Eric knew this plan was bad—and there was no way he was putting her at risk. “Or he sees you, and he attacks. Maybe he’s got accelerants in that place just like he used on your home. He sees you and torches the house he’s renting. Or he tries to torch you.” No way. “We don’t let civilians go out on cases like these, baby. It’s for your safety.”

“Civilians?” Her brows rose. “You’re a civilian.”

Technically, yeah, he was. Though he’d done plenty of side work for Uncle Sam over the years.

Simon gave a low whistle. “Don’t worry, Piper. I assure you that Eric knows how to play plenty rough and dirty.” Again, laughter slipped from him. “She has no idea who you really are, does she?”

His words were too close to the conversation in the elevator.

Eric saw that truth sink in for Piper. No, she didn’t really know him. Didn’t know what he’d been doing all these years. He hadn’t just been sitting behind a desk. Hadn’t just been inventing tech and counting his millions as they rolled in.

He’d gotten his hands dirty plenty of times. Like Simon, he’d even started to crave the rush of adrenaline that came from the hunt. But there was one thing he craved more than the adrenaline…

And she was glaring at him. “I don’t like this.”

Eric kissed her. “I’ll be back before you know it. If he’s guilty, I’ll make sure Grady is locked away.”

“Eric—”

He saw the approaching agents behind her back. Julia and Rick. “Talk to Julia. Make sure you’ve seen all the footage we took from your gallery.” Because they’d been able to retrieve surveillance footage before the asshole had cut the system. A damn good cut job because the perp had known how to sever the security without sending out an alarm. “I’ll be back before you know it.”

A hard shake of her head. “I don’t like this.”

He wasn’t going to risk her. Another kiss, and then he headed down the hallway with Simon. He didn’t look back, but he was pretty sure he could feel Piper’s glare burning right through his skin.

Simon didn’t talk to him again, not until they were in the parking garage, and Eric was behind the steering wheel of the Benz.

Then Simon gave a patently false cough. “Um, you kissed her.”

Eric shifted the car into reverse. “Yes.”

“That mean you two are a thing? This case get personal for you?”

A jerky nod. It hadn’t just become personal. It always had been.

Silence from Simon. And then… “Does she have any idea what you’d do for her?”

No, and, hopefully, she wouldn’t ever have to find out.

***