Vigilante Mine Read Online Free Page B

suspicion.
    "Detective Werner will suffice." She continued to the landing and shoved open the door painted with a giant, red number three.
    "Detective." He palmed the edge of the door and she faced him, impatience flitting through her eyes. Chocolate and caramel tap-danced over his libido. "We weren't formally introduced." Ryan forced his breath to stay steady and stuck out his other hand. "Ryan McLelas."
    She walked away.
    Then she disappeared around a corner.
    The universe thought to hand him a chance to redeem himself and then throw it in his face? No. So redemption wouldn't come easily. Fine. Determination to make her see beyond his latest mistake shoved his guilty conscience into a corner of his mind.
    His family didn't give up, back down, or step aside.
    "This way, McLelas."
    "Ryan." He rounded the corner with his most endearing smile.
    "Still can't call me Amanda." But her gaze softened before she hurried onward.
    Small victories, Ryan . Charm had always been his best weapon.
    Amanda was a dozen yards ahead at the other end of the hallway when he caught her self-chiding, "Do not flirt with him."
    He gaped after her lovely, jean-clad rear then forced himself to close in on her heels. Ryan tapped into his supernatural hearing and found it locked up tight. He shouldn't have heard her whisper at that distance. Not without using his power.
    "He likes bimbos. Lots and lots of bimbos," she continued.
    A smile tugged at his lips. Not entirely accurate, but fair. He'd allowed the playboy image to run rampant. The press loved him all the more for it, and it gave him a good cover for his Klepto escapades at night. Ryan hesitated. She wouldn't have said that for anyone's ears but her own.
    Were his filters caving again?
    The secure file room had an encoded lock. He listened as her fingers hit the keypad. Individual pitches would register if his power were unleashed. His filters seemed fine. Nothing registered beyond the light taps a person with average hearing would pick up.
    "Why a case file?"
    Except her voice. For some reason, his ears had tuned to the all-Amanda, all-the-time channel.
    At least she's entertaining.
    She spun around, her hands on her hips, those piercing blues hot on his face.
    Ryan's shoulders twitched in surprise. "What?"
    "Why a case file? Why not a future pardon? A frame job of a competitor for something vile? Personal bodyguards?"
    "I have my own team of those." He tapped absently on his earpiece and flashed a press-worthy smile. "What constitutes 'something vile'?"
    The pale scar on her cheek jerked. "You did just bribe my commanding officer."
    Ouch. "It wasn't a bribe. McLelas Financial is in a position to help."
    Amanda's eyes narrowed to slivers before she turned and swiped her ID badge. The light on the keypad flashed green.
    The steel door clamped shut behind them and rotated its locks to the tune of Zach's voice over his earpiece speaker. "What's this about a bribe?"
    Ryan's chest tightened. He didn't think he'd tapped hard enough to activate his comm. Dinner table conversation would be interesting tonight. "It was an accident." He made sure to cut the mic off this time.
    Amanda gave an endearing and unladylike snort as she dodged out of view around a tower of shelves which stretched to the ceiling. "Which part? The offering of funds or the request for this particular file?"
    Ryan shut his eyes and took a deep, centering breath. "No, I was talking to my — "
    "Your team of bodyguards?" A folder slammed into his abs.
    His eyes sprang open and he clutched the pages before they could scatter. He stared at his hands, suddenly trapped in the past. Red, orange, roaring death, and God! So much screaming.
    "Old Town. Take it and go, hotshot." Amanda propped one hand on her hip and pointed a finger toward the reinforced door. "I don't want to see you around here again."
    "Benefit dinner, remember? This," he hefted the overstuffed manila folder, his heart shuddering with pain despite his light words, "doesn't