The Hill

Judd’s head shot up. “Was there blood near the car? On the seat?”

“Exactly. It appears that someone pulled the driver from the car and beat him on the street. His plans to steal the car were probably thwarted when it rolled into the street and got hit.” The officer’s eyebrows met over his nose. “And you are?”

“Judd Brody.”

“Brody...”

“He’s my friend. Is that what you think this was? An attempted car theft? Of a limo?”

“Could’ve been kids looking for a joyride.” He scratched his chin and eyed Judd. “Aren’t you...?”

Judd sliced his hand through the air. “I don’t think kids could’ve done that much damage to a big guy like Theodore.”

Good to know she and Judd were on the same page. Wedging her hand on her hip, she said, “I don’t think kids would be out to steal a distinctive limo, either.”

“That might be just what they wanted. We don’t have any witnesses. I’m amazed your driver made it this far in his condition. He should’ve just called the cops himself.”

The officer asked them several more questions and told her where the ambulance had transported Theodore. He had a daughter in New York and one in Atlanta, and she intended to call both of them just as soon as she checked up on Theodore herself.

How could this happen? Theodore had never run into any trouble driving her father around. She couldn’t even keep her employees safe. How was she supposed to run a company? Maybe she did need Roger’s help.

She arranged for a tow service to take the limo back to her father’s place, and Judd called a taxi.

London twisted her fingers into knots. “It’s all my fault. I should’ve insisted that he take the car back instead of waiting around in this crappy neighborhood.”

“The only people who deserve blame are the dirtbags who tried to jack Theodore.” He brushed a wisp of hair from her cheek with the rough pad of his finger. “There’s no way you were going to convince Theodore to leave you. He takes pride in a job well done.”

“You’re right, but we should’ve gone somewhere else.” She shoved her hands in the pockets of her jacket. “I need to stop being the wild-child free spirit.”

He wedged a finger beneath her chin and tilted her head back. “Who says?”

His soft touch and low voice caused tears to prick the backs of her eyes. How had he gone from sexy alpha male on the dance floor to this man with the understanding eyes? And why was she falling under his spell so quickly?

She jerked her head away and ducked to peer through the window. “I think our taxi’s here.”

They climbed into the backseat and she put her hand on his forearm, which tensed beneath her fingers. “Your jacket’s in the back of the limo.”

“Don’t worry about it. I don’t think I’ll be needing it anytime soon.”

“Where do you live?” She leaned forward in her seat.

“We’ll have him drop you off first.”

She gave the taxi driver her address and fell back against the seat. “I hope Theodore’s going to be okay. Maybe we should follow the ambulance.”

“And have you create a media circus? Not a great idea. Theodore lost a lot of blood, but I’ve seen guys a lot worse off than that after fights. I think he’ll pull through.”

“Thanks to you. Is all that first aid—” she waved her hand in the air “—part of your job?”

“Yeah. I spent several summers working as a lifeguard in Santa Cruz, so I had all that training, which comes in handy now.”

She closed her eyes. Was there anything this man couldn’t do?

Too quickly, the taxi pulled in front of her building.

Judd tapped the driver’s shoulder. “Wait here. I’ll be right back.”

He took her hand to help her from the car and dropped it all too soon as they walked to the front door of her building. She entered the code to open the door and turned on the step. Under better circumstances she’d invite him up for a cocktail, see if his slow seduction on the dance floor would come to fruition.

Now she just wanted to wash her hands, still smudged with Theodore’s blood.

“Thanks for everything tonight, Judd Brody.”

“You’re welcome, London Breck. Do you need me to walk you up to your place?”

She pointed inside the lobby at the security guard sitting at the desk watching TV monitors. “Twenty-four-hour security here. I’m not the only celebrity in the building.”

“Good, but don’t forget how the evening started, with you being attacked in an alley.”

Judd didn’t even know about the threatening note. “I guess Theodore and I both had targets on our backs tonight.”

His brow furrowed. “Yeah, you did.”

He obviously wasn’t going to sweep her into his arms for a good-night kiss, no matter how much she needed the comfort, so she stuck out her hand. “Good night.”

“Goodbye.” He gave her hand a hard squeeze and then turned away.

Ouch. That had a ring of finality to it. Why shouldn’t it? They were two strangers thrown together by two extraordinary events. They’d shared a little flirtation, but so what? A man like Judd Brody must have had many little flirtations to his credit...and many notches on his bedpost.

She had more important matters to think about anyway. She waved to the security guard as she crossed the marble-tiled lobby. She had to grow up and take charge of a multibillion-dollar enterprise—and Judd Brody couldn’t help with that at all.

* * *

THE FOLLOWING DAY, London scooted the plastic chair closer to the bed and patted Theodore’s arm. “I don’t get why someone would want to carjack a limousine. And why did you go to the bar instead of calling the police?”

Theodore moved his head from side to side and groaned.

“Keep still.” She reached for the plastic cup on the table beside his hospital bed and held the straw to his swollen lips.

He sipped some water and then waved it away. “Pulled me out of the car, and I lost my phone in the fight. I wouldn’t let them...wouldn’t let them take the car.”

“That’s just silly. Why are you protecting a heap of metal? You should’ve let them have the damn thing and saved yourself.”

“Couldn’t let them. Had to protect you.”

“Me?” She folded the sheet under his side. “I wasn’t even there. I was perfectly safe at the bar with—at the bar.”

She’d fallen asleep thinking about Judd’s arms wrapped around her on the dance floor, about the way the warm skin of his throat felt against her lips. Then she heard his goodbye. Curt. Final.