Page 68 of Shadows of Justice

He flips to another photo, and for the first time since this fucker started talking, my heart stalls for a moment. A grainy picture of me, at least ten years ago, clearly handing Sam a package. Our dumbasses are out in the open, in the middle of campus, not even bothering to look over our shoulders for who could be watching.

The next photo is of a girl whose face I couldn’t forget if I tried.

Jacquelyn O’Hare.

Gamma Zeta Alpha. Hospitalized for the overdose of MDMA, rape, and assault, the photo taken shortly after she was admitted. Her eyes are swollen shut, her lip split, cheekbone and jaw fractured.

I stare at the photo, years of repressed guilt washing over me. I draw in a shaky breath, the quivering due now to more than my injuries.

“Whatever you think you have with Viv, you should forget it all now.” Gavin points at Jacquelyn’s battered face. “This is who you are. This is all you will ever be.”

I glare at him, a thrashing monster within me tearing at my insides, begging to be released to put a stop to his fucking mouth right now.

But I can’t lose my grip. That won’t help Genevieve.

“Are you going to continue to waste time, or are you going to save her?” I grit out. Gavin sits back, a smirk on his face.

“Oh, the chief has no doubt been working on substantiating your claims about all this and is taking the necessary steps to fortify the Ahn-Chun wedding. He will be preparing a team by now. We’ll get her out.” He crosses his arms, his arrogance nearly palpable. “I’m more concerned with the likes of you.”

Relief washes over me at knowing that they’re going to take this seriously, that all this won’t have been for nothing.

“Figures you have it out for me, since it drives you insane to picture her with someone else. You know you lost the best girl out there, that’s why you’ve been following her for weeks. Why you want to get me out of the picture so badly.”

Gavin’s eyes widen slightly at my claim, but he composes himself quickly.

“Viv is fucked up. She always has been. Her potential is wasted because of her shortsightedness.” His eyes alight with a sinister fire. “She never knows when to keep her mouth shut. Hopefully, she’s learning her lesson right now. Who knows what the likes of Trismo will stick in it if she doesn’t keep quiet.”

I slam my hands down and lunge at him over the table, but the slippery fucker was anticipating it. He rears back, just out of my reach, and bursts into laughter.

“Oh—she’s got you wrapped all right,” he says, chuckling at me. “I know how sweet she tastes, trust me.” He taps his temple twice. “Memory is like a vice. And I’ve got years stashed away.”

I want to throttle this fuckhead. Normally, nothing rattles me, but my resolve shatters when it comes to Viv. The idea of any other man knowing what she feels like has me seething.

I wasn’t lying when I told her she’d be the end of me.

I’m distracted from thoughts of killing him when his phone rings. He checks who’s calling and excuses himself, rising to stand halfway out the door. I can hear his contribution to the conversation, the other person’s voice distant over the other line.

“Assistant Director Crúz . . . yes ma’am, I’m almost through with my interrogation. Chief Schaeffer is handling Genevieve’s extraction, but no, I haven’t heard any updates yet. Well, you don’t need to worry. And Barone has a list miles long for what we can take him down for. No, I haven’t asked him for info on higher-ups, I just assumed—Isn’t the directive to take him down, ma’am? Understood . . . what else did they find in his residence? Yes, ma’am . . . yes, I have leverage on him.” Gavin peers over his shoulder at me, and I flash him a smirk. “Yes, ma’am, I’ll take care of it. I’ll update you ASAP.”

He ends the call and reenters the room, coming to sit back down across from me. I spot the time on his iPhone screen before he locks it shut—6:02 AM. Viv has been exposed for two hours. The thought is enough to make me sick.

“I need information.” Gavin threads his fingers together and rests them in front of him.

“What’s going on with The Roost? Can you get an update?”

“That’s not your concern right now. What is your concern is the type of deal you’re going to be making with the FBI.” I swallow hard, the blood and the offer mixing distastefully.

I knew this was coming.

“I have no desire to make a deal. Just let me pay my fines. Are you detaining me?”

“You want to make this deal,” he says, the smug tone returning.

I clench my jaw and lean in close to him. “I said, not interested.”

“You’ve had some of the most dominant and far-reaching criminals obtain items and materials for you. You have insight into their operations, their networks. Not to mention, the tech we discovered in your residence has piqued our interest.” Gavin’s knuckles turn white as he clenches his fists. “The FBI is willing to make certain offers to you in exchange for a trade—of sorts.”

My lips twitch as I try not to laugh, this conversation clearly pushing his buttons, as he has no choice but to be the good little messenger boy.

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