Page 24 of Tainted Love

“Of course not.”

Spencer stands up, briskly buttoning his jacket out of habit. “We lost track of Black and the others in Colorado,” he says. “He cut off communication after he blew up a hotel in Denver and the Boss ordered him to pack it in and come home. Needless to say, the seizure of Mr. Fitzpatrick has now been reassigned to a more capable agent.”

I exhale hard. Mercer’s obsession with Fox finally went too far.

“On the bright side,” he continues, “we got a possible lead on Fitzpatrick nearby.”

I tilt my head with interest. “How nearby?”

“Iowa.”

“That’s very nearby.”

“Nearby enough to assume that if the Lutrova brothers are back in Chicago, then he is, too.”

“You think they’ve taken on Fox as a hired hand?” I ask.

“I think we should be prepared for anything.” His phone vibrates loudly in his breast pocket. He answers it and promptly lowers it to his side, not bothering to cover the microphone. “You stumble on Fitzpatrick, you take him out,” he says to me, his golden eyes gauging my reaction. “That’s not a problem, is it?”

I stare straight ahead. “Looking forward to the opportunity, actually.”

“Good.” He walks into the hall. “I’ll be in town until all of this blows over. Keep your eyes and ears open.”

“I will,” I say with a nod.

Spencer glares at the bouquet again, his stern countenance spelling out the rest of his orders.

Ditch the trollop.

“By the way,” he pauses, “with Black MIA, we’re going to need someone to take his place.” He glances at me. “You don’t mind if I drop your name with the Boss, do you?”

I straighten up off the wall. “No, sir. Not at all.”

He nods in approval before continuing through the house. “Hello, Puppet,” he says into his phone. “How are you?”

The front door opens and closes behind him.

Dammit, Mercer. Why couldn’t you just let him go?

If I know Fox as well as I think I do, then Mercer isn’t coming back. The rest of our squad isn’t either. Lots of talent down the fucking drain because Mercer didn’t want to share his toys.

I pick up the roses and bring them to my nose again.

A big promotion. A hot date tonight.

All things considered, today is turning out to be a damn good day.

Chapter 8

Lucy

I lay my foot on the beam and bend over to stretch my hamstring. It twitches with delicious pain, bringing memories of deep pleasure to my mind as Cynthia drones on from the center of the room.

“Let’s keep moving, everyone. We’re burning daylight…”

My mind wanders, lingering even more on Dante’s body towering over mine. Muscles and scars. That tattoo. I can still feel his hips grinding against me, thrusting deep inside me, making me—

“Lucy.”

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