“It’s not a done deal. I’ll talk to her and see what she can offer me to get those students away from that bastard.” He looked down at the photo of Alisa Flynn on the dossier on the desk in front of him. Truly exceptional, he thought absently. Dark hair, high cheekbones, arched brows, and those slightly slanted green eyes. It was those wide, intense, almost fierce eyes staring at him that had caught his attention from the minute he had caught sight of her across the study tonight.

Wariness and ferocity.

And after he’d listened to Zabron’s description of the child Alisa, he could imagine she had not changed all that much.

Fierce as a tiger.

Vogel got to his feet. “I’m going to bed. I think Zabron was right. I think she’s got to you. Tell me in the morning if I’m wrong.”

Korgan watched him leave the room before his gaze returned to the photo. Decision time. If Vogel was correct, then it had better be for a damn good reason. It wouldn’t be because the woman had intrigued him or that he had a hunch that she could work out for them.

He opened the dossier and started to study everything it could tell him about Alisa Flynn.

*  *  *

9:05 A.M.

Alisa could see Korgan sitting in the study at his desk drinking a cup of coffee as she paused near the bottom of the staircase. She braced herself and then went down the last three steps. “Have you been there all night?” she asked as she entered the study. “Even Zabron doesn’t know enough stories about me to keep you that entertained.”

“Actually, my conversation with Zabron was relatively short. I told you I would never trust a single source. But I did find him interesting, as I did all the other information I found about you.” He smiled. “But you flatter yourself if you believe I’d sit here all night poring over your résumé.”

“I think you spent a good portion of it doing that.” Her gaze was narrowed on his face, trying to read him. Dammit, he was as ultra-complicated as one of his inventions. Yet she thought she could see something…“Be honest with me. I think honesty is going to be very important to both of us.”

His smile faded. “You’re absolutely right. I did my due diligence, but not all night. I took a two-hour nap, showered, and then came down here to wait and see when you’d break out of that bedroom.” He gestured to the thermal coffeepot on the desk. “I even ordered coffee for us. Would you like a cup?”

“Not right now,” she said absently. “I’d rather you talked to me. I’ve been waiting all night.”

“You shouldn’t reveal eagerness. It’s bad strategy.”