Bare Facts Read Online Free PDF

held strong. “This is utterly ridiculous.”
    “I agree.”
    “I’m still on the job here.”
    “What kind of man lets a woman take a bullet for him?” he asked.
    “I thought you were convinced there was no threat here.”
    “Your diligence changed my mind.”
    She drew him out of the pathway in the kitchen. The busboys, dishwashers, and sous chefs all went about their business, each of them working at their own stations. The smell of garlic cooking in olive oil was pungent and evocative.
    “Don’t think of me as a woman,” she said.
    “Impossible.”
    She tilted her head to the side, staring at him. “All my other clients have had no problem letting me do my job. I need you to do that as well, Daniel.”
    “I can’t get the feel of you in my arms out of my mind.”
    She shook her head. “I can make you forget it.”
    “Are you threatening me?” he asked, intrigued.
    She shrugged but didn’t relax her vigilance. It was amazing, he thought. Seeing her like this, he understood why she had the reputation she did. He admired her for her professionalism. But Sekijima would see that same determination and spirit and use it to break her.
    Did that matter to him? She was little more than a stranger. Yet at the same time she was more than a stranger. More than a beautiful face.
    “Answer me.”
    “What do you want me to say? You’re a very good-looking man, as I’m sure you know, but to me you are still a client, someone I’m committed to protecting. If I have to use force to do that, then I will.”
    “I’m not talking about the superficial—didn’t you feel the attraction between us?”
    “If I say no, are you going to try more of your aikido on me?”
    “Would it work?”
    She cracked a smile. “No. Let’s go to your car to discuss this further. I don’t like stopping here in the open.”
    He nodded. She positioned herself in front of him and to the left. But he was left-handed and knew he needed that side clear. He pulled her to his right side.
    She raised one eyebrow at him in question.
    “I’m left-handed.”
    She accepted his explanation and pulled on a pair of dark sunglasses. He did the same. It was the middle of the day and the bright sunlight would momentarily blind them otherwise.
    He felt a moment of something that he refused to acknowledge. A moment of teamwork and sharing, a sense of rightness at having this woman by his side in a dangerous situation. But he knew he was a loner.
    That he had secrets she’d want to uncover if he let her stay on in her role as a bodyguard. Secrets that he knew would endanger her and lead to her death.
    They approached the exit and she stopped one more time. “Don’t try to be the hero here, Daniel. Let me do my job.”
    “I’ve never been the hero,” he said, knowing that was more true than he hoped she’d ever know.
    “Just stay behind me and let me do my job.”
    He nodded because he had the feeling she’d stand there all day until he agreed. But he’d never let anyone take a hit for him, even when he’d been an eighty-pound street punk, getting the crap kicked out of him nightly. It just wasn’t in his nature to let someone else take his place.
    Especially not a woman like Charity.
    They stepped outside together. She directed them to the left of the alleyway where he saw the Rolls Royce sedan he’d rented. Alonzo stood next to the rear door and his driver was already behind the wheel.
    Alonzo had never shown such diligence before, and Daniel suspected that Charity had given him a lecture similar to the one he’d gotten. He admired her work ethic and dedication to the job. Too bad he couldn’t quit admiring her other assets.
    But c’est la vie. And his was very complicated right now. Alonzo opened the door as they approached, and from the corner of his eye he saw some movement at the lip of the alley.
    Time slowed as he saw Alonzo turn toward the woman walking toward them. A split second later she pulled a handgun from under her