She pushed the manila files toward him. “The first is a plan for employee benefits, the second is a list of deductions I think you can take throughout the year.” Right now she had a more immediate concern. Were the men still out in the bar? She hoped not. “The deductions should save you about ten thousand dollars each quarter.”
“Great.” Paul glanced at his watch. “How about I look these over tonight and give you a call tomorrow? I, er, have a date.”
Josie smiled and stood. “No problem.” Relief filled her. Paul wasn’t going to hire another firm. Excellent.
She followed him down the hallway to the bar, her senses on high alert. Her hands tightened to fists. The guy against the wall had gone. The man at the table remained in the same place, his gaze on her as she dodged through the bar. Anger and fear slammed together. She wasn’t taking this. With a huff, she grabbed her beer from where she’d left it on the bar.
Lifting her chin, she stalked toward him, plunking her beer on his table. The liquid fizzed up and spilled over the top. The bartender and two bouncers were close enough to call if she needed them. “What do you want?”
The guy raised an eyebrow and took another drink of his beer. “In general or right now?”
He appeared casual but a muscle pounded in his jaw. The words might be a double entendre, but not one ounce of sexual innuendo echoed in them. “In general.”
Surprise flashed in his dark eyes. The light was too dim for her to determine color. “A quiet life.” He set down his beer. “What do you want?”
She shrugged. “What happened to your buddy across the room?”
A smile flirted with the corner of his mouth. Familiar. There was something so familiar about this guy. Was he a client of the firm? “What buddy?”
“Whatever.” She rolled her eyes. “I’ve had a long day and don’t want to play. Leave me alone or you’ll regret it.”
“You approached me, doll.”
She needed to get to the motel and then bail out Shane. “My mistake.” She whirled around, her gaze seeking refuge. Plastering on her flirtiest smile, she wandered over to the bartender. “Hey, would you do me a huge favor?”
His grin split his face. “Anytime, lady.”
“There’s a guy at a table behind me, a big guy. Would you distract him for a few minutes after I leave?”
The bartender glanced behind her. “What guy?”
Josie turned. He was gone. Only two beer bottles remained on the sparkly table. Unease caught her breath in her throat. “Well, how about escorting me to my car? Just in case.”
The bartender jumped over the bar and held out an arm. “I’d be delighted.”
The rain drenched down as they hurried outside, and she checked the backseat before getting in. Empty. With a wave to her temporary hero, she pulled into traffic, keeping an eye behind her.
Darkness fell as she took side roads, driving the opposite direction of where she needed to go several times. No one followed her. That she could see at least.
Finally she arrived at the motel and parked across the lot from their room, watching. Waiting. Nothing moved. She grabbed the gun out of the glove box and stuck the heavy weapon in the back of her pants. Her purse offered little comfort at her side while she scrambled across the unkempt lot and opened the door.
Silence.
Thank goodness. She stepped inside and locked the door, flipping on the light.
Empty.
What a rotten day. She dodged forward into the bathroom, taking a moment to wash her face and use the facilities. What should she do?
Bail out Shane. That’s what she should do. He may have knocked Tom out, but he was just trying to protect her. Plus, the two men at the bar were there for her. She couldn’t handle them, and they had to have something to do with Shane. Sure, she could tell the police about them, but they hadn’t done anything yet, and she had no clue who they were.
Shane could deal with the duo from the bar. Every instinct she had yelled they’d be back. She might not trust Shane, but he was her best bet in surviving whatever was going on. Then she’d have to figure out how to survive him. One thing at a time.
Okay. Good plan. She walked out of the bathroom.
And stopped cold. Fear slammed her heart against her ribs. Her ears burned. Adrenaline ripped through her bloodstream.
The two men sat on the ragged couch, gray eyes focused on her.
Chapter 16
She drew the gun, steadying her feet on the ugly carpet. Should she point at one of them or between them? Between them.
The two men on the couch didn’t flinch. Or move. The brown-haired one who’d stood against the far wall at the bar raised an eyebrow. “Did you figure she had a gun?” He cocked his head to the side, twisting his lip as if in deep thought.
“Nope.” The man with black hair stretched out long legs. “She tossed her purse on the bed.”
Familiar. There was something so familiar about these two. She squinted her eyes. “Who the hell are you?”
The first man scratched his head, glancing at the other. “Well?”