When Bowie pulled into the parking lot they both seemed to take a deep breath.
Alayna took stock of everything that had transpired in the course of the day. As hard as she’d worked to whip her life into order, it seemed it would never be anything but chaos.
Why couldn’t people be open and honest? Why did everyone have a hidden motive? It didn’t seem like capturing Aaron or the people who tried to kidnap her were on Detective Gray and his partner’s agenda at all.
Their captain probably had a hidden motive as well. To cover his men’s asses, and his own.
And Aaron certainly had motives that didn’t include the well-being of his children. Then there were his parents.
And Bowie was caught in the middle along with her. She was putting him in danger. If he was caught up in the maelstrom of her life, it might damage his career.
Bowie exited the car, searching the parking lot before he walked around to open her door. They walked toward the apartment building with his hand against the small of her back. She could feel the pressure of each finger, and felt it through every inch of her body.
She dreaded seeing Warren and Gloria.
Alayna’s phone rang, and she tugged it free of her pocket as they crossed the parking lot to the entrance. It was Mr. Kappes.
“I’ve been contacted by one of the people Aaron embezzled money from, Karrick Gilman. He’d like a sit-down meeting with you tomorrow afternoon after you’ve gone before the judge for the restraining order.”
“Did he say what he wanted?”
“He hinted he’s going to offer you a monetary incentive to try and find the money Aaron has stolen.”
They stepped into the lobby and she paused to speak to Kappes. “You know this man’s reputation?”
“Yeah. He’s dangerous.”
Gilman wouldn’t have to pay her for the info. She’d gladly give it to him if she had it. “But I don’t know where it is.”
“I know that. But I can say that to him from my office, and he’ll think I’m putting up a wall between you and him and maneuvering to negotiate for more money. He needs to hear it directly from you. And once you convince him you don’t have any connection with your husband’s dealings, word will spread, and maybe the rest of the pack will direct their attention toward the man responsible for all this.”
“From what I’ve gathered from the detectives, these are all very rich businesspeople. None of them are going to want it to be common knowledge they were taken in by a crooked real estate agent. And if they’re crooked themselves, like he is, they’ll be doubly pissed and want revenge. And the way the detectives have been tiptoeing around things, I think some of the people may be as dangerous as Gillman, or more dangerous.”
“Well, Gilman is a at least approaching you in good faith, and you may end up with one less person breathing down your neck. And I’ll be there as a witness.”
“All right. What time do I need to be in your office?”
“Noon tomorrow.”
“Okay.” She looked up after shutting off the call.
“Bowie…” This just kept getting more and more complicated. Eventually he was going to hit his limit with issues and he’d walk away.
The elevator door opened and they stepped inside.
Bowie hit the button to close the door. As soon as it was shut, he hit another button and the elevator jolted to a stop. “Whatever you’re thinking about, let it go, Alayna.” He backed her against the elevator wall and pinned her there with his body. Her heart raced, and her legs went wobbly.
His gaze delved into hers, hot and steady with need. His lips found hers with heated determination. After a second of surprise, her resistance crumbled. They clung together, their lips and tongues sparring with reckless abandon. His erection pressed into her stomach, and she wanted to lock her leg around his hips and hook him in.
The kiss went on and on, vaporizing every thought about anything but him, and leaving an aching need to have him fill the emptiness in its place.
Breathing hard, he broke the kiss and cupped her face. “Feeling better?”
“Yeah.” She laughed.
“I told you that every time you get that stressed look, I was going to do something to remove it.”
Physically he was as closely in tune with her now as they’d been in the past. She rose on tiptoe to press her lips to his again, with tenderness and caring. She’d missed him every day for ten years.
“If there weren’t cameras in here…” He pressed warm lips to her forehead, then released her to start the elevator again.