LITMIR.BIZ

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never done that?” And now that he thought of it, it made him wonder what else she hadn’t done.

      Not a good direction for his thoughts to take.

      “That’s where you took her?” Leese asked.

      “Yeah.” He couldn’t help but half grin. “She got hammered right off the bat. It would have been funny if her dad wasn’t breathing fire down my neck.”

      Leese gave him a long look. “Had she eaten?”

      “I dunno.”

      The long look became disbelieving. “You didn’t find out?” Leese sat forward, his elbows on his knees. “You took a twenty-four-year-old sheltered client on a drinking spree without asking questions first?”

      Going on the defensive, Justice said, “’Course I asked questions. She just didn’t give a lot of answers.”

      “Tell me you at least did your research beforehand.”

      “I told you last night, she didn’t give me a chance. She laid out the agenda after I got there, not before.”

      Leese shook his head. “But you researched her, right?”

      Starting to feel uncomfortable, Justice shifted. He knew Leese was big on digging up every bit of info he could, in every way he could. “What was there to research? It was a straightforward job. Just watch over her for a while.”

      Leese and Sahara shared a look of disappointment.

      “What?” he demanded. “There wasn’t any specific threat ever mentioned.”

      “You do your research, regardless.” Leese stood. “You know that.”

      “Sure. But this time, it didn’t seem necessary. I mean, I’m like a glorified babysitter or something.” Except that now...yeah, now he wished he knew more about her.

      “Let’s go.” Leese returned his coffee cup to the tray. “We’ll do it now.”

      “We will?” Justice quickly gulped down his coffee and went to follow his friend. After all, Leese had fallen much more comfortably into this new gig. For him, it had been an easy transition.

      For Justice, he still felt like he had a lot to learn...obviously.

      “Yes,” Sahara said. “Go, shoo. Do your jobs. Leave the rest of the pastries for me. And Justice? Let me know how it goes.”

      * * *

      BY THE TIME Justice pulled through the gate to the Wade home, he felt like he had a better handle on things.

      He now knew that Fallon had graduated at the top of her class, so she was obviously smart.

      She didn’t keep a Facebook page or Twitter account, so she wasn’t much for social media—or she was super private. He’d bet on the latter.

      The lack of an online persona made it tougher to get a handle on her personal preferences. Leese had thought they’d find out about her friends, past dates, the places she enjoyed hanging...but when they found nothing, they both decided it was her father’s wealth that made it difficult to do the usual. Anyone could be tracked online, but as protective as her folks were, they wouldn’t like making it easy.

      Fallon was young for her job as a decorator for her father’s hotel chain. She handled only the local hotels, though. Justice didn’t know if that was out of an aversion to traveling or just convenience.

      Since most rich people spent a bunch of their time jetting around, Leese had dug a little more, but even he couldn’t find a single instance of Fallon leaving the city in years.

      Curious, but what Justice found most interesting was an incident from five years ago when Fallon’s sister, older by two years, had tragically died in a fire. That alone might be enough to prompt the parents to hover over her.

      Losing a kid...he couldn’t imagine anything worse than that. But yeah, it could make anyone more protective.

      There weren’t many details to go by. The parents were super private and had refused all interviews. All Leese could find was a report of the fire, started by accident, saying that the sister had died. Apparently the Wades had enough money and influence to keep their personal business out of the news.

      To prepare for the assignment, Justice had left Leese to finish up his cursory research while he checked out all the local establishments that Fallon might want to visit. That had taken most of the afternoon. After figuring he had a handle on things, Justice had eaten his dinner and headed out.

      Now that the storms had blown over, the spring day felt too warm and muggy. He’d dressed in a T-shirt and jeans with his usual gym shoes. This time of early evening, the sun settled like a blaze on the horizon, making sunglasses necessary as he drove along the landscaped private drive to the house.

      First thing Justice noticed was a black Mercedes parked out front. Slick ride. Curious, he parked behind it, got out and started for the front door. Right before he reached the steps, the door opened and a suited GQ-looking guy got ushered out.

      Tall, trim, blond—and obviously of the same moneyed ilk as Fallon’s family.

      Effectively backing him out the door, Fallon said, “Really, Marcus, I’ve been clear. I’m sorry, but it’s over.”

      Huh. A boyfriend? Maybe past boyfriend, given Fallon’s frown. Justice held back, watching and waiting.

      Marcus took her hands. “Don’t say that, Fallon. You can’t mean it.”

      “I do.” She tugged, but good ole Marcus didn’t let her go.

      That irked Justice big-time. He was about to intercede when Mr. Wade stepped out, and for once he looked pissed at someone other than Justice. “Go, Marcus. Don’t make this more uncomfortable for her than it has to be.”

      “Please, sir, I need just a minute to speak with her.”

      “She doesn’t want to talk to you,” Mr. Wade insisted.

      “Dad,” Fallon complained. “I can handle this.”

      “I screwed up,” Marcus rushed to say to her father, ignoring Fallon’s objection. “I know that and I’m sorry. It just...took me by surprise.”

      “Marcus!” Face going red, Fallon glanced at her father, who didn’t budge. “You don’t have to explain. Seriously.” She tugged again, but blondie didn’t let go. “I understand. But surely you see—”

      “It won’t happen again. I swear.”

      “What,” her father asked with growling menace, “won’t happen again?”

      “Dad,” Fallon pleaded more urgently. Then to Marcus, “Don’t do this. Please.”

      Justice decided he’d had enough. Interrupting whatever Marcus would have said, he announced himself. “Hey, Fallon. You about ready?”

      Finally noticing him, her face lit up, then pinched in irritation as she forcefully yanked her hands from Marcus. “Yes, of course. I’ll need only a minute.”

      “Sure.” As he strode up the steps, Justice pushed the glasses to the top of his head, letting them catch in the messy fauxhawk that he knew needed a good trim.

      She looked nervously to her pushy swain. “Marcus...”

      “I’m not leaving,” Marcus insisted.

      Yeah, Justice decided, he was. “Did I get here just in time to be useful?” His muscles clenched. He felt like cracking his knuckles—or the boyfriend’s head.

      “No! That is, everything’s fine.” Fallon floundered, then pulled back her shoulders and glared at Marcus.

      “Fallon,” the guy pleaded.

      “Goodbye.” After giving her dad a warning frown, Fallon sent a fast smile to Justice,

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