Guarded heart

V-neck and thigh-high slit exposing more than she liked. It was a far cry from the tactical gear she'd worn in Afghanistan, where Kevlar hid her curves and her only concern was survival. Eig

xander Holt's smug face flashed in her mind, those piercing blue eyes daring her to "

pped to her thigh beneath the dress. Gala or not, she was ready. The memory of Kandahar, of a bullet tearing through her shoulder as she shielde

t Enterprises was bleeding-leaked patents, sabotaged deals, and whispers of a traitor inside. Her job was to spot the snake, and the gala, packed with execs and riva

every eye on her. She squared her shoulders, channeling the steel she'd carried into war zones. Inside, the crowd was a sea of tuxedos and gowns, the

e was devastating in a tailored tux, 6 feet of lean muscle moving with predatory grace. His black hair caught the light, and those blue

p her neck. "You wanted me to blend in, Holt. Don't act surprised."

CFO, is top of the list. He's been... cagey. Others are rivals-Lena Voss, CEO of a competitor, and a few board me

committing it to memo

r lower back, guiding her toward the ballroom. The touch was light, professional, but it sen

oice sharp but laced with something she co

enge. "Noted, Ms. Kane. But you'll need to play

, spotting Crane by the bar, his red tie a beacon. He was nursing a whiskey, his gaze shifty, talking to a wom

s breath warm against h

ld be Voss. They're hiding something." She tilted her head, meeting his gaze, their faces in

at vibrated through her. "Keep watching. But don't f

, I'm thrilled. Nothing says fun like babysi

, and offered his arm. "Then let's dance

is sleeve. The contact was a mistake-too warm, too solid. As he led her to the dance floor, the crowd parting for them, she felt the weight of his world and h