The Men with the Golden Cuffs (Masters and Mercenaries #2)(26)

She knew she should have worn a sweater or something. Her nipples were big. They weren’t delicate and pretty. Her ex had told her she reminded him of a cow. She felt shame flood her.

“Hey.” Adam got to one knee. “I was flirting. I wasn’t complaining. I was happy about it.”

He was so gorgeous. There was no way she could believe him. She turned back to Eve. “If you need anything else, please let me know. I want to help in any way I can, and I know that the first thing you’re going to do is check me out to see if I’m some kind of whack job.”

She stood, trying to make sure she didn’t touch Adam at all. He was just doing his job, and one of the parts of his job was to make sure he controlled her. She was sure the flirting thing was all a part of Adam’s game plan. She shouldn’t take it seriously. No matter how much she wanted to. It would just put her in the position of playing another man’s fool. She’d played her husband’s fool for years and years. The fact that she’d stayed in a bad marriage shamed her. She didn’t need to start a relationship with another man she couldn’t handle.

Eve nodded, studying her thoughtfully. “I enjoyed our talk, Serena.”

Sure she had. It hadn’t been a talk. It had been a very polite interrogation. They still weren’t sure about her. They still didn’t believe and that meant she was still f*cked because no one was going to put their lives on the line for a woman they thought just might be lying. “Thank you.” She turned to Adam. Lunch wasn’t a good idea. She had to remember at all times that he was the bodyguard, and she wasn’t above suspicion. “I’m not really hungry. Let’s get the errands done as quickly as possible. I need to get my word count in.”

His face went blank as he nodded and politely gestured toward the door. “Eve, I’ll talk to you soon.”

Yes, she was sure he would. He would be on the phone with Eve asking whether or not his charge was an insane publicity-seeking whore.

She managed to make it all the way to the elevator before he grabbed her elbow and turned her around. His hand bit into her flesh, making her deeply aware that he was there.

“You want to explain what that little scene was all about?” Adam asked, the words grinding out of his mouth. He pushed the button for the elevator, and his face evened out when he saw Grace Taggart walking by. The minute she was gone, his lips turned down and those glorious eyes narrowed. “Now, Serena. Explain.”

The elevator dinged and before she could get a word out, he hauled her inside and jabbed the button that closed the door.

“Where’s Jacob?” Serena asked. Were they leaving him behind? Had he gotten another assignment? Jake obviously hadn’t wanted to take the case in the first place. Maybe Adam had drawn the short straw.

Adam reached out and slammed the button that stopped the elevator. “Jacob is going to talk to your ex-husband. Are you angry that it’s me who’s spending the day with you and not him?”

The words were cold, but there was hurt in his eyes. She softened. “No. Not at all. It’s fine.”

“Then why the cold shoulder?”

“Adam, I’m not giving you the cold shoulder. I just don’t have time for lunch.” And she didn’t want to sit and talk to him and start to fall for him anymore than she already had. She knew her weaknesses. She wasn’t such an idiot that she didn’t know when she was in trouble of falling for the wrong man.

He released the button, and the elevator started to go down again. “Well, I think you do. We’re on my schedule now, Serena. We’ll meet with Lara and then have lunch and then go see the Sergeant. You’ll be home in plenty of time to get your work done. If you fail to do so, it will be on you and not me.”

She stared at him for a moment, but he was closed off now, his body language harsh. He was angry. She wasn’t sure what she’d done. Why the hell did he care if she didn’t want to go to lunch?

She was forever doomed to piss off the men in her life. Chris was the only man who didn’t seem to get annoyed by her very presence, and he had zero interest in her vagina. Tears threatened to fall. What a crappy f*cking day. And now she had to spend the rest of it with a man who wasn’t happy with her.

The floors went by. Why the hell had Ian Taggart chosen the top floor?

Adam’s fist came out, and he slammed at the button again, forcing the elevator to stop. “Why are you crying, Serena?”

She sniffled, hating the fact that she was losing control. Damn it. Why couldn’t she be like Bridget? Bridget never cried. She told people to f*ck off, and she meant it. Serena always cried and made herself look like a damn idiot. “I’m not.”

“You are.” He reached out and pulled her around. “Goddamn it, Serena. I might not be Jacob, but don’t think you can disobey me. I’m in charge for now. You will mind me. You will do as I say, and I want to know why the f*ck you’re crying.”

“I’m tired of no one believing me.” She tried to pull away, but he held her tight. “Just let me go, Adam. I don’t want to play these games. I want you to treat me like a client. I want you to have some respect for me or at least pretend to.”

“Games? What the hell kind of game am I supposed to be playing?” Adam asked.

She was suddenly deeply aware that she was in a small space with a man she’d known for less than a day. A million and one scenarios ran through her head, most of them bad. “I think I’d like to go back upstairs now.”