Page 306 of Lars

I’d secretly hoped that might be the reason…

But I never thought she would say it. Not to my face.

And I never, ever suspected the depths of her pain…

Pain I had caused.

“So you really didn’t know I was involved when you took the job,” I murmured.

“I already told you that,” she said acidly. “You should start paying attention.”

I ignored her sarcasm and asked, “How did Fausto find you?”

“Same way you did, probably.”

“This is what you’re doing now? After…” I decided to be discreet. “…parting ways with your former employers?”

She shrugged. “A girl’s got to pay the bills somehow.”

“Hell of a way to do it.”

“Said the man working as a flunky for a mafioso,” she sneered.

“Said the woman working as a paid killer,” I shot back.

She stared at me hatefully but kept quiet.

“Even though I was involved,” I asked, “why pass up a second crack at the job?”

She stared at me, dumbfounded – but her voice was full of contempt. “Is that really a serious question?”

I let my own anger show through. “You told me it was over. You said I should walk away. So why would my presence affect you at all?”

She narrowed her eyes. “I changed my mind. Gunnar’s not the son of a bitch – you are.”

“You mean to tell me,” I said sarcastically, “that your ex-boyfriend was involved, and that’s why you passed up a second chance at a paycheck?”

“I’m beginning to regret it,” she sneered as she grabbed her purse, obviously preparing to leave.

I wasn’t about to let that happen.

As I pushed away from the table to stand up, I snapped, “I’ll bet you are – ”

That was when the glass window of the restaurant shattered –

And the empty plate in front of me exploded.

145

Rachel and I dove to the floor as pandemonium erupted all around us.

People were screaming and shouting –

But there were no more gunshots.

Yet.

I pulled the Glock from my waistband.

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