Ruthless King

“If it’s not dangerous, then why not ask Gracen to go in and have a look around? Ms. Crane hasn’t met her, right?”

“No, she hasn’t.”

Jose made a good point. It wasn’t a dangerous assignment. He just needed to know how Jilly’s boss was treating her. And sending in Gracen would be much easier than planting cameras and microphones.

He hadn’t ruled that out yet. But he needed to know if it was necessary.

Or if he was simply overreacting.

6

“Idon’t like this,” Victor grumbled.

Gracen glanced over at him, shaking her head. “Victor, we’ve talked about this. I’m going to a library. To check out some books. This isn’t any more dangerous than when I go to ballet lessons with Aston and Sammy.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t like that either.”

“I like that you’re protective. And I know you’d like to keep me at home in a bubble of safety, but sometimes you’ve got to put the caveman away, all right?”

Victor continued to scowl. They were a block away from the library where Jilly worked, the three of them sitting in the back seat of his Bentley while Jose sat up in the front.

Regent wanted to tell Victor that he was being an overprotective idiot.

But the truth was . . . he’d probably be worse with his own woman.

However, he was certain this wouldn’t be dangerous. He’d never allow Gracen to enter into a precarious situation.

“If you don’t want her to do this, I understand,” he said. “I’ll send Jose in instead.”

Gracen shook her head. “Jose? Really? Because he’s not going to stick out like a sore thumb, no offense. Have you ever been in a library, Jose?”

Jose scratched his head, clearly thinking. “I’m guessing I did as a kid. Do I need to know my way around a library to do some scouting?”

“No,” Gracen allowed, as Victor looked triumphant. “However, I think it will be easier to get information if you send in someone who blends in rather than stands out.”

“You stand out wherever you go,” Victor told her gruffly. “You’re too beautiful not to.”

Dear Lord.

Regent gaped at his brother. Where did that come from? Victor never used to speak like that.

Drawing Gracen close, Victor kissed her, then whispered something to her that had her blushing.

Gracen nodded, then turned to Regent. “I’m ready.”

“Remember, just act like you normally would. You’re there to check out some books. Don’t stare. Don’t be obvious.”

“She has this,” Victor said. “Gracen knows what she’s doing, don’t lecture her.”

“You were just arguing that she couldn’t do this.”

“Not because she’s not capable. But because she is precious.”

Gracen blushed again, then climbed out of the car and started walking along the quiet street. Jilly worked in a branch of the New Orleans Public Library.

He wasn’t sure that he liked Jilly working here. Especially knowing she took the bus every day. The area didn’t look particularly safe.

“According to their website, there are ten employees,” Victor said. “Four full-time, including Jilly. And six part-time. We also found out that Jilly works from ten to seven Mondays toThursdays. And ten to five on Fridays. She has the weekends off.”