Las Vegas Nights. Cat Schield

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      “I called Madison to let her know where I was and sent one of my guys over to keep an eye on her.”

      “I’m sure she’ll love that,” Scarlett retorted, her skeptical tone masking her need to snuggle against his powerful chest and take comfort from the strength of his arms around her. For such a hard, unyielding man, he’d demonstrated he could also be gentle. She found the combination both calmed and excited her.

      “He’ll watch the house from the road. She’ll never know.”

      His somber words caused her uneasiness to spike. “Do you think she’s in danger?”

      “No.” The single word came out too fast and too sharp.

      Scarlett didn’t find his frown reassuring. “I don’t believe you.”

      “Until we know what’s going on, I prefer not to take chances.”

      “We should probably let Violet and Harper know what happened.”

      “Already done.” He’d been busy while she’d been telling her story to the police. “They will call you tomorrow.”

      “I guess there’s nothing left for me to do, then.” Her statement hung in the air between them. She needed him to stay but couldn’t bring herself to admit it. Huddling deeper into the throw wrapped around her shoulders, she waited for him to leave.

      “I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to remain here alone tonight.”

      Her stomach flipped. Usually he was no more willing to offer his help than she was likely to ask for it. The change in his attitude made him more dangerous than a hundred ski-mask-wearing intruders.

      “I’m sure I’ll be fine if I don’t invite anyone in.” She tried to compel her lips into a reassuring smile but couldn’t.

      Logan assessed her and his expression grew more determined. “Nevertheless, I’m going to stay.”

      She’d already let him take control of the situation. In fact, she’d enjoyed having him in charge. But letting him know how desperate she was for his company could give him the advantage in the future.

      “Fine,” she said, her manner grudging. “I don’t have the energy to kick you out anyway.”

      His lips quirked. “You’re welcome.”

      “The guest room is made up if you want to use that for what’s left of the night.”

      “The couch will be fine.”

      “Because you don’t want to get too comfortable in my suite?”

      “Because if anyone is getting back in, they’re coming through that door.” He gestured over his shoulder toward the door to the hallway.

      Scarlett shivered. The idea that the robber might come back was unnerving. Suddenly it was hard for her to breathe. She began to feel dizzy and set her forehead against her knees. A quiver passed through her as the anxiety she’d bottled up these past couple of hours refused to stay contained a second longer.

      “Scarlett.” Logan knelt beside her. His large hand was warm and reassuring against her shoulder. “Are you okay?”

      “I’m fine.” She sat up straight and dashed away the wetness on her cheek.

      He exhaled impatiently. “Will you stop trying to act like nothing is wrong when it’s obvious you’re upset?”

      “Of course I’m upset.” She let her temper flare. It terrified her to let down her guard around him. “Shouldn’t I be? I was attacked and whatever the thief took tonight might have damaging consequences for my family.”

      “Right now what you need is sleep.” He held out his hand.

      His suggestion made sense, but she didn’t move. It was far nicer to be in the same room where she could be comforted by his reassuring strength. But telling him that would give him too much insight into how she thought.

      “You’re sending me to bed?” She let him pull her up and forced a mocking smile. “Most men would be escorting me there.”

      “Then most men are jerks for taking advantage of you in such a vulnerable state.”

      Vulnerable? If that’s how he saw her, she’d given far too much away tonight. “Most men can’t help themselves. They find me irresistible.”

      “That’s a pretty powerful feeling for you, isn’t it?”

      She set her hand on her hip, a trace of spunk returning. “What’s wrong with feeling powerful?”

      “Not a thing. Unless you have to be that way all the time.”

      “I don’t.” But she was lying. Being strong was how she’d survived being a child star and how she’d struggled back from the dark years of partying too much and falling once too often for the wrong guy. “There’s nothing that I can do right in your eyes, is there?”

      She turned away before the longing to throw herself at him grew too strong to resist. Her feet felt heavy and sluggish as she crossed the living room. With each step she took, her heartbeat slowed. She hoped he’d come after her, sweep her into his arms and carry her the rest of the way to her bed. When that didn’t happen, she closed her bedroom door and left a trail of clothes to mark her passage. Naked, she fell into bed.

      But the weariness that dragged on her limbs didn’t reach her mind. Scarlett lay on her back, staring at the ceiling, and turned the theft of the files over and over in her head. Had the thief taken them without seeing what they were because he was in a hurry? Or had he broken in specifically because he wanted something that was in them?

      She’d gone through her family’s files a dozen times. The only damaging item was the fact that Harper’s father wasn’t Ross Fontaine, and Scarlett couldn’t imagine Penelope hiring someone to steal the files. It had to be something else. What had she missed?

      Closing her eyes, Scarlett sifted through the contents of her father’s file, but all she got for her efforts was an increased throbbing in her head. Ross had been a rotten husband, but that wasn’t exactly a huge secret. He’d preferred his women young and single so there weren’t any jealous husbands. And he’d been more ham-fisted than ruthless in running Fontaine Hotels and Resorts to have made any enemies among the other hotel owners in Las Vegas.

      Scarlett just couldn’t see why the guy had wanted the files. And then she recalled the rest of what was in the box. Caught up in the drama surrounding her family, she’d only glanced through the other files once.

      Most of the material had been about Tiberius’s brother-in-law, Preston Rhodes, the current chairman of the board and CEO of Stone Properties, which was headquartered in Miami, Florida. Like Fontaine Hotels and Resorts, Stone Properties owned hotel and resort properties all over the world.

      Scarlett had once asked Tiberius why he didn’t work for the company his father had founded and learned how his brother-in-law had schemed to get Tiberius kicked out of the family business so he could take over.

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