her daughter, as well.
He shifted, felt remarkably foolish. “It’s impressive,” he said. “I don’t know much about glitters.”
“Women do.” Caine winked at Mollie. “Right?”
“You bet we do.” She slipped the bag into her bottom drawer and turned a small key. “I’ll just buzz Mrs. MacGregor now, Mr. Cameron. If you’d like to have a seat.”
“He can come up with me. Ring my office if and when Diana’s free, Mollie.” Caine’s wolfish grin spread as he turned to Royce. “Suit you?”
“Sure.” Deliberately cocky, he shoved his hands in the back pockets of his jeans as he followed Caine up straight, uncarpeted stairs with a brass-and-wood rail that gleamed with a mirror shine.
The place smelled rich, was all he could think. Subtle scents, thick rugs, leather, polish. The wainscoting in the hall they walked down had to be mahogany. But, more, it had the feel of a home, rather than a place of business. It impressed him that anyone could accomplish that, or bothered to even try.
Caine stepped inside his office, his turf. Wanting to set the tone, his tone, he sat behind his desk. “Have a seat, Cameron. Want anything? Coffee?”
Royce chose a wing-backed leather chair in deep navy. “I haven’t been a cop for a while now, but I remember how to set up an interrogation. I’m probably as good at it as you are.”
“I’ve been at it a lot longer. Let’s just cut straight to the heart of the matter, shall we? What are your intentions as to my daughter?”
“I don’t have any. No intentions, no plans, no designs.”
“You’ve been seeing her for nearly three months now.”
“That’s right. I’d imagine she’s dated a number of other men.”
But this was the only man Caine had ever worried about. “Her social life didn’t begin with you. Laura is a beautiful, outgoing young woman. A wealthy young woman,” he added, keeping his eyes level on Royce’s. The flash of heat, the snap of insult, pleased him enormously.
“You don’t want to go in that direction.”
“It’s an undeniable fact.”
“Do you think I give a damn about her portfolio?” Royce’s temper snapped, shoving him to his feet. “Do you think a man could be with her for five minutes and think of anything but her? I don’t care what you think of me, but you ought to think better of her.”
“I do.” Relaxing now, Caine leaned back in his chair. “And now I know you do, as well.”
“You son of a bitch.”
“As you say, what we think of each other doesn’t really matter. I love my daughter. I also trust her judgment in most cases, and have always found her to be a good judge of character. She sees something in you, and I’m going to try to accept that. But hurt her …” He leaned forward again with eyes that gleamed. “Cause her one moment’s unhappiness, and I’ll come down on you like the wrath of God.”
When his phone rang, he answered without taking his eyes from Royce’s. “Yes, Mollie. Thanks.” He hung up, inclined his head. “My wife will see you now. Her office is across the hall.”
Because he didn’t trust himself to speak, knew whatever came out of his mouth at that moment would be bitter and vile, Royce turned on his heel and walked out.
“Control,” Caine murmured, and felt a first twinge of sympathy for the man. “Admirable.”
“Royce.” Diana opened the door herself, and her smile was a telling contrast to her husband’s frost. “How nice to see you. Please come in and sit down. Would you like some coffee?”
“No, I don’t want anything.” He set his teeth. “I don’t want anything.”
Fury, Diana mused, barely leashed. She flicked a glance at the office across the hall and controlled a sigh. “All right, then, what can I do for you?”
“Nothing. I don’t want anything from any of you, and I never did. I’ve got some information you may be able to use on the Holloway case.”
“Oh? Please, sit down.”
“I don’t want to sit,” Royce snapped
He shifted, felt remarkably foolish. “It’s impressive,” he said. “I don’t know much about glitters.”
“Women do.” Caine winked at Mollie. “Right?”
“You bet we do.” She slipped the bag into her bottom drawer and turned a small key. “I’ll just buzz Mrs. MacGregor now, Mr. Cameron. If you’d like to have a seat.”
“He can come up with me. Ring my office if and when Diana’s free, Mollie.” Caine’s wolfish grin spread as he turned to Royce. “Suit you?”
“Sure.” Deliberately cocky, he shoved his hands in the back pockets of his jeans as he followed Caine up straight, uncarpeted stairs with a brass-and-wood rail that gleamed with a mirror shine.
The place smelled rich, was all he could think. Subtle scents, thick rugs, leather, polish. The wainscoting in the hall they walked down had to be mahogany. But, more, it had the feel of a home, rather than a place of business. It impressed him that anyone could accomplish that, or bothered to even try.
Caine stepped inside his office, his turf. Wanting to set the tone, his tone, he sat behind his desk. “Have a seat, Cameron. Want anything? Coffee?”
Royce chose a wing-backed leather chair in deep navy. “I haven’t been a cop for a while now, but I remember how to set up an interrogation. I’m probably as good at it as you are.”
“I’ve been at it a lot longer. Let’s just cut straight to the heart of the matter, shall we? What are your intentions as to my daughter?”
“I don’t have any. No intentions, no plans, no designs.”
“You’ve been seeing her for nearly three months now.”
“That’s right. I’d imagine she’s dated a number of other men.”
But this was the only man Caine had ever worried about. “Her social life didn’t begin with you. Laura is a beautiful, outgoing young woman. A wealthy young woman,” he added, keeping his eyes level on Royce’s. The flash of heat, the snap of insult, pleased him enormously.
“You don’t want to go in that direction.”
“It’s an undeniable fact.”
“Do you think I give a damn about her portfolio?” Royce’s temper snapped, shoving him to his feet. “Do you think a man could be with her for five minutes and think of anything but her? I don’t care what you think of me, but you ought to think better of her.”
“I do.” Relaxing now, Caine leaned back in his chair. “And now I know you do, as well.”
“You son of a bitch.”
“As you say, what we think of each other doesn’t really matter. I love my daughter. I also trust her judgment in most cases, and have always found her to be a good judge of character. She sees something in you, and I’m going to try to accept that. But hurt her …” He leaned forward again with eyes that gleamed. “Cause her one moment’s unhappiness, and I’ll come down on you like the wrath of God.”
When his phone rang, he answered without taking his eyes from Royce’s. “Yes, Mollie. Thanks.” He hung up, inclined his head. “My wife will see you now. Her office is across the hall.”
Because he didn’t trust himself to speak, knew whatever came out of his mouth at that moment would be bitter and vile, Royce turned on his heel and walked out.
“Control,” Caine murmured, and felt a first twinge of sympathy for the man. “Admirable.”
“Royce.” Diana opened the door herself, and her smile was a telling contrast to her husband’s frost. “How nice to see you. Please come in and sit down. Would you like some coffee?”
“No, I don’t want anything.” He set his teeth. “I don’t want anything.”
Fury, Diana mused, barely leashed. She flicked a glance at the office across the hall and controlled a sigh. “All right, then, what can I do for you?”
“Nothing. I don’t want anything from any of you, and I never did. I’ve got some information you may be able to use on the Holloway case.”
“Oh? Please, sit down.”
“I don’t want to sit,” Royce snapped
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