About That Night

That was as far as they’d made it on Tuesday. But this time, there were no reporters, no cameras, and no team of defense attorneys. It was just the two of them now.

Kyle pushed open the door. “Come on in.”

“Thank you for meeting with me.” She brushed past him, the delicate scent of something floral and feminine trailing after her, and stepped into the foyer.

He shut the door, then turned and looked her over. Nine years ago, she’d been eye-catchingly attractive, but now there was something else, something more polished, sophisticated, and undeniably appealing.

Something a man who’d spent most of the last five months in prison would be hard-pressed not to notice.

“It’s been a while, Ms. Pierce,” he said.

Her lips twitched in a smile. “Actually, it’s only been about a week.”

He folded his arms across his chest challengingly. “Couldn’t stay away?”

She opened her mouth to say something, then appeared to change her mind. “Maybe we should sit down somewhere and talk.”

Right. About this mysterious “investigation.” He gestured to the open expanse of the loft-style penthouse. “Make yourself at home.”

Ryla

“Just so I know, how many jokes can I expect about that?”

“It’s almost too easy,” she said with a laugh. “You once said that someone was going to cause a lot of panic and mayhem if companies didn’t start paying more attention to denial of service attacks. How prescient of you.”

Kyle stopped. “You actually remember I said that?”

Ryla

Kyle sat on the couch across from her, watching as she slid off her coat, revealing a dark gray suit with a cream silk shirt underneath. “Before you say anything else, maybe we should address the eight-hundred-pound gorilla in the room.”

She looked momentarily confused. “Meaning…?”

“About that night.” He held her gaze. “I assume you know why I never showed up for our date?”

Her expression softened. “Oh. Yes. I was very sorry to hear about your mother.”

“Thank you.” Kyle tried to lighten the mood, glad to have that bit of awkwardness out of the way. “It’s a shame, you know. Because I was going to be really charming on that date. You wouldn’t have stood a chance.”

She laughed. “I’m sure you think that.”

Kyle stretched his arm along the back of the couch, getting more comfortable. “So. What brings you here tonight, Ryla

She shifted in her chair, then crossed one leg over the other. “Murder, actually.”

Kyle blinked, and his grin faded. Whatever he’d been expecting her to say, it wasn’t that. “Murder?”

“Yes. An inmate was beaten to death at MCC two weeks ago.”

From her expression, he could tell she was serious. And just like that, the whole tone of their conversation changed. “You’re really here about a case,” he said, not realizing until that moment how much he’d begun to convince himself otherwise.

She cocked her head, as if not following. “Why else would I be here?”

So much for not looking like a dickhead. “Never mind. Tell me what happened at MCC.”

She proceeded to do exactly that. Kyle said nothing as Ryla

“We know that Qui

Hearing that, Kyle got up and began pacing the room.

“We know that you were also in disciplinary segregation during that time, in the cell next to Brown,” she continued. “I came here to find out whether you heard that threat. Candidly, I’m hoping you did.”

She fell quiet then, waiting for his response.

Kyle stopped with his back to her, gazing out the floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the lake. In the distance, he could see the Ferris wheel at Navy Pier. ” ‘You’re go

Ryla

Kyle ran his hand over his mouth. This whole situation—the fact that he, a former vice president of a billion dollar corporation, had direct knowledge regarding the murder of an inmate—was completely surreal. “I had no idea. Hell, I didn’t even know Brown was dead.”

“Did you know him well when you were in prison?” she asked.

He shook his head. “The only time I ever spoke to the guy was through our cell bars during those two days we were both in disciplinary segregation.” Still, he felt a mixture of emotions right then—guilt included—and felt the need to clarify something. “I thought Qui

Ryla

Kyle laughed humorlessly. “Right. The infamous Twitter Terrorist as a witness for the prosecution. I’m sure that’ll go over great with the grand jury.”

“Actually, you’re the perfect witness,” she said. “If you’d still been in prison, any defense attorney worth his salt would try to impeach you, claiming that you were testifying to gain favor with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in hopes of a reduction in your sentence. But now that you’re out, you obviously have no such motive.”

Kyle fixed his eyes on her, suddenly realizing something. “You need me for this case.”

After hesitating, Ryla

He stepped closer to her. “Tell me something: would you have offered me a deal in exchange for my testimony if I’d still been locked up?”

“I probably would have considered offering you a deal, yes.”

“Then consider offering me one now.”

Ryla

He took yet another step closer. “But that’s not true, counselor. There is something I want—very much, in fact.” He peered down into her eyes. “An apology from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”

Ryla

He shook his head slowly. “No, I’m not.”

“Kyle, that will never, ever happen,” she said in all seriousness.

He shrugged. “If you want me as your witness, that’s what it’s going to take.” Yes, he was being a hard-ass—and as far as he was concerned, he had every right to be. She may have had her sexy skirt suit and her smiles, but tonight she also had an agenda. This little reunion of theirs had nothing to do with any walk home or some instant co

Bottom line, he was a free man now. So if the U.S. Attorney’s Office wanted to play ball, it would have to be by his rules.

“I’ll give you until tomorrow to think it over,” Kyle said. “Otherwise, I bring in the lawyers. And anything else you have to say, you can say to them.”

Ryla