Under Pressure (Body Armor #1)(72)

Tendons strained in his neck and his temples pulsed. Through his teeth, he rasped, “You’re pushing your luck, lady.”

That proved too much for Justice. “She’ll say whatever she wants to say, however she wishes to say it and you’ll damn well shut up and listen.”

Tesh’s jaw flexed with more teeth-grinding until he finally appeared to get a handle on his unruly temper. “Why the hell can you curse, but I shouldn’t?”

“I work for her.” Justice shifted his massive shoulders. “And you don’t.”

Good Lord, Sahara thought. It’s like trying hold back an enraged bull. Justice now chose to take everything as offensive. “Before we all freeze to death, I’d like to get to the point.”

“Yeah,” Tesh said. “Why don’t you?”

“Catalina Nicholson has been under our protection. Given you butted heads with the agent assigned to her, I’m sure you’re aware of that much.”

Voice clipped, he said, “Yes.”

Making her words as effective as possible, Sahara said, “Perhaps you’re not aware of how delusional the poor thing is.”

Tesh’s brows went up in cautious surprise. “Delusional, you say?”

“Clearly. The convoluted stories she’s told, the stretch of her imagination...they are not the ramblings of a girl based in reality.”

Edgier than ever, Justice whispered, “Sahara—”

Hedging off his protest, she snapped, “Know your place, Justice.” Turning her back to Tesh, she stared directly into Justice’s eyes, doing her best to convey the need for trust. “You’ve interrupted quite enough.”

After a moment, he grudgingly relented, so perhaps he did understand.

Facing Tesh with a bright smile, she said, “I don’t know if anyone she’s mentioned is associated with Webb Nicholson, but surely you do.”

“I know everything there is to know about the Nicholson family.”

Bragging? Excellent.

“Who has she mentioned?”

“She’s yet to give me a specific name, but I do believe I can convince her. And once I do, it’d be wonderful if you could help to facilitate a meeting, sort of provide neutral ground so that Catalina doesn’t panic too much.” In a conspiratorial whisper, she confided, “She is entirely too dramatic and prone to great exaggeration.”

Tesh looked like a dog salivating over a meaty bone. “Not usually. More often than not she’s stubborn and determined to do things her own way.”

Was Tesh insulted for Catalina? It did look that way. Odd. Just how attached was he to her?

Rather than try to convince him that Catalina had undergone a complete personality change, Sahara said, “Oh, believe me, she’s still quite stubborn, and very determined to make us believe that otherwise-reputable men would do her harm.” She flapped a hand for good measure. “It’s beyond silly.”

“I know who she’s accusing.”

“You do?” Heart tripping, Sahara asked with feigned disinterest, “Who?”

Tesh stared at her, his expression carefully blank while his eyes burned with rage. “It’s better if I don’t say. No reason to further the tales. Just get her to me.”

“I see your point.” Such a dangerous game to play, but Sahara had to believe it’d be helpful in the end. “I would suggest giving her to her father, but she’s so terrified of him, she’d bolt the second she saw him.”

“Yes,” he agreed. “She would.”

“These other men, though...perhaps we could meet someplace neutral? A park or—”

“I know just the place. Once I have everything arranged, I’ll let you know.”

“That would be grand.” Sahara shifted her purse off her shoulder and brought it around in front of her.

Just as quickly, Tesh’s men reached for their guns, halting only when he lifted a hand.

Good Lord. Did they think she’d go for a weapon? That she hoped to shoot it out with them? Murder Tesh outright with witnesses?

With Justice bristling beside her, Sahara cleared her throat. “I was going to give you my card.”

“I have your contact info.”

With her hand still half in her purse, she asked, “My private number? I’d like to give you that as well.”

His eyes narrowed, but he nodded consent, watching her closely as she withdrew the card case and opened it to get a linen business card.

As if he wasn’t a scumball cretin with questionable intentions, she approached him and handed it over, then covered his hand with her own before he could withdraw. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this.” She stared into his eyes too—and saw soulless evil. “Just let me know when you have something arranged and I guarantee, I’ll get her to you.”

He pulled away and stuck the card in his coat pocket. “What about the bull watching over her?”

“My agent?” A very real laugh slipped out. “Oh yes, of course he’ll come along. She wouldn’t go anywhere without him.” And Leese would never let her out of his sight. “But he, too, understands that she needs help. I’m sure he’ll thank you himself.”

Tesh gestured to his cohorts and they began to back away. “I’ll be in touch very soon.”