She had to get away.
Had to get to Campbell and safety.
She saw the gray-tinged lights of the parking garage spread out before her, the glass entry doors that separated the performance building from the parking lot propped open at the base.
The thought crossed her mind that Campbell may have changed course, but that fear vanished as she heard him scream her name.
“Abby!”
Scrabbling footsteps echoed behind her as the man pursuing her realized she had backup. He whirled on his heel, the heavy sensation of his body bearing down on hers vanishing immediately.
From her periphery, she saw Campbell change gears, moving from his path to intercept the man who’d followed her.
And then she could only stare as it all happened in a blur of motion.
Campbell’s long strides had him easily reaching the man, who he collared and slammed into the nearest car, all in one coordinated move. He kept the man pinned to the car and a silent thrill rode her as she observed Campbell’s predatory grace.
“What do you want with her?” The mild-mannered man who’d accompanied her to the opera had vanished, and in its place was a man who obviously understood violence.
“Nothing.”
“Wrong answer.” Campbell pressed harder against the man. “What do you want with her?”
“Nothing, man. Nothing.”
“Who are you working for?”
Abby was torn between watching the exchange and running for help. Although Campbell appeared to have the upper hand, she was afraid to leave him alone. The sound of shouts and heavy footfalls ensured she didn’t need to make that decision as two security guards barreled through the glass doors.
“Sir! Stand back.”
The entire scene ran like something out of a bad movie as Abby watched the two men separate Campbell and the stranger, then drag both of them some distance from the cars.
“I’ve got credentials, if you’ll just let me get them from my pockets.” Campbell grit out the words as his gaze stayed locked on the man he’d had pinned.
The guard holding Campbell waited for a nod from his partner before agreeing. “Can she get it for you?”
“Abby?” Campbell’s gaze met hers. “My inside front pocket.”
Tension gripped all of them in tight fists and she made quick work of the job, reaching inside his open tuxedo jacket. As he promised, there was a small leather folder there and she pulled it out and opened it for the guard.
The guard released his grip and she watched, fascinated, as Campbell extended his arms in front of him to keep the man at ease. “You’re in security?”
“Yes.”
“You want to tell me what’s going on?” The guard handed the badge back while his partner kept a firm hold on the other man.
Campbell provided a quick recap of events both during the cocktail hour and what led them into the garage.
“The man followed you, ma’am?”
“Yes.”
The guy screamed that she was a liar, but it was only while he was screaming that Abby truly caught sight of where his gaze had landed.
On the diamond necklace that encircled her throat.
Understanding flooded her in a rush. “You’re a thief.”
“I am not.”
“That’s what this is about.”
The accusation had little effect on the man’s mood, but it was enough to shift the conversation with the guards to their favor as well as the two additional guards who came down after receiving radio calls.
Abby watched in bewildered fascination as Campbell worked the new guards, reconfirming his license and what had happened.
And she was even more shocked and amazed when, after providing their contact information only, they were both given permission to leave.
“How’d you do that?”
“The license helped.” Campbell’s hand returned to her lower back and he led them toward the waiting line of cars. “I also let the guard know you were a highly respected businesswoman under my protection. They’ll follow up with you.”
Campbell waved in the direction of the limo line and she saw a quick flash of lights from their driver. “Come on. Let’s wait for him over here.”
“Do you think they’ll get anything out of him?”
“Where’d you get the idea he was a thief?”
Abby thought back to that brief flash of insight. It wasn’t anything she could fully describe or explain, but she’d known the moment the man’s gaze had settled on her neck that his intentions were about the jewelry.
She’d spent long years reading people and she couldn’t shake the bone-deep certainty that had been his motive.
“There was an avarice in his eyes I can’t quite explain. I’m sure once they run him it’ll become more than obvious he was casing the event to set up a few jobs.”
The car pulled around and their driver hopped out and got them settled. Campbell took his seat opposite her and she sunk against the padded seats, unable to stop the events of the evening from flashing through her mind.
“I’m sure the police will follow up, but I’ll also run that guy through a facial-recognition program. If he’s got any sort of a record, or even a whisper of suspicion around him, he’ll pop.”
“Good.” Abby tried to shake off the lingering feelings of vulnerability that were as unwelcome as they were uncomfortable.
“And just to cover ground I know you’ll be asked again. You’ve never seen him before?”
“No, I haven’t. Which is more than I can say for you and the Sophia Loren wannabe back there.”
Her own words surprised her but they had their desired effect as they shifted Campbell’s focus. His grin was back, whip-quick and more than a little dashing. “You didn’t believe me when I told you I didn’t like opera.”
“I assumed you didn’t care for the music.”
“Among other things,” he muttered as he reached for his bow tie.
Abby held her tongue, the image of those slender arms and luscious curves wrapped around Campbell still haunting her mind’s eye. Not only was the reaction beyond inappropriate—he owed her no explanations—it was damned infuriating to feel like the cuckolded lover.
Even if
