I could imagine his voice, arrogant and self-mocking at the same time, his tone light as if to say, “You can take me up on it if you want or we can pretend I’m only kidding.”

I wanted that back—that banter, that lighthearted seduction, that Karl, not the cold, scowling man three feet away, his gaze shunting to the alley mouth as if counting the seconds until he could escape.

“Tell Benicio to find you another job,” I said.

He frowned, brow creasing.

“I don’t know how he got in touch with you; I didn’t give him the number. I’m sorry if he dragged you back from Europe, but that’s something you need to take up with him. You aren’t needed here…or wanted.”

His shoulders tightened. Ego. That’s all it was—all it ever was with Karl. He’d pursued me, caught me and dumped me, and now he was annoyed because I wasn’t pining for him.

“Benicio didn’t call me,” he said. “I’m here because he should have. This is my debt.”

“No, it’s mine, and I have it under control.”

“So I saw.” His gaze slid in the direction of the club. “I suppose that’s one way to get information from a man.”

My fists clenched and I longed to smack him. Hit him as hard as I could, and make it hurt as much as he’d hurt me. But it wouldn’t hurt him at all. Nothing did.

I managed to smile and shrug. “Whatever works. That’s what you taught me. Go on home, Karl, wherever home is these days. This doesn’t concern you. Nothing I do concerns you anymore. You made that clear.”

He had the gall to look surprised. “I never said—”

“It was a long hunt, and probably not worth the reward, but you finally caught your prey. Congratulations, you’re every bit the irresistible stud you think you are. Now leave me alone. Please.”

I circled past him, heading back to the club. He grabbed my arm.

“Hope—”

He stopped, head jerking around, following some noise I couldn’t hear. His fingers tightened and he started down the alley, fingers still wrapped around my elbow. I dug in my heels. With his strength, it was the equivalent of a two-year-old balking, but the jolt was enough for him to realize I wasn’t following willingly.

He shot me an impatient scowl, annoyed that I should object to being dragged deeper into a dark alley. As I looked back, a shadow stretched over the street-lit alley mouth. Someone was coming. I shook Karl off and brushed past him, getting farther down the passage on my own.