Since I Saw You (Because You Are Mine #4)(58)
Author: Beth Kery

“Jason, let go of me,” she insisted firmly. His mouth moved on her clamped jaw. She wrenched her arms from his hold, making a frustrated sound when he grabbed her again. He squeezed her arms painfully.

“I mean it. You’re hurting me, damn it,” she grated out.

She was seriously considering a particularly powerful form of the word no she’d learned in a Kung Fu class she’d taken. Something caught her attention first. From the corner of her eye, she saw a large hand tap Jason’s shoulder twice. Jason lifted his head, an annoyed expression on his face.

“What the—” He loosened his hold on Lin to twist around when he was tapped again, harder. Lin’s eyes sprung wide when she saw the thunderous expression on Kam’s face. She instinctively stepped back, knowing a storm was about to break. Kam’s fist struck Jason’s jaw like a jet-fueled hammer. Jason’s spin on his planted feet struck her dazed brain as bizarrely comical. He still had a slightly surprised look on his face when he crumpled to the floor.

Lin hurried over to him, kneeling to touch his temple. “Jason?” He was out cold. “Oh my god,” she whispered, shock vibrating her bones. She checked his pulse in rising panic.

“He’ll be fine,” Kam said from above her, his tone derisive. “I punched him, I didn’t kill him. Are you all right?”

She stared up at him. That thundercloud expression still tightened his features, but his gray eyes looked worried.

“I’m fine,” she whispered. “I don’t know what’s come over Jason tonight.”

Kam rolled his eyes. “I have a wild idea. I thought you said he wasn’t interested? That guy is randy as a goat for you.”

“I said I wasn’t that interested. Besides, he just wants me for Klinf. He’s just trying to seduce me so I’ll work for him.”

“I know, I heard,” Kam said grimly. “But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t want you for his bed, too.”

Jason started to regain consciousness, rolling his head and mumbling something in French she couldn’t understand. Kam grabbed her hand and raised her so that she stood close to his tall form. He lightly brushed his hands across her upper arms, inspecting her. His gaze narrowed dangerously. Lin glanced down to see where he looked. Her skin was abraded and red from Jason’s hard grip. Scowling, Kam used the toe of his shoe to prod Jason’s shoulder. Jason opened his eyes and stared up at Kam woozily.

“Tu as mérite pire. Si tu mets encore la main sur elle, tu ne t’en sortira pas,” Kam told him succinctly. Lin thought she understood, even with her rudimentary French. You deserved worse. If you touch her again, you won’t get off so easy.

Jason looked understandably cowed even through his befuddlement. Kam started to pull her away.

“Wait,” Lin said, catching up to his long-legged stride, her red gown streaming out behind her. “We can’t just leave him there, can we?”

“He’ll be up in a minute. If he’s not, the janitors will pick him up with the rest of the trash after the performance,” Kam muttered, his disdainful tone clearly signifying that any further discussion of Jason Klinf wasn’t worthy of his time.

Lin considered what he’d said as they walked, and decided not to protest. Jason didn’t deserve compassion. He’d been forcing himself on her and holding her despite her protests. Besides, her Kung Fu move on his open, unguarded stance would have definitely disabled him briefly as well.

Neither of them said anything else as Kam whisked her through the mostly empty mezzanine lobby, and then the completely abandoned grand foyer. The intermission was over. Not that Lin was vaguely interested in returning to their seats. Kam clearly agreed. She was breathless from their single-minded flight by the time Kam hailed a cab and they settled in the backseat.

“My place or yours?” he asked without preamble.

“Yours. Angus,” she replied breathlessly without pause, reminding him of his newly arrived dog.

It had been one of the most complicated, confusing days she could remember. Her mind was a maelstrom. Answering Kam’s loaded question was the simplest, surest decision she’d made in her life. She saw his grim expression soften slightly as he pinned her with his stare. He leaned forward to give the cabdriver the address. Lin could tell he’d liked her quick answer. She could tell he’d liked it a lot.

Chapter Thirteen

Angus treated them to an enthusiastic greeting, although she followed Kam’s sharp order not to jump on Lin’s evening gown.

“I should take her out,” Kam said. “It won’t take but a few minutes.”

“Of course,” Lin agreed.

Despite his proposed mission, he didn’t move. “If you’re worried about Ian’s reaction to what happened with Klinf tonight, don’t be. I’ll explain. When he hears about how that moron was manhandling you, he’ll understand.”

“That’s all right,” Lin said quietly. “I’ll tell him.”

“One of us will tell him. Ian has a right to know what the man’s really like if he does regular business with him.”

“I agree.”

She felt him studying her and examined her purse. “Will you tell him that Jason asked you to work for him?” Kam prodded.

Lin nodded, not looking up. “I didn’t tell him when Jason asked me before, but I will this time.”

“Why didn’t you mention it to Ian before?”

Lin shrugged. She didn’t want to tell Kam that Jason had asked her to work for him soon after Ian asked Francesca to marry him. Despite Richard St. Claire’s accusation that she hadn’t even considered Jason’s offer, Lin had thought about it. A change in scenery would have helped her cope after seeing Ian so completely in love with another woman. She was glad now she’d never considered the offer too seriously. What a nightmare it would have been if she’d agreed to work with Jason.

“A lot of Ian’s business associates try to . . .” She waved her hand in vague embarrassment.

“Poach you from him?” Kam prodded. “They know an asset when they see it.” She glanced up in time to see his silvery-gray-eyed stare lowering over her. She repressed a shiver.

“I didn’t want Ian to worry about it when he didn’t need to,” she said.

“Ian doesn’t need to worry about you leaving Noble Enterprises because you never would?” Kam prompted.

She moved restlessly in her high heels, uncomfortable at the topic. How could she answer him when she wasn’t sure of the answer herself? Jason’s attempts at convincing her tonight had bothered her in part because there was some truth to what he’d said. Ian’s life and priorities had changed since he’d met Francesca, and so would his business as a result. She’d changed. She wasn’t sure where she belonged anymore.