LITMIR.BIZ

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didn’t want to doubt him, but what choice did she have?

      “I’d like to hire you to dig deeper into this mess and prove my innocence,” he continued. “But the only way I’ll be able to pay you is if I can somehow convince the general to give us another chance and the contract goes through.” He paused and looked at the general and his committee. “Given their unsympathetic expressions, I’d say it’s highly improbable, but I hope you’ll agree to help anyway.”

      Interesting. “Money aside, what if things don’t go your way and I prove you’re guilty? You know I won’t ignore it. I’ll have to turn you in.”

      “I’m certain that won’t happen.” He offered her a flicker of a smile.

      She had to fight not to return it with one of her own. She was so intrigued by him—by the case—that she wanted to jump up and shout, “Yes, I’ll help you!” But she knew nothing about this man other than he was a SEAL. She’d like to think that meant he was trustworthy, but SEALs were just men with razor-sharp skills. Fallible. Susceptible to greed and criminal actions like any man.

      The big question was, could she help someone suspected of treason? She wanted to. His case would be the perfect chance to use her computer degree and the skills she’d learned working cyber crimes at the FBI. Skills that had been underutilized since she’d joined her family at the Justice Agency.

      Right, the family. They’d have to agree. She’d fulfilled her obligation to the general, so that wouldn’t be a problem. But getting her family on board was another story.

      “I’d have to run it by the agency first,” she said, wondering if her siblings would even consider working with a suspected traitor.

      “Agency?” he asked.

      “I haven’t properly introduced myself.” She held out her hand. “Dani Justice of the Justice Agency. It’s a full-service agency owned by my family. We handle all private-investigation needs, including computer crimes.”

      “Ah, you must be the family spokesperson. Or at the very least the one in charge of commercials.” He took her hand in his and smiled. Not the forced number he’d used a moment ago, but an irresistibly devastating grin. He captivated her in a way no man had in a long time, and the heat from his touch traveled up her arm. His smile suddenly fell and he let go of her hand.

      Embarrassed at her reaction, she tucked her hand behind her back. “All joking aside, I can talk to my siblings about adding you to our client list.”

      He narrowed those startling blue eyes. “What are the odds that they’d agree to take me on?”

      “Honestly,” she replied as she sought the answer, “not good. My brother Cole is a former National Guard member and won’t agree at all.” She paused and thought about the emotional turmoil from fighting a war that Cole had only recently healed from. “And after everything he went through during two tours in Iraq, I’m thinking the group will support him and say no to you.”

      A flash of disappointment claimed his eyes before he cleared it away. “I guess I’ll have to find someone else, then.”

      The same disappointment settled inside her heart, and she wished she could do something. She’d waited for the perfect case to prove her abilities since joining her siblings. Even at thirty-two, as the youngest female of five adopted siblings, she was often babied and never allowed to take charge on a case. She was desperate to do so.

      There had to be a way to do it. There just had to.

      He started to rise.

      “Wait.” Impulse had her shooting out a hand to stop him. “I’ll do it.”

      He arched a brow. “Not that I’m not thankful, but are you sure?”

      “Positive. If you’re truly innocent, then someone else either used your computer or hacked your home network. I might be able to prove it by looking at your home computer. That could cast enough doubt on your guilt, and I can bring my family on board.”

      He nodded. Once. Quickly. Decisively. Then he glanced at Wilder and his group. “I’ll need time to talk with the general and my staff, and then we can head to my place.”

      “Great,” she said.

      He slowly came to his feet, agony lighting on his face. His eyes darkened into a shade of steel that burned a path ahead, and he walked away. She imagined him in his uniform in Afghanistan, facing down terrorism. He’d be a formidable foe.

      She watched him march up to Wilder, and uncertainty plagued her heart.

      Had she done the right thing in agreeing to help him? Or would she soon find herself dealing with a cunning traitor who expertly knew how to use his charms to get his way?

      * * *

      Luke pushed from his desk and strode to the conference room. His adrenaline from the car crash and shock over the sabotage had disappeared hours ago, fatigue taking its place. As he approached the long table where Dani awaited him, he swayed and felt as if he might drop to the floor. He grabbed the edge of the tabletop for support, but when he caught Dani watching him, he let go and came to full height.

      Never let anyone see your weakness, his father had warned so many times that, even though Luke had lost respect for his father long before he’d died, he often found himself living by the man’s misguided code.

      Making sure his shoulders were back in military precision, he crossed the room and forced out a smile for Dani. “I’ve had a rental car delivered, and I’m ready to head to my house. I’ll meet you there, since you already know my address.”

      She opened her mouth but didn’t seem to know how to respond.

      “Sorry. The comment about you knowing my address was my attempt at a lame joke to lighten the mood.”

      She smiled, and if he wasn’t so exhausted, he might take the time to enjoy how it lit up her face and chased the confusion from her eyes.

      He held out his hand. “After you.”

      She grabbed her laptop case and he slipped it from her hands. She stopped and looked him in the eye. “I appreciate the gesture, but I carry my own computer.” She took the case from him and shouldered it before striding down the hall.

      Stubborn, much?

      He set off, but a wave of dizziness assailed him and he had to run his hand along the wall to keep up with the clip, clip, clip of her pointy heels. In the elevator she watched him carefully. He expected her to speak at any moment, but she said nothing. They stepped into the cooling afternoon air, and he dug his keys from his pocket.

      With long fingers she snatched them out of his hand. “You’re in no shape to drive.”

      “I’m fine,” he said, though he clearly wasn’t fine if a slight 115-pound female could best him and take his keys. He reached for them, but she slipped her arm behind her back.

      The quick motion sent his head into a spin again, and he wobbled for a moment.

      She considered him with an unwavering gaze. “You should see a doctor before we go to your house.”

      Not sure what to do with his hands when all he wanted to do was reach behind her and grab his keys, he shoved them into his pants pockets. “I’ve been through far worse than this, and I know when to seek medical attention.”

      She lifted her chin. “And I have three brothers who would all be as foolishly stubborn in this situation. So trust me. I have plenty of skills in dealing with it.” She looked him dead in the eye. “I’ll drive and we’ll make a stop at the E.R. on the way. That is, if you still want me to take this case.”

      “Fine,” he said, not liking it one bit, but knowing he needed to play by her rules if she was going help him. “Lead the way.”

      She pivoted sharply and set off. Not needing to hide his less-than-optimum performance any longer,

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