Natalie felt her own temper rising up to meet his, but told herself to stay cool. She’d expected this. And maybe he wasn’t angry at her. There were all sorts of things going on, lots of plans and conspiracies afoot. Maybe his anger had nothing to do with—
“Why’d you go there?” he demanded, as soon as they were outside.
So much for the idea that he wasn’t angry at her. The temper she’d banked while trying to be reasonable, flared hotter than ever. She shook her hand loose from his. “I had stuff to do. Didn’t you get my note?”
“What good is a fucking note if I’m dead to the world while you’re skipping right into the heart of the enemy?”
“Dramatic much? I was hardly skipping, because I’m not an idiot. And I left before sunset.” Although some of the fight went out of her, because she believed that he really had been worried. And, given recent events, he probably had a reason to be. But that didn’t change the fact that he was being a bully. “I don’t owe you an accounting of my time,” she said defiantly.
Christian moved closer, taking outrageous advantage of his greater size and strength to loom over her. Natalie backed up until she hit the brick wall next to the door. This was apparently exactly what he wanted, because he leaned down to put his face right in front of hers.
“Did it occur to you that I might have been worried?” he asked. He sounded so sincere, his deep voice filled with real concern, that Natalie felt guilty.
For all of two seconds. Then she remembered that vampires were masters of manipulation. And there was something just a little bit sly sparkling in his eyes.
“I left a note,” she reminded him. “And I had my cell phone with me. You could have called.” She squawked in surprise when he grabbed her cell phone from her hand, and held it up to her face.
“Your ringer is turned off,” he said, glaring down at her.
Uh oh. Busted. “I turned it off so no one would hear it ring,” she said stubbornly. “I was being stealthy.”
Christian’s luscious mouth twitched slightly. Natalie was pretty sure he almost smiled.
“I’m sorry,” she said placing her hands on his chest and leaning in. “But if you’ll just listen—”
“Promise you won’t do it again,” he demanded, doing an excellent imitation of the brick wall at her back.
Her eyes narrowed in irritation. “I’m trying to—”
“Promise.”
Natalie had never wanted to be a vampire, but right at this moment, she really wished she could growl like one. “Fine,” she said, willing to be the adult. “I won’t . . .” She frowned. “Wait. What am I promising?”
“Not to go waltzing into the lion’s den with no idea of the danger—”
Fuck that. “First I’m skipping, and now I’m waltzing? I’m not a child, Christian. I’m a reasonably intelligent adult, and I know how to protect myself. I know that estate inside and out, and it was daylight. I was trying to help you, damn it.”
That shut him up. But not for long. “Help me do what?” he asked, scowling down at her.
“I have access to Anthony’s private files. I knew I could—”
“Jesus, Natalie. Are you trying to get yourself killed?”
“It’s my job,” she insisted. “I know what I’m doing, and I’m a damn sight better at it than you are!”
“You’re an accountant, for fuck’s sake.”
“I’m a forensic accountant, you ass. What do you think I do all day? I work on computers, identifying patterns, establishing trails, and following them to the truth. I dig out information that other people hide! And I don’t need your permission to do a favor for a friend!”
Christian’s expression changed abruptly, becoming darker, his eyes gleaming slightly in the mostly unlit alley. “Is that what I am?” he asked in a rough whisper, closing her in with his body, one arm braced on the wall next to her head. “Am I your friend, chére?”
Her body reacted instantly, his voice and overwhelming presence bringing back the weight of him on top of her, the delicious stroke of his cock between her thighs. She shivered at the memory, and saw the knowledge in his eyes. He knew what she was thinking, knew what he was doing to her. But even knowing that, she couldn’t help her reaction.
“No,” she said, then gulped nervously. “I mean, yes, but—”
“But what, sweet Natalie?”
“I don’t know. Stop looming over me!”