“Yeah. Okay,” Kinsey answered. “They don’t leave me alone for a second, Cecil. I’m actually in the bathroom talking to you so I could have a moment alone.”
Her boss made a sound over the link. “That means they’ve something to hide. Have you seen anything about dragons?”
Kinsey continued to hold Ryder’s gaze as she said, “Dreagan is Gaelic for dragon. Of course there is dragon stuff all around the estate.”
“Have you seen a real dragon?”
She hesitated. Ryder didn’t move as he waited to see what she would do. Kinsey was smart. She knew she was being used by her company, though she wasn’t sure who was pulling the strings. She might fear him, but she comprehended she was safer at Dreagan.
“No. There is no such thing as dragons,” Kinsey said with a chuckle. “Nice joke though.”
Cecil released a long-suffering sigh. “I was hoping you’d have better news. I fully expect you to e-mail me later with an order from Dreagan.”
“And if they don’t take my recommendations?”
“Break something,” Cecil stated in an irritated tone. “You need the sales. Brian has already outsold you for the month. And quite frankly, I’d rather not have Clarice bring me into her office again. Save us both, Kinsey. Get another order.”
He disconnected the call. Kinsey sat back in her chair with her eyes closed and her hands on her head.
“Do you believe him?” Ryder asked.
She cracked open one eye. “It’s very competitive at Kyvor. We get paid a nice salary, but we have goals in place. We meet those goals, we get a nice bonus.”
“And those goals are up-selling clients on things they might no’ need.”
Kinsey closed her eyes and shrugged. “It’s the way of businesses. Brian wasn’t close to outselling me last week. He must’ve gotten a huge order recently. Cecil is a bit slimy, but I don’t think he’s part of this plot.”
“Perhaps no’, but someone could be pulling his strings.”
At that she dropped her hands and looked at him. “Meaning, they want to make sure I stay at Dreagan.”
“Has Brian ever beaten you before?”
“Never.”
Ryder twisted his lips. “There’s a reason they want you to remain here.”
“And I don’t like it. It means they want me to do something for them.”
“Or they’re going to frame you for something.” Either way, Ryder didn’t like it.
Kinsey turned her chair to face him. “I don’t know what to do.”
“I’m no’ going to let anything or anyone hurt you. Trust me, Kins, and we’ll get you through this.”
She stood and walked to the window. “You’re asking a lot of me.”
“I know.” Ryder quietly rose and walked to stand behind her. “We need to know this enemy. Same as you.”
“The enemy of my enemy is my friend?” she asked with a wry smile.
He was so close he could smell the lavender from her shampoo. “Yes.”
“These people have been watching me. I don’t like that at all. I don’t owe them anything, and to know they put me in this situation willingly infuriates me.” Her voice broke, as the full impact of her situation fell upon her.
Without thinking, Ryder took her by the shoulders and turned her to face him. He wrapped his arms around her, closing his eyes with delight when she rested her head on his chest. “We’ve been through rough situations before with the females that are here. We’ll get you through this one as well.”
“Thank you,” she said with a sniff and lifted her face.
Ryder gazed into her violet eyes as her dark hair brushed the back of his hand. He’d wanted her in his arms for so long. Now she was there, and he yearned for her kisses.
His head began to lower. Kinsey pulled out of his arms the same time the door opened and Con and Henry walked in. Ryder had no choice but to release her.
Her rebuttal stung, but for just a heartbeat, he’d witnessed the hunger in her eyes. She wanted his kiss. That’s all he needed to see.
“Tell me,” Henry demanded from the other side of the monitors.
Ryder sat in his chair and cleared the monitors that had Esther’s pictures from Ulrik’s store, MI5, and Dreagan. Then he motioned both him and Con around the monitors. “It’ll be easier to show you.”
“Don’t hold anything back,” Henry stated.
Ryder shared a look with Kinsey before he showed the recording of Esther at Ulrik’s. “After finding this, Kinsey got into MI5.”
“Show me her file.” Henry stood still as a statue, his face set in hard lines.
Ryder pulled it up on one screen with her picture taken at MI5 on another. “She wasna with MI5 long, apparently.”
“I was with her that day,” Henry said in a hoarse voice. “I took her to lunch, then dropped her off for an interview. She lied to me.”
Con put a hand on Henry’s shoulder. “She probably knew you would’ve talked her out of it.”
“Damned straight I would’ve,” Henry said with a frown. He then checked the date on her file and that on the recording at Ulrik’s. “Why did they relieve her of duty? Just two weeks later she was at Ulrik’s.”
This was the part Ryder was regretting having to show Henry. “There’s more, unfortunately.”