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for the
player he was, she turned her frustration toward him. Fiercely
arousing him in the process.
    He squeezed the metal in his grasp and lifted
again. He had a pretty good idea that her playful insults and sassy
attitude were defense mechanisms. Apparently, someone tried to
intimidate her once upon a time and she was obviously hell-bent on
making sure that never happened again. The cool steel touched his
bare chest one last time and he exhaled before lifting it and
returning it to the cradle. So, he’d tolerate her nicknames and
haughty tone. Eventually she’d come to her senses and trust him. Or
drive him crazy in the meantime.
    He sat up and swabbed his forehead with a
towel as his cell phone rang from the other room. Tossing the towel
to the bench, he padded barefoot to the living room and answered
the phone.
    “Sterling.”
    “Max? It’s Rachel.”
    “Hey, Rachel.”
    “I need you at the office. Right now.”
    Something about Rachel’s demand put him on
full alert. “Have you called security?”
    He heard her breath hitch. “No, I’m fine.
There’s just something here I want you to see.”
    “Are you alone?”
    “No, Cameron’s with me. We’re safe, Max, just
hurry.”
    “On my way.”
    Within minutes, he was showered, dressed and
parked outside of Newberry & Tremaine, still uneasy about
Rachel’s call. The fact that Rachel had called him herself was
unusual. He cringed as a shadow of darkness clouded his thoughts.
Unless this had something to do with Cameron.
    Max growled as he parked his truck and headed
inside. Bypassing the elevator, he took the stairs two at a time
and stalked through the front door of the office. His anger and
suspicion dissipated as soon as he saw Cameron’s pasty expression,
clearly one of fear.
    “Ladies.” He nodded and sat down opposite
them. “What can I do for you?”
    “Cameron received some mail.” Rachel handed
him an envelope.
    He dumped the contents into his lap and
quickly thumbed through the pictures. He paused to read the
note.
    “We’re worried,” Rachel said bluntly.
    “Any idea who sent this?”
    “Just an educated guess.” Cameron shot Rachel
a warning glance.
    After several seconds of silence, Max decided
to proceed. “Are you going to let me in on the secret?”
    Cameron stood and folded her arms across her
chest. “Maybe, maybe not.”
    Max glanced at Rachel who appeared to be
awestruck by the interaction between him and Cameron. He fought the
urge to suggest she duck out before objects flew around the
room.
    As if reading his mind, Rachel grabbed her
bag and headed for the door. “Sorry, guys, I’ve got an appointment.
You’re in good hands, Cameron. Call me later.”
    Cameron watched open-mouthed as Rachel
disappeared out the door.
    Max snickered. “Serves you right. You set her
up with Hawke.”
    Cameron glared at him through narrow
eyes.
    He stood, grabbed her by the arm, and led her
to the sofa. “Okay, Princess, who’d you piss off now?”
    “What are you talking about?”
    “If somebody’s after you, you obviously did
something.”
    “I most certainly did not!”
    “Who then?”
    She dismissed his question with a wave of her
hand. “Just some jerk.”
    “I can’t protect you if I don’t know what’s
going on.”
    “I don’t need you to protect me.”
    Max sat silently and carefully chose his
words before he put her in her place.
    “Regardless of whether you need me or not,
Hawke and Rachel are concerned, concerned enough to ask me to help.
Now, tell me who found you.”
    Cameron sighed. “You’re a pit bull, Max.”
    “I am,” he agreed. “Who?”
    She looked at him and for a split second he
saw fear flash in her powder blue eyes. An average man would’ve
missed it, but much to his relief, he wasn’t average. Anger began
to rumble in his gut.
    Rather than answer him, she reached to run
her finger across the small diamond stud in his left ear. “You have
an earring.”
    Max sat stoic as she massaged his earlobe