Chater One

“Sometimes, you meet someone…and you know right away that the person is trouble.”

Tyler Barrett stiffened when he heard the low, sultry voice. He’d been doing a security sweep at the overpriced party. No one should have been able to sneak up behind him because he knew to keep his guard up but…

He turned slowly and found a gorgeous brunette beaming up at him. Matching dimples flashed in her cheeks, and her lush lips—painted a deep, tempting and slick red—had curved into a smile. Her dark eyes reflected the smile even as she extended her hand toward him. A sparkling emerald flashed around her index finger and a blood-red ruby gleamed on her ring finger.

“What makes you think I’m trouble?” Tyler heard himself ask even as he automatically took her hand. His much bigger fingers swallowed hers. But he was careful not to use too much strength.

He was playing a role that night. Wearing the expensive tux. Acting like he was drinking the fizzing champagne. And attempting to fit into the land of the wealthy and privileged as he hunted his prey.

“You have this wonderfully intense vibe happening,” the woman told him. When she tilted her head, her hair slid over her shoulder. A body-hugging black dress poured over her curves. A dress with a daring slit that crept up ever-so-high on her right thigh.

Sexy.

Laughter came from her. Teasing and husky. “See something you like?”

And, shit, he’d just been caught staring at her legs. Gorgeous legs. She wore two-inch black heels that made her appear a bit taller, but he figured his mystery lady was probably around five-foot-six without them.

His gaze came back to her face. What a face it was. High cheekbones. Wide, intelligent eyes that somehow seemed extra mysterious. Maybe it was the dark shadow around them. Maybe it was her insanely long lashes. Whatever.

Women like her don’t usually approach men like me.

And, if it had been a typical situation, she wouldn’t be coming to his side that night. She’d probably be running from him. Despite his current appearance, he did not belong in this world. But this night was different. He was working undercover.

“I’m sure men tell you all the time that they like everything about you,” Tyler murmured.

Her laughter trickled out again. It was as sexy as the rest of her. Dammit.

Tyler released her hand. He needed to get back to studying the⁠—

“I don’t think I’ve seen you before at the usual round of parties. How do you know Jorlan?”

Their host. Jorlan Rodgers. Explorer extraordinaire. The billionaire spent plenty of time traipsing across the world. And when he came back from those traipses? He always had special trinkets with him. Expensive treasures that he liked to showcase at his private events. And sometimes offer in auctions to the highest bidder.

“We went to boarding school together,” Tyler said.

She blinked. “Really?” The woman edged closer to him. “You’re really going to tell me that you’re some country club, boarding school boy?” A shake of her head. “I would have pegged you for something else entirely.”

“And just what would that be?”

Her dark stare swept over him. “Muscles for days,” she sighed. “So impressive.”

He frowned.

She cleared her throat. “Well, if I had to guess—and this is, of course, purely a guess—because I have no personal knowledge of you. I just walked in, saw your sexy self and thought I’d say hello. Introducing yourself is such a nice, courteous thing to do.”

His frown deepened. She hadn’t actually introduced herself to him. He didn’t know the mystery lady’s name.

“But guessing, I wouldn’t say you were a kid who’d grown up with a trust fund. You don’t have that money-to-burn-and-no-shits-to-give vibe about you.”

Tyler let his brows rise. “And what vibe do I have?”

Her stare was considering. “A dangerous one. A take-no-prisoners vibe. Like you can’t stand for bullshit. Like the people here are boring you out of your mind and you cannot wait to escape them.”

He made sure to lock down his expression.

She began to twirl a lock of hair. All casual-like. “You look like you’re on the job. Studying everyone you see a little too intently. Marking each person the way you would a suspect.”

Sonofa—

“So, instead of saying you’re a trust fund baby, when I look at you, I see a cop.”

He stared back at her.

“Not a beat cop. I say…maybe a Fed. Not CIA.” Very definite. “You’re rather a bit too big and bold for that crew. They tend to favor agents who don’t stick out too much. And you…you certainly stick out.” Her gaze swept him. “In a good way. At least in my humble opinion.” A delicate clearing of her throat. “I definitely think you’re working undercover.”

Okay. So he’d just been made by a bored socialite. Not the highlight of his career. “That’s funny.” Tyler reached up and tugged on his collar⁠—

Her hand flew out and caught his. Her body brushed against him, and the sweet, tempting scent of vanilla curled around him. “That’s one of your giveaways,” she quietly informed him. “You can’t keep tugging on the tux’s collar like you’re choking and uncomfortable. Instead, you have to act like you’ve worn this thing a million times. Don’t want to arouse suspicion, do you?”

He could hear the drumming of his heartbeat. The heat of her touch pulsed through his whole body and blasted him with a sudden, shocking wave of lust. Sure, he’d thought she was sexy at first glance. Who the hell wouldn’t? But…

The lust that Tyler felt was like an electric charge to his system. Heating and burning and⁠—

“Be careful,” she warned him, “or you’ll blow your cover. Because you’re either a Fed…or maybe you’re a bad guy.”

The drumming of his heartbeat got even louder. Too loud. “Why would you think I was the bad guy?”

Her long lashes flickered. Then the wide smile of hers flashed again. Disarming dimples. “Surely, you’ve heard the stories on the news. There have been a string of robberies at high-priced events like this one.” She didn’t let go of his hand. “Granted, the attendees tried to keep things quiet. Not like the ultra-wealthy want to spread word that they were attacked and basically held hostage and forced to give up their valuables⁠—”

The doors to the ballroom—because, sure, why the hell not? Jorlan had a ballroom in his Miami beachfront mansion—came crashing open before she could finish her sentence. Screams filled the air as six individuals all wearing black burst inside. Masks covered their faces, and their bodies were shielded by bulky black jackets and pants.

“Freeze!” A man’s voice. The guy in the front. A guy holding a very large, black gun. “No one make a move, and you won’t get hurt!”

A gasp came from the gorgeous woman with Tyler. “In armed robberies,” she finished in a whisper as her head jerked toward the masked intruders. “Just like this one.”

Tyler automatically grabbed her and shoved her behind his much bigger body.

And that movement caught the eye of the creep who was clearly the leader. “I said freeze!” he bellowed. He rushed straight toward Tyler and aimed the gun at his chest. “Guess you just don’t hear well, do you, buddy? Will a bullet to the chest teach you how to hear better?”

Tyler didn’t really see how it possibly could. Before he could tell the dumbass with the weapon that very thing⁠—

“No!” Tyler’s mystery brunette jumped in front of him. “Don’t shoot him! He’s a Fed!”

Sonofabitch.

First, he didn’t need her to protect him. His job was to protect the civilians at the party. And second…

Way to blow my cover to hell and back. Thanks so much for that.

“A Fed?” the man in the mask bit out. “You shitting me?”

“I wouldn’t shit a man with a gun pointed at me,” she replied with a delicate sniff. “My boyfriend is a Fed.”

When in the holy hell had he become her boyfriend?

“And you don’t want to shoot a Fed. Robbery is one thing. Killing a federal agent is another beast.” She faced off with the gunman. “He won’t be trouble. Especially not if you, uh, lock us up somewhere. Just get us out of here.” She pointed to the right. Toward a nearby door. The rings on her hand gleamed beneath the light. “Lock us in there, and I’ll make sure my boyfriend is kept in check.”

Kept in check? He’d never been kept in check by anyone a day in his life. The very idea was insulting.

But the man in the mask was nodding even as the other wealthy people in their fancy gowns and tuxes were shuddering with fear.

Bodyguards should have been outside to protect these people. Security had been hired by the host. So what in the hell had gone wrong?

Inside job. Wasn’t that what he’d suspected? And there had been one private security agency that had been used in several of the previous attacks. The same agency that is working the door tonight. Like that wasn’t a screaming red flag of guilt.

But he would deal with that agency soon enough. For the moment, his attention was on the prick with the gun. The prick who bobbed his masked head and proclaimed, “Yeah, yeah, we’ll lock his ass up! His ass and your sexy ass.”

A growl broke from Tyler.

“He doesn’t like it when people talk about my ass,” the woman said with a shrug.

“Too fucking bad.” Then the masked man grabbed her hand.

Tyler surged forward.

“It’s all right!” she cried.

The prick was prying the rings off her fingers.

“I’m okay.” Her head turned, and she stared at Tyler. No flashing grin. No dimples. Tears filled her eyes. “The ruby belonged to my grandmother.”

Tyler’s chest ached. There was just something about her voice that basically made him want to beat the shit out of every bad guy in the room and then spread their bodies at her high-heeled feet.

“Now it belongs to me,” the prick crowed. He dropped the rings into a black bag at his waist. Then he yanked Tyler’s mystery brunette with him. The gun was positioned dangerously close to her head. “Come on, boyfriend. I’m betting that you won’t make a move if I have her.”

Don’t be so sure.

“Pat him down!” A bark from the jerk in charge. “Take his gun and any weapons you find!”

And one of his cronies was instantly there to pat down Tyler and to take the gun from his right ankle. Then the knife Tyler had strapped to his left ankle. When Tyler was fully disarmed, the leader grunted in approval. He also dragged the woman toward the room she’d indicated moments before. He looked inside, nodded, and then told Tyler, “Get your ass inside. And if you come at me, I will pull this trigger. Fed or no Fed.”

The robbers hadn’t killed anyone in their attacks…yet. But there could always be a first time. Dammit. Tyler went into the room. A library. One with massive shelves full of old, hardback books. Probably collector’s items.

“Take her!” With that snarl, the woman was thrown at Tyler. The prick in the mask kept her small bag, and, presumably, her phone.

The woman’s body collided with Tyler’s. His arms automatically rose and curled around her.

And the library door was hauled shut.

He put her to the side and leapt for the door. Too late. It was already locked.

“It locks on the outside,” she told him. “The key was actually right there—I think Jorlan might have wanted people to stay out of his library and he intended to lock it and forgot, but now…” She rubbed her arms. “I guess we’re trapped in here.”

He couldn’t be trapped in there. He had a job to do. A job that involved taking out those punk bad guys and not letting them lock his ass up like he was some green cop on a first case. A growl vibrated from him. This shit could not happen. He turned and scanned the room, searching for another way out.

“No, I’m fine. No need for concern.” Her droll voice. “Maybe a few bruises on my arms but nothing to be alarmed about.”

Tyler whipped back toward her. “He bruised you?”

Her smile came and went on her face. The smile transformed her from a cold beauty into something absolutely breathtaking. Way too tempting. “I bruise easily,” she told him. “But don’t worry, I heal quickly, too.” A little hum. She stepped toward him. “I was happy to save your life. Think nothing of it.”

He blinked. “Excuse me?”

She waved her hand. A hand that no longer had rings glinting on it. “When I jumped in front of you and shielded you with my body? I was happy to help. Not like I could have a federal agent getting shot in front of me. How terrible would that have been?”

“Never said I was a federal agent.” He whirled away from her. His gaze locked on the balcony doors. Pay dirt. He stalked toward those doors.

“You never said you weren’t, either.” Her steps rushed after him. “And did I just hear a note of Texas in your voice? I’m pretty sure I did.”

He spun. They almost collided.

He caught her shoulders. “Stay in this room.” Her scent teased him. What was that? Kinda reminded him of sweet vanilla cream. A dessert treat that he wanted to gobble right up.

So the wrong time. And place. He didn’t get to gobble up gorgeous women in the middle of robberies.

“Well, we both have to stay here,” she pointed out with a blink of her incredibly dark eyes. “We’re locked in.”

Only for the moment. “My job is to stop those bastards. I can’t stop them while I’m locked in here.” He let her go and turned back for the balcony doors once more. Double doors. He shoved one open and stepped onto the narrow balcony.

She inched right with him. “Yeah, this isn’t going to work for you.” She looked to the left and then to the right. Her index finger pointed. “That’s like…what? A five-inch-wide ledge near the side of the mansion? You really think you’re going to magically fit your giant self on that tiny ledge and make it over to the next room?” A shake of her head. “I doubt it would even hold your weight. Way too flimsy. You try, and you die.”

“Not like I have a lot of options.” Sitting on his ass wasn’t on the agenda.

“Sure, you do. Or at least, you have another option that doesn’t involve your immediate death.” She curled her fingers around his. “Come with me.”

And he did.

She led him back into the library. Stared up at the massive row of shelves and books on the left-hand side and frowned.

The moments ticked past.

She kept staring. And frowning. And he was pretty sure he’d just heard a scream from the other side of the library door. Tyler’s shoulders tensed. People needed his help. “Dammit, I have to go⁠—”

“I think this is the one.” Her delicate fingers reached out and curled around the edge of Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. She pulled, and the shelf a few feet away swung open.

What in the hell was that? A freaking secret passage?

“Voilà.” A shrug of one slim shoulder. “Instant escape hatch. This should take you into the billiard room next door. And if the bad guys aren’t looking, you can use your mad, bad skills to take them out.” A pause. “I am assuming you do have incredible skills, yes? Don’t disappoint me and say no.”

“How the hell did you know the passage was there?”

Her long lashes fluttered. “Because, unlike you, I’ve been to Jorlan’s parties before. I know his secrets.” She waved toward the open passageway door. “So, are we going or what?”

“Yeah…No.” He curled his fingers around her shoulders and gently pushed her back. “You aren’t going anywhere.”

Her expression tensed. “What?”

“You’re staying in this room where it’s safe because you are a civilian. You aren’t about to run into danger.” Knowing her, she’d jump between him and the jerk with the gun again. “You stay here. And I’ll fight the bad guys.”

“How incredibly brave of you.” She fanned herself.

His eyes narrowed. “Who are you?”

“Who are you?”

His mouth opened.

“And don’t even think about giving me a fake name,” she warned. “I want the real you.” Very, very serious.

“Tyler.” A rumble.

“I’m Esme.”

Curses rose from outside.

“Sounds like you have a job to do.” Her lips pressed together, and she nodded. “Okay, here’s the deal. I don’t like staying behind. Not really who I am. But I promise you, I will be in this exact spot when you return. And you will return, won’t you? Because I find that I don’t like the idea of you getting hurt.”

She didn’t like the idea of him getting hurt? What the hell? “You don’t know me.”

“Yes, I do.” Then she surprised the hell out of him. Esme fisted her hand in his tux and hauled him down toward her. Her mouth pressed against his. Her lips parted. Her tongue snaked out to lick against Tyler’s and, holy fuck, his whole body seemed to ignite. Lust plunged through his veins as she gave him the hottest kiss he’d ever had in his life. He wanted to grab her, hold tight, and fuck her. Right then and there.

Not him. Not his MO at all.

But…

I want her.

Esme pulled back. “Go save the day, hero.”

His breath heaved out.

“I’ll be in this exact spot.”

A curt nod. And then he rushed through the passageway. Once on the other side, he shoved the shelf back into place. There was probably some switch to make it glide seamlessly into position, but he didn’t have time to find that damn thing. So he used brute force, and it worked just fine.

Then he got a good look at the new space. Sure enough, he was in the billiard room. Esme had been right. Eyes narrowing, he headed for the wall and pulled down a wooden cue. He tested the weight. Weapon obtained.

Tyler strode for the door. The unlocked door. He curled his fingers around the knob and slowly pulled the door open. One inch. Two. He peered through that opening and saw some of the rich and glittering guests on the floor. Sobbing. He edged from the billiard room with the cue in his hand.

The wealthy guests had been subdued. Zip ties bound their hands. Their jewelry was missing—it was easy to note that the diamond necklaces were all gone. One woman glanced Tyler’s way, and her mouth parted in surprise.

He put his fingers to his lips.

Her eyes flared wider. Right then, one of the bastards in a black mask rounded the corner. He saw Tyler and⁠—

Tyler slammed the cue into the side of his head before the guy could call out a warning. The perp sank like a stone.

One down…about five more to go. His hand tightened on the cue. And Tyler went to work.

The hero had gone off to save the day. Esme Laurent peered down at the carpet. A rather boring, abstract design. She looked back up at the now closed secret passageway. She did need to remember this exact spot, after all. A promise was a promise. She liked to keep her promises. Just good form, that. It would be highly rude to go around making promises that she never intended to keep. Who would ever trust her if she did something like that?

Satisfied that she could, in fact, return to this precise position, Esme gave a decisive nod. She kicked off her shoes. Ran for the balcony doors. Esme threw the doors open and hurried onto the narrow balcony.

She would have to be fast. Faster than she anticipated because she definitely suspected the big, dangerous Tyler would be taking out the robbers in record time.

Esme climbed onto the narrow ledge. Five inches wide. She hadn’t guessed when she told Tyler that figure. She knew exactly how wide the ledge was because Esme believed in doing her research. Being prepared like the good Girl Scout she’d never been. Moving forward, she extended her hands out to help keep her balance. She absolutely refused to look down. Because, unfortunately, she did have a vague fear of heights. Annoying. Bothersome. But, that was life.

She’d learned long ago that it was best to ignore her fears and to just focus on what was immediately in front of her.

And a long, narrow walk was currently waiting.

Good thing she’d trained as a gymnast until she was fifteen. She’d spent countless hours on balance beams that had been narrower than this ledge. And if she pretended just right, Esme could imagine that she was walking across one of those old balance beams again.

And not walking across a ledge on the second story. A fall probably wouldn’t kill her. She knew all about landing techniques that could minimize damage. However, a fall from this height would still hurt like hell. Esme didn’t particularly enjoy pain. Not her kink.

But she did enjoy a good dose of revenge every now and then. Some people just deserved what they had coming to them.

A drop of rain hit her cheek. For a moment, she froze. No, no, no. Somewhere in the distance, thunder rumbled.

She needed to hurry. Do not dare rain on me. She had too much to do. No time to waste.

Esme made it to the end of the ledge and went to work.

It was good that her big, true-blue hero was currently busy with the thugs in the masks. That gave her plenty of time…to do a little thievery of her own.

Some people really are trouble. You should have listened to me, Tyler, when I tried to warn you. I am the worst trouble you will ever meet.

She was also the best thief he’d ever meet, but Tyler wouldn’t know that ever-so-important fact about her. Too bad they hadn’t been given more time to play.

She’d never tempted one of the good guys before, and Tyler? He had good written all over him.

Meanwhile, Esme always excelled at being bad.