The Pregnant Heiress

Her face was a little fuller, he noted with satisfaction. He couldn’t tell about her arms with that enveloping nightgown, but he thought she’d put a little weight on. Good.

“Flynn! What are you doing here?” Her eyes were wide and startled.

“Having coffee,” he said, going to the hutch where a pot sat on a warmer. “Then we’re going to get some things straightened out.”

“What’s to straighten out? I’ve got to leave, that’s all.”

“Yeah, I’m afraid you do.” He brought his cup over to the table and sat across from her. She looked cute with blender hair. He wondered if her breasts were that full all the time, and wished she was wearing something clingy so he could see the shape of her breasts better….

Damn. What was wrong with him?

Miranda frowned. “Even if this man does come looking for Emma, she doesn’t have to leave. Kingston Estates has security.”

“A bored security guard or two won’t slow Shaw down, I’m afraid, if he’s determined to get to Emma.”

“What do you know that we don’t?” Kane asked.

“That’s what we need to get straight.” He sipped his coffee appreciatively. “This is great coffee, Miranda. You grind it fresh?”

“I—yes.”

“There’s a little place on Esquivel that has some good blends. The beans are shipped vacuum-sealed. You might want to try it some time.”

“You came here to talk about coffee?” Emma said sweetly.

“You want to get right to business? Okay. What have you told them about Steven Shaw?”

“Everything necessary.” She met his eyes steadily, but her fingers fidgeted with the handle on her coffee cup. “I don’t see what you’re doing here. Why you’ve involved yourself in this.”

“Damned if I know.” He couldn’t stand to think of the scumbag getting hold of her, that was all. “Except that I’m pretty sure you’ve held back a few important facts from your mom and your brother, here.”

Those curvy eyebrows of hers sailed up haughtily. “Such as?”

“Did you tell them you needed stitches after the last time you saw Shaw? Did you mention that after beating you, he locked you in the bathroom and you had to break out before you could get medical care?”

In the silence that fell, the small, dismayed noise that Miranda made sounded very loud. Flynn noticed that the knuckles on Kane’s fists were white. He sighed. “I didn’t think so.”

“You talked to Mindy. You must have. No one else—” She shook her head. “I trusted her.”

“Who’s Mindy?” Kane asked.

“My friend. We worked together at the florist’s in San Diego and she helped me get away. I can’t believe she told Flynn everything.”

“She didn’t tell me. She told a colleague of mine. I told you I’d checked out your boyfriend—excuse me, your former fiancé—after I got that call from Mathers.” He watched the expressions fleeting across her face. Dismay, maybe shame. Disbelief. Anger. “If it makes you feel any better, Sam had a hell of a time getting her to open up.”

“Mindy knew better than to talk to a P.I.”

“Ed’s good at getting people to trust him.”

Her words came out flat. “So is Steven.”

He nodded. “That’s why you ran, isn’t it? Instead of going to the cops for help. Because you didn’t trust the San Diego P.D.”

“He’s got buddies on the force.” She pushed back her chair and stood.

Kane spoke up. “Emma told us this man is a bounty hunter. I take it he’s got contacts in the police department?”

“He used to be a cop,” Flynn said, “before he got kicked off the force for using unnecessary roughness.”

Emma froze. “He said he’d quit the force because he hated all the red tape that keeps officers from doing their jobs.”

“Right. Red tape meaning he wasn’t allowed to pistolwhip an uncooperative witness, I suppose.”

“I didn’t know.” She ran both hands over her hair. It didn’t do much to tame the unruly mass. “God. There was so much I didn’t know.”

She was so pale, her skin chalky with shock. He wanted to sound gentle. It came out gruff. “You wouldn’t have, of course.”

“The man is obviously bad news,” Kane said. “But will he really chase Emma all the way to Texas?”

“Emma thinks he will. Don’t you?”

“How can I be sure? He said…” She started pacing, her movements jerky. “When you were checking him out, did you find out if he’s been looking for me?”

“Yeah.” He hated to tell her that, but she needed to know. “Mindy told Sam he’d talked to her. And from what Sam learned, he’s got feelers out elsewhere.”

Her eyes closed. “I’ve got to get out of here.”

Miranda went to her. “We’ll get you protection, Emma.”

“You don’t understand. Steven is…once he’s decided to do something, he doesn’t turn back. No matter what.”

That’s what he’d needed to know. Flynn turned slightly in his chair to watch her restless movement, his decision made. “Mindy wasn’t crazy about breaking a confidence, but when Ed explained the situation, she could see you needed help. You seem to have some trouble with that concept.”

She stopped by one of the big windows, her fingers gripping the frame. “I’ve been accepting help for the past two months. The result was that photograph.”

“That happened because you hadn’t leveled with the people who want to help you. But you’ve made a start. The next step is to go pack your bags. I’ve got a fishing cabin about two hours away. We’ll go there.”

She stared at him. “I beg your pardon.”

The corner of his mouth kicked up. “You know, you look a lot like your mom when you do that.”

“I don’t—oh, this is ridiculous. I’m not going anywhere with you.”

Kane’s eyebrows lifted. “Are you offering the use of your cabin, Flynn? Or your services as bodyguard? You don’t come cheap. I’m not sure Emma can afford you.”

“Money is not an issue,” Miranda said crisply. “But Emma doesn’t have to run off to some cabin. We can get her all the protection she needs. If she needs a bodyguard—”

“I need to leave,” Emma said flatly.