Max knew she was curious about why he left the way he did. He could see it on her face. Once again he wanted to caution her about the danger she would be in while she searched for the Tears, but he didn’t want to scare her away. He needed to find the stones first before anyone got hurt, especially Alicia, but the less she knew the better off she would be. Just in case.
Sonora was already on his trail. A lot earlier than he thought she’d be. All his plans would be for nothing if she got her paws on Alicia. Something he couldn’t let happen. Her safety was his first priority.
She watched him with a disbelieving look on her face. It looked like she was going to fight this one more time. Perhaps he should let her go and find someone else. Too bad she was part of the legend. Something else he knew she wouldn’t believe.
“You don’t need me. This company has a lot of good people who can help you.”
“They don’t have the research skills I need.”
“You don’t think they’ll get the job done?” She leaned against the large back of her oversized leather chair.
He liked the way the soft leather surrounded her. Like a second skin. It suited her.
“After almost a year of research, dealing with other employees in your firm, I don’t have the luxury to continue to wait. I want to take a more active role and I need you.” He had to beat Sonora. He knew she would start looking for them now and unlike him, she’d force whomever she wanted to work for her.
“Look, Mr. Santos—”
“Don’t make your decision yet.” He needed to make sure she found something to hook her and fast, no matter how dangerous it would be for her. Without her he would fail. “Give it twenty-four hours. Continue to do the research on the web. If you find you’re not intrigued enough by this time tomorrow I’ll start looking for someone else to do my research.”
“Why is it so important that I work with you?”
“Tomorrow.” Standing up, he grabbed his bagged meal, walked to the door, pulled it open and disappeared before she could speak another word.
***
“Santos is, by far, the weirdest man I’ve ever met.” Alicia pulled off her jacket and draped it over one arm. She stood in the outer office talking to her secretary.
“Weird isn’t the word I’d use for him,” Stacey said as she watched him take the stairs. “What did you do to him anyway? He’s not waiting for the elevator.”
“I’m not sure, but it worked. He’s leaving, isn’t he? He bothers me. Sits in my office and watches me while I do research. Then bolts out of my office like he’s afraid to hear my answer when he asks a question.”
“Oh, how scary.” Stacey smirked. “I’ll call 911. What question did he ask you?”
“This isn’t funny.” Alicia crossed her arms.
“So what? He creeps you out. You’ve had other clients who have done the same. Remember Mr. Madison? The Groper?”
“How could I forget?” Alicia placed a hand on her chest. “It was last month.”
“And you didn’t answer my question.” Stacey leaned against her desk.
“Yes. No. I don’t know.” Alicia started pacing in her secretary’s office. “There’s something about him that makes me uneasy. I tried to step away from this assignment three times now and each time I find I can’t escape. Something always happens to stop me. And he gave me one more chance to turn down the job just before he took off.”
“Okay, now you’re creeping me out. No one is forcing you to do this. You just said he’s even given you a chance to say no. Maybe you need a break. You have been working awful hard the last few months. When was the last time you were on a date?”
“A date?” Alicia gestured with her hands, trying to shield herself from another of Stacey’s good intentions. “Oh, no. You’re not setting me up again.”
“What?” She placed one hand on her hip. “You thought my cousin was cute.”
“Yeah.” Like a lap dog. He panted all over her. “He just wasn’t my type, that’s all.”
“Sorry.” Stacey gave her a sheepish smile. “I didn’t realize what a pervert he was until one of my other cousins called. She had made the same mistake I did.”
Alicia looked at her.
“Hey,” Stacey placed her other hand on her hip and shifted her weight. “He never hit on me.”
“Good Lord, I hope not, but you know what they say, vice is nice…”
“But incest is best,” Stacey finished. “And no. My family has their skeletons. Half of them join us at the dinner table during the holidays, but I promise there’s no inbreeding going on.”
Alicia laughed. “Didn’t think your parents looked too much alike.”
“Stop.” Stacey rested a hand on Alicia’s shoulder. “You’re going to turn the job down then?”
“I don’t know. What I’ve learned so far fascinates me and that’s the key. He said I could turn it down if it didn’t grab my attention.”
“Then lie to him.” Stacey removed her hand and dropped it to her side. “Tell him you aren’t interested and you don’t want the job.”
“Yeah, but how many chances does a researcher get to prove whether or not a legend exists. I don’t think I can turn down the chance of a lifetime.” Alicia leaned against the doorjamb to her office.
“Maybe I could run interference if you really are afraid of him,” Stacey offered.
“No. I’m just being silly.” Alicia sighed. “He gave me twenty-four hours to decide. I’ll do a little more research and see if this is something I want to do. If not I’ll pass and make him find someone else to do his dirty work.”
***
Sonora slammed her way into her corporate office. Swearing under her breath, she didn’t look at the man sitting behind the secretary desk as she stalked through the second door.
“Problem?” he asked as he trailed behind her.
“He has one of the Tears, and found the woman.”
“So you were successful.” He was cautious as he approached her. It calmed her for a minute. “You also have one of the Tears and will take his from him when you get the woman to work for you.”
She turned on him, growling as she showed her teeth. “It’s not the Tears I’m worried about.”
“The female? Is she one of us as you suspected?”
“No. But she fits the myth.” Sonora swept everything off her desk. Glass smashed onto the hardwood floor as paper fluttered everywhere.
“Myth?”
“You betas might be cute to look at, but you can be dumb as posts.” She wanted to slap her assistant. “The legend that goes along with the Tears? Didn’t you tell me you had it memorized?”
“Of course.” He kept himself out of harm’s way as she moved about the room, looking for something else to destroy. “But, in order to fulfill the legend she has to become his mate. I can’t see Santos breaking tradition.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure. He loves these humans.” She slammed her fist into the desk. The sound of breaking wood made her smile. “If he believes she’s the woman from the legend he just might fulfill it.”
“So, what now?”
“We stop him.”
***
Maximilian stared out the window of his home. He hoped to have more time to woo Miss Braswell into doing the research he needed her to do. Sonora’s appearance and their conversation just forced him to speed up his timetable.
“Sir?”
Max turned toward the opened door. “Thank you. Jacob, I need your help.”
“Of course, sir.”
Max gestured for Jacob to take a chair on the other side of his massive desk. He couldn’t help but smile at the thought of Alicia. He’d bet his next meal she’d like the behemoth. “I need you to make sure Alicia Braswell finds our web sites.”
“Yes, sir.” Jacob jotted down a few notes and stood up. Just before exiting the room he left he paused. “Which sites, sir? You have control over two thousand.”
“The ones that will convince her to help us find the Tears.”
He nodded and walked out of the vault.
Max hated cheating to get his way, but he needed Alicia’s research abilities. He also had to protect her now that Sonora had showed up. Sonora would force Alicia to work for her if she turned him down and that couldn’t happen.
***
Twenty-four hours from the moment he left Alicia he climbed the stairs to her office. Now or never.
He could see the denial in her eyes the moment he looked at her. This wasn’t going to be easy.
“Mr. Santos.”
“Miss Braswell,” he countered.
She paused for a moment. “I’ve done the research you requested.” Alicia stepped aside and allowed him to enter her office.
“You realize you’ve barely scratched the surface?” He stepped in and waited until she headed to her desk before walking to the chair in front.
“Yes.” She crossed to her desk and leaned against the front.
That surprised him. He expected her to hide behind her big desk again.
“But I’m still not sure why you must have me. There are other people who have more qualifications than I do. It doesn’t make sense.” She gave him a steady stare. “And hearing you tell me you have your reasons won’t float this time.”
He had to smile. “My reasons might sound a little crazy to you.”
Although she tried hard not to react, he knew what she felt about him and his request. Her body just about telegraphed her thoughts of how crazy she thought he was. He took a seat in the plush leather chair in front of her and steepled his fingers. “Because I trust you.”
“You don’t even know me.”
“Yes, I do.” The look of disbelief was quick, but he caught it. “You held a legend in your hand. You could have run to the media with it and had instant fame, especially if you took credit for it. You could have told me anything you wanted to be able to keep it. You could have told me it was a fake.”
“I would never—”
“I know. That’s why I know I can trust you.” He laced his fingers together and placed them in his lap. “And I need that. We’re not the only ones after the Tears and my competition isn’t known for following the rules.”
“So it’s a race?” The twinkle in her eye told him he grabbed her interest.
“You could say that.” He leaned forward. “It’s also dangerous.”
“Really?” Her breath hitched as she leaned forward.
He could taste her excitement. Why hadn’t he thought about using this angle earlier? It would have saved him a lot of time. “Yes.”
He feared too much information would turn her away so he let the ‘yes’ hang in the air between them. She broke eye contact and walked around her desk to sit. Alicia was at war with herself. He wondered which would win, her common sense or the thrill of the hunt. “So have you made your decision?”
The air seemed to go out of her. “I—”
The look in her eyes had him fearing what she would say. He had to think fast. “How about we have a two week trial to see if this is something you can commit to?”
The glare she gave him let him know he hit a nerve. He wasn’t sure why he was stringing this out either. She had to say yes.
“I don’t have a problem with commitment.” She sounded indignant.
He didn’t comment. “Is two weeks fair?”
“Yes.”
“Good. We’ll start after lunch.” He stood. “I need to gather a few things for you before we begin.”
***
“And like the wind he’s gone again,” Alicia said to the empty room. In a wink he had walked out of her office. He had moved that fast, like he didn’t want her to change her mind.
“He sure was in a hurry,” Stacey said as she walked into Alicia’s office.
“And something I think we’re going to have to get used to if we’re going to work with him.”
“So you decided to take the job?” asked Stacey.
“A two week trial period.”
“Uh-huh. You’ve taken the job and just won’t admit it.” Stacey placed a pile of papers on her desk.
Alicia opened her mouth to retort and snapped it shut again. Damn it, she was right. She did want this job. It intrigued her. “I haven’t decided yet.”
“Ha.” Stacey picked up another set of papers from Alicia’s done bin and walked back to her desk in the outer office. “Don’t forget you have another appointment at eleven.”
“Mrs. Walker?”
“Yes. She’s called three times to make sure you’re here. I think she’s anxious to find out what you learned about her mother’s jewelry.”
“And she should be. I think she’ll be very happy with my findings. Do I have anything else in between?”
“No.”
“Then go ahead and call her to see if she’d like to come in early.”
“That won’t be a problem. She’s been waiting in the lobby for an hour.”
“My goodness. Then have her come up, and clear the rest of my day. I have a feeling Mr. Santos will want to dominate most of my time.”