The TROUBLE with BILLIONAIRES: Book 2 by Kristina Blake Page B

across from him, noting the concern lines next to his eyes were already deeply apparent this morning.
    “You heard,” I said in way of greeting.
    “Someone gets kidnapped at your place of employment, that’s probably something I should be made aware of.”
    “It didn’t have anything to do with me.”
    “And you know that how?”
    “I just do.”
    His eyes narrowed a little, a dark cloud rushing over his face as he studied the dark circles under my eyes. “You’re not sleeping.”
    “It brought up a lot of memories.”
    His expression softened slightly. “We’re going to have to move you. You know that.”
    I opened my mouth to protest, but another waitress came with a coffee cup and a pot to fill it with. “What can I get for you?” she asked.
    “Just the coffee,” I said.
    “No pancakes today?”
    I shook my head, wrapping both hands around the cup to allow the hot liquid to warm my body.
    He watched her walk away before he focused on me again. I found myself wondering who the waitresses thought he was. We met here once every three weeks, a quiet meal together to discuss my grandmother’s deteriorating health and the few things that were going on in my life. He offered advice sometimes, but mostly just listened. They must have thought he was my father. He was old enough to be. At least, I thought so, from the graying hair at his temples and the wrinkles crisscrossing his sun-darkened skin.
    Richard Collins. That’s what I’d been told his name was. It probably wasn’t his real name, but it felt real enough to me. He wasn’t my father, but he did things for me that a father might. He fought for me to attend college, not once, but twice. He made sure my grandmother and I stayed together. And he allowed us the dignity of keeping our real first names.
    I was told that almost never happened in WITSEC.
    Witness Security Program.
    Richard Collins was an officer with the United States Marshals Service.
    “Your cover has been compromised. We have to move you.”
    I shook my head. “You promised after the last move—”
    “I promised we would do our best. But, from what I understand, you were the intended target of this kidnapper, and it was just dumb luck that they confused you with that other woman.”
    “Madison.”
    “What?”
    “The other woman. Her name is Madison and she’s my friend.”
    “I’m sorry.” Richard reached across the table and touching my hand. “I know you’re tired of all this. But it’s the only way to protect you.”
    I pulled my hand away, lifting my coffee cup to my lips, but not drinking. I didn’t want to hurt his feelings, but I didn’t want his compassion just now.
    “The police seem to think this was just a case of corporate espionage, like the papers are saying, but they can’t be certain. And we can’t take a chance.”
    “Johnny Duprey is in jail.”
    “But his lieutenants aren’t. We’ve been over this before.”
    We had…the first time he approached my grandmother and me about WITSEC…when he told us we’d have to leave California and move to Arizona and when we left Arizona for here. He reminded me of that every time.
    And it still had the power to shoot cold blades of fear through my heart.
    My hands started to shake. I had to put my coffee cup down before the contents found their way to the front of my sweatshirt.
    “Memaw’s not fit to travel.”
    “I know.” Richard sat back and glanced out the window, watching the cars go by for a moment. “We talked to her doctor, and he thinks she would benefit from moving into an assisted care facility.”
    “No.” I sat up a little straighter, leaning forward so he couldn’t miss a word I said. “I will not place my grandmother into one of those places.”
    “You might not have a choice.”
    He wouldn’t look at me when he said it. Even so, his meaning made its way through my fear and my anger to settle with the power of a bucket filled with ice water poured over my head.
    “You want to move me