“You are not bound by anything, Nikki.”

He spoke softly, seductively, his French-Arabic accent rolling like warm water over her skin. “I will never force you to do anything you don’t want to.”

Her blush deepened. His words held promise of sex. It reminded her of the sensation of his lips against hers, and how her body had reacted against her will.

“I suspect my enemies will hire their own private investigator and do their own check into your past. But that’s irrelevant to us.”

Shock stabbed through her. “What! Why would they do that?”

“If you were found to be a fraud, or a criminal…”

Nikki’s heart began to thud.

Was he playing her? Sensing that she really did have something to hide?

His smile deepened. “But there is nothing to worry about, right?”

“Of course not.” The words almost choked in her throat.