Following Her Read online

  Her brow rose slightly. “I’m not trying to impress you, Mr. Carlson.”

  “Believe me, I’m getting the message loud and clear,” he said with a chuckle. “Here’s the secret, though. I find a woman in uptight clothing and schoolteacher hair to be quite the turn-on. It always makes me wonder what she’s hiding underneath,” he added with a grin.

  “You’re infuriating,” she said with a huff before going to her coffeepot and sighing in disgust at the realization that he had indeed drunk the last cup.

  He’d considered making a fresh pot, but that seemed to be overstepping. Okay, since he had let himself into her house, maybe overstepping wasn’t the right word. Fine. He just hadn’t wanted to. He’d never mastered the art of making a good pot of coffee. Wasn’t that what drive-thru coffee stands were for?

  Instead of replying to her latest insult, he took his time studying her outfit, a dark pencil skirt that skimmed the top of her knees, and a white blouse he was sure fitted nicely to her breasts, but which was covered by a dark blazer, still fitted, but not giving him quite as delicious a view as her shorts had. Her outfit was completed by a surprisingly sexy pair of heels. Maybe that was her concession to the rest of the hard clothing.

  If not for the sleek heels, she’d pull off the look of the untouchable business female quite well. Of course, he did love to breach the walls of the toughest of challenges. Yeah, he had a feeling Bryson was going to be trying to kick his ass before this protection detail was over. It’d be worth the fight.

  She quietly went about making a fresh pot of coffee and was silent while it brewed. Only after pouring herself a cup, pointedly not offering him one, did she come and sit down.

  “I in no way need protecting, Mr. Carlson. My very loving, yet misguided cousin believes differently. We’re at an impasse,” she said, delicately taking a sip.

  Axel smiled. He was beginning to like this girl. Hell yeah. His job hadn’t been fun in quite some time, so this verbal sparring with Ella was more pleasurable than he would’ve imagined when he’d gotten the call from Bryson.

  “Well, you can continue to fight him,” Axel said, getting up and pouring himself a new cup of coffee, not because he wanted it, but because he enjoyed irritating the proper Ms. Brooks by taking more than his fair share.

  “I told Bryson I would allow the security system. That’s as far as I’m willing to take it.”

  “You’re stubborn, Ella. I’m more so,” he challenged.

  “You don’t know me at all, Mr. Carlson.”

  “I think I’m beginning to get the picture,” he replied.

  “Good. Then you realize you’re wasting both our time, and you’ll kindly bow out now, won’t you?”

  “Have you practiced that tone, Ella? Does it work on most men?” When she looked at him quizzically, he leaned back, one leg crossed over the other. “The arrogant heiress tone,” he finished.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I’ll be sure to tell my cousin how much I irritate you,” she said with a smirk.

  “It’s okay, I’ll tell him myself.”

  “We’re getting nowhere. Just tell me what you’re going to do and then leave.” He was wearing her down.

  “Your cousin cares about you. There’s nothing wrong with that. And the fact is that you’re messed up in something a lot bigger than you realize or care to admit. I’ve read about the case you’re involved in. Pretending there isn’t danger just makes you a fool.” Axel had generally found that blunt was the best strategy.

  “Do you always insult your clients, Mr. Carlson?” Ooh, he’d certainly hit a hot spot there.

  “When it’s necessary.”

  “Well, I don’t take kindly to strangers cutting me down, especially in my own home. I’ve agreed to this concession, but you’re quickly pissing me off, and I’m about to tell both you and my cousin to take a leap off a really tall bridge . . . into shallow water.”

  “So you want to go skinny-dipping?”

  “Listen, Mr. Carlson—” she began.

  “Do I honestly look like the type of man who goes by my last name?”

  “I don’t really care, and I prefer to keep it formal,” she corrected him. “I’m not foolish. I don’t jump into the cars of strangers or seek out men online. I don’t go and get drunk in a bar and then stumble down the empty sidewalks at two in the morning. I’m careful, cautious, and determined to make it on my own. I have a protective family who seem to think it’s not okay for me to make a few mistakes. Yes, I’ve been in less-than-perfect circumstances before, but I always come out on the other side. This is just one more time. You can give me all the lectures you want, but it isn’t going to change who I am, so don’t try to pretend you know me, and don’t try to play the suave playboy thinking it’ll appeal to me. You can cut the crap and we can get down to business, or you can leave and I’ll deal with my cousin.”

  If Axel were smart, he would’ve backed off, but more than one boss had told him his tongue would one day be the death of him, and hot damn if her temper wasn’t turning him on.

  “Fine then, Ella, we’ll stick with business,” he said with just enough mirth to make her cheeks burn red, a very fetching color on her.

  “Good. Tell me what you need from me, and we’ll be done.”

  Standing up, Axel moved across the table and leaned down, enjoying the spark lighting up her eyes, and the subtle scent of whatever perfume she’d spritzed herself with. She was all woman underneath the fire, and he really wanted to unwrap the package she was presenting.

  “What do you think you’re doing?”

  “I just want to make sure you hear me,” he said, leaning a few inches closer, giving her no room to escape.

  “I can hear you just fine from across the table.”

  Axel knew women inside and out. He knew when they wanted him, and he knew when they were trying to convince themselves they didn’t. He’d met uptight women before, and he normally steered clear. After all, there were a plethora of women willing to warm his bed, so why waste time on one he’d have to woo?

  But that was before he’d met Ella Brooks.

  “Why so jumpy, Ella?”

  “Have you no personal boundaries?” she asked. Good. He liked that she was still feisty even when feeling threatened. That was a good sign.

  “I don’t lie. It’s something you’ll discover quickly about me. I also don’t run from the truth. I like you, Ella, and I think the two of us could make this more than just a business arrangement. Why don’t I come back and pick you up for a nice dinner? Eight?”

  She leaned away, though there was a slight tremble to her fingers before she clasped them together in her lap. “No, thank you.”

  “You have a boyfriend?”

  “That’s none of your business, Mr. Carlson.”

  “That usually means no.”

  “It means exactly what it was supposed to, that it’s none of your business. Now, step back,” she said with fire burning in her eyes.

  “I think I’m going to make it my business, Ella. I like your feistiness, your independence, the way you look, the way you smell.”

  Even though the tremble through her body was very minute, he was affecting her. It gave him unbelievable pleasure knowing it.

  “I’m done with this conversation, Mr. Carlson.”

  “For now,” he said before leaning back and letting her have space. “But I’ll be back tomorrow bright and early so we can get started on your”—he stopped and looked at her from head to toe, ending with direct eye contact—“safety.”

  With that, he stood up and moved toward her front door, surprised by the pounding of his own heart. Yeah, he was playing games with the very sexy Ella Brooks, but he wasn’t a complete victor. She had moves of her own that could certainly upset the sure victory he was seeking.

  Ella’s shoes clicked on the marble floor as she made her way through the quiet courthouse. It had been a long day and she was more than ready to go home. She’d wanted to be a
lawyer since middle school, when she’d played the defense attorney in her class’s mock trial.

  It had been fun and challenging and she’d taken it seriously, even insisting her parents sit in as witnesses at home so she could question them. Eventually that led to a prelaw major in college, then law school. The years of schooling, the late nights studying—they’d all paid off in the end, but now look where she was.

  She’d been working for a shady lawyer at an even shadier law firm and the man was threatening her because she knew information she shouldn’t, but she wasn’t going to back down. No one was going to decide her destiny—not an unethical lawyer nor the judges he had in his pocket, and certainly not the thugs he’d hired to try to scare her.

  Yes, it’d been a mistake to get involved with him, but in her defense, she’d spent so many years studying that she hadn’t taken the time to date—to live, even, and have fun in those formative years. And then before she knew it, she’d finished law school, had passed the bar, and was out in the real world.

  When her boss had asked her out, he’d swept her off her feet, made her feel feminine, beautiful, and desired. But the honeymoon phase hadn’t lasted long, and soon it was apparent that he wasn’t the type of man she wanted in her personal or professional life.

  She’d gotten out of the relationship and the job. But she’d left with too much knowledge, and now her ex-boss was coming after her. She was strong, though, and not afraid of him. She truly believed that no matter how many bribes you gave to people in positions of power, justice would prevail. If she ever stopped believing that, she might as well quit practicing law altogether.

  Despite Ella’s refusal to let her ex frighten her, she knew she never should’ve said a word to her family. But she’d needed someone to talk to. It was just a thing in her family that they thought the women should be coddled. There were times that was nice, and then there were times when she really wanted to bash them all in the head. Right now, she was more in the mood for the latter.

  “Hello, Ella, you look well.”

  A cold shiver traveled down Ella’s spine, but she squared her shoulders and schooled her features before turning toward the man who had no business being out of handcuffs.

  “I have nothing to say to you.” Her voice was pure ice.

  “And I thought the two of us were good friends,” the man said. She wouldn’t run and hide. That’s what he wanted.

  “I’d never be friends with a criminal like you. And if you think you’re scaring me, think again, Wade.”

  “Tsk-tsk, Ella. I don’t like it when a woman speaks down to me.”

  Wade, who probably didn’t have a last name because no parents would want to claim him, had been tormenting her ever since her ex, Felix, went to jail. If she dropped out of testifying in the trial, her ex knew there wouldn’t be much of a case against him.

  But people like Wade and Felix thrived on power, so no matter her fears, she couldn’t back down. Looking into Wade’s cold, dead eyes, she knew he was capable of doing monstrous things. She was safe as long as she didn’t put herself into a situation where he could get her alone. And she wasn’t going to let that happen.

  He stood before her all in black: his jeans, his shirt, his coat, even his shoes. He wanted to stand out, wanted to look intimidating. He did it well with his bulging arms, his formidable height, and the scar that ran down the side of his cheek that only added to his intensity. At least she was safe in this building with all its cameras and security detail. They both knew it.

  “You realize that I have this little digital recorder, right?” she said as she pulled out the device and clicked it on. “Every single time you approach me, every time you threaten me, or try to intimidate me, I keep it on record. I’m not afraid of you or your boss, so I suggest you find some other female to haunt,” she said before turning away.

  Ella didn’t make it two steps before his bruising fingers were gripping her arm and he was spinning her back around. Pain zipped up and down her arm, but there was no way she’d give him the satisfaction of showing it.

  “I suggest you be a little more careful, Ella. As a matter of fact, I suggest you run and hide far away from here. It’d be a shame if you were involved in an . . . accident,” he said with a leer before snatching the digital recorder out of her hand and crushing it.

  If he was so stupid as to think that was her only recording device, then he was certainly working for the right man, because they both were fools.

  Ella’s voice never changed as she tugged fruitlessly at her arm. “I suggest you release me immediately.”

  “What are you going to do about it?”

  Ella gave her best victory smile as she heard the sound of approaching footsteps. Before Wade could turn to see who was coming, they had company, and Wade was being pulled away from her by her favorite policeman.

  “You okay, Ella?” Officer Robertson asked.

  “I have it all under control, Don. However, a night in jail will do this man good. I won’t be manhandled by anyone, and he’s violating a restraining order.” She smirked at Wade and practically saw steam billow from his ears.

  “This isn’t over, Ella,” Wade sneered as Officer Robertson cuffed him.

  “What you need to remember, Wade, is that bullies never win. They may have their small victories, but they always lose in the end. You can use your looks and your steroid muscles to intimidate people, but I don’t easily cower. Enjoy your roommate tonight. I hope he’s extra nice to you,” she said with another smirk that had the man spitting in rage. Maybe it wasn’t the best move to antagonize him, but she’d never been one to shy away from a challenge.

  Officer Robertson hauled Wade off, and it wasn’t until they turned the corner that Ella allowed herself to let down her guard. She leaned against the wall as trembles racked her body.

  “Your cousin was right. You sure as hell need protection, because that mouth of yours is going to get you killed.”

  She knew that voice.

  “I can’t deal with you right now, Axel,” she groaned, her eyes squeezed shut as she tried to gain control over her shaking limbs. How much had he seen?

  “It looks like you can deal with a hell of a lot. You’re a tough woman, Ella, but sometimes it’s okay to back off,” Axel said.

  “I won’t back down from criminals. I won’t let them intimidate me,” she said, her eyes snapping open as she got her second wind. “What’re you doing here, anyway?”

  “Checking on you. Got here just in time to see the end of the show. I was a bit bummed to see the officer—I would’ve loved to deck that lowlife.”

  “Yeah, because that’s how issues are solved. With your fists,” she said as she pushed away from the wall and began walking toward the exit. She was glad her day was over. Though it had started out quite well, the end of it was far less than perfect.

  “I do what I need to do and I can’t stand men who hurt women.”

  “And you’ve never hurt a woman, Axel?” she said, stopping and looking him in the eye.

  “No! I would never put my hands on a woman that way,” he exclaimed.

  “That’s not what I said. You listen about as well as that scumbag Wade.”

  He stopped and processed her words. “Hey, I date women who know the score. I don’t hurt them,” he finally said, but she could see she’d gotten to him, if only a little.

  “And do I know the score, Axel?” Her guard was down or she never would have called him by his first name. Her encounter with Wade had shaken her more than she cared to admit.

  “I think you’re the toughest woman I’ve ever run across,” he said, stepping just a little too close.

  “I am tough. Don’t forget it. And don’t think I don’t know a dodge to a question when I hear one,” she said, gaining back a bit of her strength. “Now that you’ve done your duty and checked on me, you can report back to my cousin that I’m just fine, that I have my life under control, and that I don’t need anyone’s protection,” she said as
she began walking again, her back ramrod straight and her chin proud as she pushed through the front doors of the courthouse.

  “It didn’t look that way to me. From the way that man was grabbing you, it looked like you needed someone to step in.”

  “And the law stepped in, Axel. I believe in the law and it will always be on my side.”

  “You’re a fool to think a man like Wade can’t get to you,” Axel said, sending a shudder down her spine again. Nope. She wasn’t going to allow anyone to make her live in fear.

  “With enough determination even the best of idiots can get to anyone at any time. But I’m not defenseless, Axel. Felix can send whomever he wants after me, and they’ll all soon realize that I fight back,” she said as she reached her car.

  “I like that about you, Ella. I happen to like it a lot.”

  “Well, enjoy it from a distance.”

  She climbed into her car and didn’t bother listening to whatever else Axel had to say. She was drained, and if she didn’t see anyone else today, she’d be a happy woman. Still, she couldn’t help looking in her rearview mirror.

  Axel was standing there with a smile on his face, his arms crossed, his legs spread just enough to make the pose incredibly sexy and showcase his solid frame. Yeah, she was attracted. So what? He’d soon be out of her life and nothing more than a distant memory.

  Life had been so busy for Axel the last few years that dating had been a thing of the past for quite some time. He liked women; hell, he loved women, but he didn’t have to wine and dine them to get them into his bed. He just had to do what he did best—show off his impeccable personality.

  Okay, even he had to laugh at that. No, he wasn’t always the most sensitive of men, and didn’t know the first thing about how a woman’s mind worked. But he knew more than his fair share about their bodies.

  And because of that, he considered himself a master in the art of seduction. When you were talented, why try to hide it? And he was certainly good at getting the girl. So why in the hell was he suddenly chasing after a woman who seemed to like nothing better than his backside?