange,” he replied, then turned to the officer. “Blaire Stevens has no connection to Clarissa other than her efforts to stay here in the house. Ms. Stevens was the one who called the police on Clarissa, lying about Clarissa being a trespasser.”

The officer’s eyes narrowed. “What happened?”

They explained the scene, then came back to tonight’s events. “So, Blaire being concerned about Clarissa’s safety seemed suspicious.”

The detective nodded. “I doubt that she’ll bother you again,” he said. “Those kinds of people leech off of the wealthy but eventually, she and her brother will lose friends and be cast out.” He looked down at his notes, then asked several more questions. During those questions, Clarissa discovered that the massive bed in the primary suite had been slashed with a knife. That made her shudder and she felt Levi’s arm tighten around her shoulders. She snuggled closer, needing his strength.

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