Blindsided by Tes Hilaire Read Free Book Online Page B

really blind.
    He tapped the arm of his chair, not liking the thought of her playing him. Perhaps there was a way to test her without being obvious. “Now the only thing I don’t know is why you’re here.”
    Her head came back up. “I’m sorry. I’m not sure where to start.”
    “Just spit it out,” he suggested. “I find that’s the easiest.”
    The corners of her mouth crinkled up slightly—dazzling. He bet she could knock a man out if she let that smile take hold.  
    The faint smile fell away as she turned serious once more. Everything about her screamed scared: the furrow between her brows, the tense set of her shoulders, the death grip on her baton. Either a really good actress or she was who she portrayed.  
    “Listen. No one can know I’m here. And I can’t tell you specifics, at least not how I found out, but I’m very afraid—” She broke off suddenly, her head tilted to the side, eyes wide, as if she heard something. Teigan cocked his own head, but caught only sterile silence. Definitely edgy.
    She stood abruptly, her baton clutched in her hand in preparation to bolt. “I’m sorry. I thought you were alone.”
    Right. And no one can know she’s here. Sensing immediately that this was a one shot deal, he decided to do the only thing he could do: He lied.  
    “We are alone.” He touched her arm gently, trying to ease her back down.
    “I heard something.”
    He shrugged. “Old house. It settles.”
    “That wasn’t a creak.” Her brow creased, her head tipped slightly off kilter as she listened again. She took a deep breath through her nose. Her eyes narrowed. She jerked her arm free, using her baton to find her way around the obstacles and back toward the door.
    “Aria, wait!” He sprang up. “Hold on a second. You can’t just come in here, hint at something vitally important, and then waltz out again without telling me.”  
    “Computer, lock door,” he commanded when she got too close.
    “I can and I will,” she shot back. “Computer, unlock door.”
    “Voice print unaccepted,” the monotone voice droned.
    She cursed, fumbled along the wall, trying to find the manual override button on the panel beside the door. Lights flipped on and off as she found the touch panel and hit the wrong controls. She cursed again, but eventually hit the one that had the lock clicking off.
    He placed his palm against the door so she couldn’t escape.  
    “Release the door, Mr. Evans.” Her voice was firm and spoken in a low tone, yet he heard the slight waver in it.
    “Not until you tell me what has you afraid.”
    “What has me upset , ” she stressed with a yank on the door, “is that you’re not allowing me to leave.”
    “Before that.” He bore his full weight on his arm, holding the door firmly closed. “You said you were very afraid.”
    “There is someone in this house,” she hissed. “You’re either lying, therefore untrustworthy, or you’re truly oblivious and therefore not who you say you are…and again untrustworthy.”
    In a sudden move, she snapped the baton around, whipping his arm. The sting of the strike made him involuntarily jerk his arm back.
    “What the fuc—”
    Using the moment, she yanked the door open and was through the entrance before he could stop her again.
    “Damn it.” He rubbed at the welted skin. Mental note, this damsel would bite. “Aria!”  
    He followed her out, but he didn’t grab her. The driver of the Odyssey had swung open the door and was waiting for her by the curb. She quickly stalked up the sidewalk, her baton clicking like a high speed metronome as it measured the edges of sidewalk before her.  
    “I told you it’s an old house,” he cajoled, matching her pace. “It squeaks, groans.”
    She hesitated slightly, but shook her head and marched on.
    “The old owners said there’s a ghost, too. I’ve never seen it, but hell, maybe they’re right.” His own steps faltered. Wow Teigan, you must really enjoy digging. Because