Nightfire. Barbara McCauley

      “What about you, Kane?” She glanced back at him. “Am I supposed to trust you?”

      His jaw tightened. “I’m here to do a job. That you can depend on. Nothing more, nothing less.”

      She sent him an exasperated look. “Has anyone ever told you it’s not healthy to go around suspecting everyone?”

      “It’s not healthy to be dead, either.”

      Allison felt the impact of Kane’s words like a punch in the stomach. He never let up, not even for a second, and she wondered if some sadistic part of him enjoyed keeping her on the edge. “Thanks for the reassurance. I’m sure that little bit of advice will help me sleep much better tonight.”

      She started to walk away then, but he caught her by the wrist.

      “Allison.”

      She wasn’t sure what surprised her more, the gentle touch of his hand or the uncharacteristic softness in his voice. She stared at his fingers wrapped around her wrist, then lifted her eyes to his. For a brief second, a flash of something—tenderness?—was there in his eyes, but it was gone so quickly she might have imagined it.

      “I’m not here so you can sleep better at night,” he said quietly. “You can’t let your guard down, not even for a minute. My job is to keep whoever this guy is out there from getting close to you. Your job is to be ready and prepared for anything. You’ll get no kind words from me, no assurances, because there are none. That’s how I operate and that’s why your father hired me.”

      She was beginning to understand more clearly why her father had hired Kane. The two men were very much alike. As subtle as a steamroller and as tenacious as an angry bull. Results were what mattered, not merit badges in charm. She may not like it, but she did respect it.

      As he let go of her arm she realized that he’d come about as close to an apology or explanation as she’d ever get from him. Though unspoken, a truce settled between them. “Dinner’s in the oven, but it won’t be ready for about forty-five minutes.”

      Kane remembered that he’d already spoken to the gardener and the pool man, but he hadn’t seen a glimpse of the housekeeper and cook that Oliver employed full-time. “I’ll need a few minutes of your housekeeper’s time after dinner. I need to ask her a few questions.”

      “That might be a little difficult,” Allison said, feeling a twinge of satisfaction that there were a few things Mr. Thomas Kane didn’t know. “Her granddaughter just had a baby yesterday. She left this morning to stay with her for a month.”

      Confused, Kane glanced toward the house. “Who’s cooking?”

      Good Lord, did the man think she was entirely helpless? She tapped down the annoyance rising in her. “I’ve learned to throw one or two simple meals together.”

      “I don’t expect you to cook for me.” Actually, he hadn’t expected her to cook at all. The fact that she did surprised him.

      Something told her that Kane never expected anything from anybody. If a person didn’t expect anything, then he didn’t have to give anything. “There’s plenty,” she said flatly. “I’ve already asked the other men to join us.”

      Kane resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Next thing he knew, they’d be having a picnic. “I’ll take a plate out to them,” he said dryly. “These men are here to work, not attend dinner parties.”

      “Oh, darn.” She gestured dramatically and sarcasm dripped off her words. “Now whoever will I wear my gown and jewels for tonight?”

      He could see diamonds on her. Diamonds and emeralds and black velvet. “You’ll be wearing them for our picture-taking friend, if you don’t let us do our job.”

      Kane’s words cooled Allison’s ire and sharply reminded her of the situation. The idea of someone actually coming into her home while she was sleeping or taking a shower made her skin crawl. Having worked with the children at the center, she’d always thought she had a strong understanding of the darker side of life. But the truth was, she’d never been a victim herself. No one had ever threatened to hurt her; no one had ever followed her or watched her.

      Or taken her picture while she was getting dressed.

      Maybe Kane was right. Maybe she had been living in never-never land. Maybe ‘princess’ wasn’t so far off, after all.

      “I’ve got to go check on my frozen dinners,” she said with just enough bite to lift her spirits a notch. “Those aluminum containers are awful to clean when you burn the macaroni and cheese.”

      Kane watched her walk away and wondered why he felt as if he’d just kicked a puppy. So what if she was mad at him? That was his intention. Anger kept people on their toes. And Allison needed to be alert. He had to remind her there were bad guys out there, no matter how angry it made her; no matter how much it upset her. It was for her own good, dammit.

      He almost smiled as she disappeared into the house, realizing that however angry she might happen to be at him now, it was nothing compared to what she’d be feeling after she found out what he had planned for the morning.