Page 38 of Point Blank

She snorted. “You’re giving up a hundred grand,” she said, gesturing to the money now littered around them like candy-bar wrappers. “You saved all that.”

He reached down to pick up the money and tools. “What’s money compared to someone’s life? I have money. I have assets.” He stretched his arm out, taking in the space around them. “Hell, this house is almost paid for. I was never stupid with my money. A hundred thousand dollars is nothing, and it sure as hell isn’t something you need to pay for with a kiss.” He winked at her to take the edge out of his voice and got to his feet.

She took the hammer and crowbar from his hand. Her mouth worked, as if she were rolling words over her tongue. She lifted her eyes, and her steely blues sliced through him.

“I don’t kiss everyone out of gratitude.” She moved past him and turned to stare at him over her shoulder. “Just so you know.”

He followed her out of the room, once again kicking himself in the ass for not having a filter between his head and his stupid mouth. His phone buzzed in his pocket. He stopped at the bottom of the stairs and fished it out.

“It’s the instructions.”

Serena gravitated to his side, rising onto her tiptoes to view the screen. It took every ounce of control to block the scent of her hydrangeas and focus on the words.

“I know that location,” she said. “It’s about twenty minutes from here.”

The destination was a lookout area, likely deserted this time of year. He shifted his gaze to the clock at the top of the screen. He had less than forty minutes to get there. He took a screen shot of the message and sent it to Brock. A second later, Brock responded.

Got the money. Be there in ten.

Serena scurried to the office and dropped the tools on the desk. “We should take separate vehicles in case they try anything funny. You go alone in yours and Brock and I’ll follow.”

Milo grimaced. “I’m not so sure about that, hon.”

She whirled around to face him, hands on her hips and seemingly ready to throw another one of her feisty little punches. His jaw still ached from the last one.

“What are you talking about?”

“You’re staying here,” he said, planting his feet, as if that would somehow prove his determination. “You and Brock.”

Her head snapped back an inch. “Like hell I am.”

He exhaled. Moving with caution, he put the money on the desk, and brought a tendril of her hair into his grasp.

He twirled the lock around his finger while her eyes grew wide and distant. He tugged. “It’s too dangerous.” He spoke softly and moved his hand to her shoulder to calm the anger that was crinkling her forehead.

“And breaking into Titus’s mansion isn’t?”

“This is different,” he said, his tone stony. There was no way he was budging on the subject. He couldn’t.

“What if I can identify him?”

He shook his head again. “It’s too risky. I don’t know what I’m walking into, and if something happens to you, there’ll be no one to ensure Dani gets out safely.”

She wrapped her arms around her waist. She was pissed, but at least she wasn’t arguing that point.

“Besides, Brock is pretty and all, but you’re the brains of this operation. Dani needs you.”

She dropped her head back and fixed her stare on the ceiling. “Fine.” She brought her focus back to his face and cocked an eyebrow. “You don’t think I’m pretty?”

He laughed and pressed a kiss to her forehead. Her cool skin on his lips was like a bucket of cold water over his head. He was getting too close, too comfortable. Being around Serena would consume him.

“You’re a hell of a lot prettier than Brock.”

Milo reached down and flicked the temperature knob, shifting the air from hot to cold. With the sweat tickling his armpits, the last thing he needed was heat blasting his face. All of this was riding on him. He’d come up with the idea to buy them more time, but who was to say they wouldn’t make off with the two hundred and fifty grand and then blow Dani away?

He tightened his hands on the steering wheel. He couldn’t think about that. He’d done everything in his power to stay one step ahead while his unrelenting attraction to Serena kicked the wind out of him. All he could hope for was that the kidnapper wasn’t stupid enough to jeopardize several million dollars for a fraction of that.

No one was that stupid.