“The blackmail angle makes more sense but then politicians have never made a lick of sense to me, period.” His lips thinned. “Tell me you didn’t agree to keep Lauren in the dark about this.”

“I agreed to check things out,” Royce admitted reluctantly.

“Without telling her.”

“He pulled out his trump card,” Royce explained. “Saving Dad. I figured that merited me doing a quick investigation. I planned on getting in and out.”

Luke arched a brow. “I see that’s working out well for you considering Lauren is now in your apartment on obviously friendly terms.”

Royce flipped a chair, straddling it, his arms on the back. “I planned to feel her out, see if the senator had any merit for believing she’d refuse protection if it was necessary. The rest just… happened.”

“You don’t let things just happen anymore than I do. If you have feelings for Lauren, and really, even if you don’t, you’re headed for deep, muddy waters. I don’t care what the senator says, you’d better come clean and do it right now.”

Royce slid his hand over his hair. “Yeah, I know. Believe me, I know. But if I tell her what’s going on, she’ll kick me to the curb in no uncertain terms. If she’s really in danger then I won’t be able to protect her. I’m… ”

“Screwed,” Luke offered helpfully.

Royce exhaled and nodded, then explaining the phone call situation to Luke before adding, “That about sums it up. I’m screwed. I don’t see how I can tell her anything until I find out what’s behind the letters and the phone calls. And at this point, I’ve already written my death wish with Lauren. I don’t plan to let someone else write hers. She’s spooked and she’s not telling me why. When I know she’s safe, I’ll step onto the plank, tell the truth, and wait for her to push me over the edge.”

Luke studied him a long moment. “Well hell. I guess I’m going out on the plank with you. Give me a quick rundown of the facts and tell me what you want me to do.”

“We have the blackmail possibility,” he said.

“Which is a logical consideration.”

“But Lauren’s not only in a role to make enemies, she’s working a death penalty case right now that’s getting a lot of attention.”

“Yeah, I know,” Luke said. “I’ve read about it in the paper.”

“Then you know how much attention the case is getting.”

“If this was about her case, why send the letters to the senator?”

“Scare the father into protecting the daughter,” he said. “Get her off the case.”

“And the calls?”

“Scare her into listening to him.”

“I like the blackmail angle better,” Luke said. “I assume you’ve sent the letters to your buddy at the FBI lab?”

“Yesterday,” he said, pushing to his feet. “And I’m hoping he can give me something to make this fast and easy to put to rest. But I don’t want to count on that and have it not happen.”

“Understood,” Luke said, standing with him. “I’ll get out my magnifying glass and start looking, with a little extra attention on the senator’s personal activities. And I’ll get surveillance on her office, home, and likewise for the senator, while I’m at it.”

Royce gave him a sharp, approving nod, before he headed back to his apartment and inched his way closer to the end of that plank.

Chapter Six

Royce found Lauren sitting on his living room floor with photo albums spread around her. She turned to face him, smiling. “Oh my God, for a guy, you have so many pictures.”

Royce wasn’t sure how to take that. “For a guy?” He moved toward her, sitting down after shuffling a couple albums to the side.

Her smile widened. “Maybe you’re not the ‘bad boy’ your reputation says you are.” And then before he could ask about that comment, she pointed to a picture of him hugging his dog when he was a kid. “And you love animals.”

He squatted down beside her and looked at the picture, grinning at the sight of his Golden Retriever wearing a pointed hat. “That was Scooter’s second birthday.”

Lauren giggled, pointing at the picture. “You mean you made the cake for the dog?”

“My mom did, but I asked her to. Scooter was my best friend.” He frowned. “He got really sick after eating that cake. My mom later informed me the bone was for him and the cake was for us.”

Lauren almost choked, laughter bubbling from her throat. “How much did he eat?”

His frown deepened at the memory. “The whole thing.”

Lauren tumbled over to her side in a laughing fit. Royce watched her, and any other time, he would have laughed right along with her. But every second he was with Lauren, he wanted another, and another.

He liked her, and damn it, he was taking advantage of her, hiding things from her for her father’s benefit. She thought he was a nice guy when he was nothing but a lying bastard. And God, what a bastard he was. She was making him crazy. She was adorable right now, and adorable had never been so sexy. He was hard as a rock, ready to rip her clothes off and make love to her. That he knew she’d blow off her lunch and let him, only made the temptation all the greater.

He moved toward her, where she lay on her back, and lowered his body over hers, resting his arms on either side of her head. Lauren stopped laughing, suddenly serious. She stared up at him, her eyes simmering with expectancy. And trust. She kept giving him her trust and it tore at him. It tore at him because he wanted to deserve it, and right now, he didn’t.