“Dammit, Emily! What the hell is the matter with you?”
“Let me go.” She felt proud of the strength in her voice, though she knew she might fall apart at any moment.
“Are you kidding? I’ve tried every damn intimidation tactic I could think of—”
“Ha! So you admit to bullying me?”
“—to send you running, but you clung like flypaper. And now, with one little scare, you want me to turn you loose?”
Flypaper! How dare he compare her to…No, Emily, don’t get sidetracked by a measly insult. The man deceived you. She lifted her chin and met his gaze. “I wish to leave now. Alone.”
“No way, baby. You wanted in, and now you’re in.”
Her heartbeat shook her, it pounded so hard, and her fingers ached from being held in such tight fists. If she wasn’t a lady, she’d smack him one, but good. “When were you going to tell me, Judd? When?”
Judd stiffened, and his jaw went hard. “Get in the truck, Em.”
“I will not. I…”
“Get in the damn truck!”
Well. Put that way…Emily became aware of people watching, and also that Judd was every bit as angry as she was. But why? What possible reason did he have for being so mad? She was the one who’d been misled, kept in the dark, lied to…well, not really. But lies of omission definitely counted, and Judd had omitted telling her a great deal.
And after he’d insisted she bare her soul.
When he continued to glare at her, she realized how foolish they both must appear, and she opened the truck door to get in. It wouldn’t do to make a public spectacle of herself.
“Put your seat belt on.”
Emily stared out her window, determined not to answer him, to ignore him as completely as he’d ignored her all day. But then she muttered, “Flypaper.”
She heard Judd make a small sound that could have been a chuckle but she didn’t look to see. If the man dared to smile, she’d probably forget all about avoiding a scene. But then, thoughts of attacking that gorgeous body left her a little breathless, and she decided ignoring him was better, by far.
Judd reached over and strapped her in. He stayed leaning close for a second or two, then flicked his finger over her bottom lip. “Stop pouting, Em, and act like an adult.”
It took a major effort, but she didn’t bite that finger. She could just imagine how appalled her parents would have been by that thought.
Judd’s sigh was long and drawn-out. “Fine. Have it your way, honey. But if you decide you want to talk, just speak up.”
Fifteen minutes later, Emily was wishing she could do just that. Judd pulled into her driveway with the obvious intent of being well rid of her, and she desperately didn’t want him to go. She felt confused and still angry and…hurt. If he could explain, then maybe she could forgive him and…And what, Emily? Maybe he’d let you have one of those killer smiles like the one he gave Suze? She’d been taken in by one man, and though she honestly believed Judd was different, she wouldn’t, couldn’t, put all her trust in him. Not on blind faith. Not without some explanations.
When all was said and done, he worked for her, and she deserved to know what was going on. She had to find evidence against Donner, and she needed Judd to do that. But only if he didn’t shut her out.
He stopped the truck, and she sat there, trying to think of some way, without losing every ounce of pride, to talk things out with him.
But Judd saved her the trouble. He got out of the pickup, slamming his door then stomping over to the passenger side. She stared at him, her eyes wide with surprise, when he opened the door and hauled her out.
“What do you think you’re doing?” His hold was gentle on her arm as he led her up the steps to her back door. She practically had to run to keep up with his long-legged, impatient stride.
“We’re going to talk, Em. I don’t like you treating me as if I’ve just kicked your puppy.”
Uh-oh. He sounded even angrier than she’d first assumed. “I don’t even have a dog—”
Judd snatched her key from her hand, unlocked the door and ushered her inside. “Do you need to punch in your code for the alarm system?”
It took her a second to comprehend his words since her mind still wrestled with why he was in her house, and what he planned to do there. “Oh, ah, no. I only turn it on when I’m in the house. The rest of the time, I just lock up.”
Judd stared. “Why the hell would you get a fancy alarm system, and not use it?”
“Because twice I forgot to turn it off when I came in, and the outside alarms went off, and then several neighbors showed up at my door and the central office called, and it was embarrassing.” Judd rolled his eyes in exasperation, and Emily felt her cheeks heat. She hadn’t meant to tell him all that. “Judd? I don’t want to talk about my alarm system.”
Looking restless and still a bit angry, Judd paced across the kitchen. Then he stalked back to her. “Tell me this, Emily. What would you have done if I’d spoken up and introduced you to Donner?”
She watched as he propped his hands on his hips and glared at her. “I don’t know what I would have done. But I know I would have done…something.”
“Something like accuse him? Or something like demand he give himself up? I thought you needed proof. I thought that was what we were doing, trying to nail him.”
His scowl was much more fierce than her own, and her anger diminished to mere exasperation. The man could be so remarkably impossible. “We?” she asked, lacing her tone with sarcasm. “There was certainly no ‘we’ today. You’ve refused to tell me anything.” When he crossed his arms, looking determined, she added in a gentler tone, “Judd, I can’t very well find evidence against this Donner person if I don’t know who he is.”
Judd came to stand in front of her and gripped her shoulders. “I was working on finding evidence. Or did you think I just enjoyed toying with that bastard? Besides, you were scared out of your wits, Em. And that was without knowing who he was. He had a damn strange effect on you, which now that I think of it again, isn’t very complimentary for me. I thought you knew I wouldn’t let anyone hurt you.”
Emily swallowed, feeling a tinge of guilt. “I’m sorry. Of course I assume you’ll protect me, but—”
“Don’t assume, Emily. Know. As long as you do as I tell you and follow my lead, you won’t get hurt.”
“Just like that? You tell me what to do, and I do it, no questions asked? I’m not a child, Judd—”
“So I noticed.”
“And…You noticed?” Emily quickly shook her head so she wouldn’t get sidetracked. “If you want me to trust you, you have to be totally honest with me, not just expect me to sit around and watch you work, without telling me what you’re working on.”
“You’re making too much of this. I was only shooting pool.”
“But you had a goal in mind. And you kept that from me. I despise dishonesty, Judd. I won’t tolerate it.” He winced, but she didn’t give him time to interrupt. “I had no idea today that you were deliberately taking money from one of Donner’s men. If I had known, maybe I wouldn’t have been so surprised…”
“Exactly. Do you think I want Donner or any other punk to look at you and think you know the score?”
That silenced Emily for a moment. Why would Judd care what other men thought of her? “I quit worrying about others’