deal with that later. Right now she wanted to see William.
Kelly ended the call, picked up Joseph and went in search of either Nick or the nanny. Maybe she could see William. She didn’t find the nanny, but it didn’t take her long before she heard Nick’s voice. She followed the sound of it to the end of the hall and found him standing behind a massive desk in his office. He had his jacket slung over the back of the chair and had loosened another button on his shirt.
“I repeat—are you responsible for that kidnapping attempt?” she heard Nick demand.
That captured her full attention, and Kelly stopped just outside the door.
“Why would I want to kidnap her?” the caller responded. It was a man, and his cold hard voice came through over the speakerphone.
Kelly had no doubt that this was the infamous Eric.
“Don’t play games with me,” Nick warned. He bracketed his hands on his desk and learned closer to the phone. Every muscle in his body seemed primed and ready for a fight. “You have no reason to be interested in Kelly Manning.”
“Oh, but I do. I’m interested because you’re interested in her. I like to keep watch on you, little brother.”
That chilled her to the bone. Not just the sinister voice, but the implication. God, was he admitting to the kidnapping attempt?
Joseph babbled something and reached for the door frame. The sound must have alerted Nick because he looked up. Caught her gaze. The tension was there, all over his face.
“Kelly Manning and I are having an affair,” Nick lied. “It’s just sex between us. Nothing more. And we have no plans to produce an heir. So you don’t have any reason to feel threatened by her.”
“Threatened?” Eric apparently took that as the ultimate insult. “Hardly. I’m simply cautious.”
“You’re paranoid,” Nick countered. “Honestly, Eric, get a life. That’s what I’m trying to do.”
“With Kelly Manning,” he concluded. “Well, she’s attractive—I’ll give her that. How’s she in bed? She doesn’t look like the missionary type. I’ll bet she’s a biter and a scratcher.”
“That’s none of your damn business.” She saw his knuckles turn white from the pressure he was exerting against the desk. “Eric, if you do anything to harm either Kelly or her son, then you’re a dead man. That’s not a threat, either. It’s a guarantee. I’ll come after you with everything I have.”
Eric laughed, but Kelly could hear no humor in it. “What about the promise you made to our dying mother not to do me any harm?”
“It’s a promise I’ll break if you come near them.”
Another humorless laugh. “Have a good evening, Nick.” And Eric hung up.
Nick pressed the end call button. “I told him we were having an affair so it would explain why we’re spending time together. Maybe it’ll stop him from doing anything else stupid.”
Kelly walked closer to him. “So, you think he tried to kidnap us?”
“He’s the only person with motive.”
Yes. She couldn’t dispute that. “Would you really kill him?”
But an answer wasn’t necessary. Nick would do it. For Joseph and her, even though they were practically strangers. That realization blended with the attraction she already felt for him. Whatever this weird feeling was, it couldn’t get stronger. She’d already learned the hard way not to get involved with a dangerous man.
And Nick was as dangerous as they came.
Joseph began to squirm to get down, and Kelly soon spotted the source of his interest. He was reaching for the shiny silver picture frame on Nick’s desk. Except it wasn’t a frame she soon realized. It was a small video monitoring screen.
Of the nursery.
To get a better look, Kelly moved closer. So close that she was practically touching Nick. Joseph apparently liked the closeness. He reached out and began to examine Nick’s white rolled-up shirtsleeve. Kelly gave Joseph a kiss on the cheek and watched the screen.
She soon saw the nanny
Kelly ended the call, picked up Joseph and went in search of either Nick or the nanny. Maybe she could see William. She didn’t find the nanny, but it didn’t take her long before she heard Nick’s voice. She followed the sound of it to the end of the hall and found him standing behind a massive desk in his office. He had his jacket slung over the back of the chair and had loosened another button on his shirt.
“I repeat—are you responsible for that kidnapping attempt?” she heard Nick demand.
That captured her full attention, and Kelly stopped just outside the door.
“Why would I want to kidnap her?” the caller responded. It was a man, and his cold hard voice came through over the speakerphone.
Kelly had no doubt that this was the infamous Eric.
“Don’t play games with me,” Nick warned. He bracketed his hands on his desk and learned closer to the phone. Every muscle in his body seemed primed and ready for a fight. “You have no reason to be interested in Kelly Manning.”
“Oh, but I do. I’m interested because you’re interested in her. I like to keep watch on you, little brother.”
That chilled her to the bone. Not just the sinister voice, but the implication. God, was he admitting to the kidnapping attempt?
Joseph babbled something and reached for the door frame. The sound must have alerted Nick because he looked up. Caught her gaze. The tension was there, all over his face.
“Kelly Manning and I are having an affair,” Nick lied. “It’s just sex between us. Nothing more. And we have no plans to produce an heir. So you don’t have any reason to feel threatened by her.”
“Threatened?” Eric apparently took that as the ultimate insult. “Hardly. I’m simply cautious.”
“You’re paranoid,” Nick countered. “Honestly, Eric, get a life. That’s what I’m trying to do.”
“With Kelly Manning,” he concluded. “Well, she’s attractive—I’ll give her that. How’s she in bed? She doesn’t look like the missionary type. I’ll bet she’s a biter and a scratcher.”
“That’s none of your damn business.” She saw his knuckles turn white from the pressure he was exerting against the desk. “Eric, if you do anything to harm either Kelly or her son, then you’re a dead man. That’s not a threat, either. It’s a guarantee. I’ll come after you with everything I have.”
Eric laughed, but Kelly could hear no humor in it. “What about the promise you made to our dying mother not to do me any harm?”
“It’s a promise I’ll break if you come near them.”
Another humorless laugh. “Have a good evening, Nick.” And Eric hung up.
Nick pressed the end call button. “I told him we were having an affair so it would explain why we’re spending time together. Maybe it’ll stop him from doing anything else stupid.”
Kelly walked closer to him. “So, you think he tried to kidnap us?”
“He’s the only person with motive.”
Yes. She couldn’t dispute that. “Would you really kill him?”
But an answer wasn’t necessary. Nick would do it. For Joseph and her, even though they were practically strangers. That realization blended with the attraction she already felt for him. Whatever this weird feeling was, it couldn’t get stronger. She’d already learned the hard way not to get involved with a dangerous man.
And Nick was as dangerous as they came.
Joseph began to squirm to get down, and Kelly soon spotted the source of his interest. He was reaching for the shiny silver picture frame on Nick’s desk. Except it wasn’t a frame she soon realized. It was a small video monitoring screen.
Of the nursery.
To get a better look, Kelly moved closer. So close that she was practically touching Nick. Joseph apparently liked the closeness. He reached out and began to examine Nick’s white rolled-up shirtsleeve. Kelly gave Joseph a kiss on the cheek and watched the screen.
She soon saw the nanny
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