Page 70 of Hawk

“Maybe.” I shrugged with a smile. “Or maybe you’re not as good a cop as you think?”

“I’m better,” he shot back, because the arrogant shit just couldn’t help himself.

“Yeah, well, a good detective might have at least taken time to gather and destroy all the evidence Laura has at her house.”

“Bullshit.” That was what his mouth said, but I saw the fear as it flashed in his eyes.

“Not bullshit, actually. She has proof that you manufactured evidence, and that you’re in business with criminals.”

Okay, the last bit was bluffing, but I was pretty sure once Slate started digging, then we’d find enough evidence to put the fucker away for life. That’s if I didn’t put a bullet in his skull and bury him in the desert first.

He laughed, but it was brittle and emotionless. “My business is criminals, or haven’t you heard?”

He was a little too cocky, and there was only one reason for that. “I’ve heard that you’re a dirty cop and my sweet Laura has proof.”

“I’ve been following her,” he offered with a smile.

“But have you been listening to her calls?” I arched a brow and all the blood drained from his face. “Doesn’t matter, does it? We have all the evidence now and we’ll keep it safe if you hand Laura over.”

“Not happening, asshole. Get the fuck out of here or else.”

“Or else,” I drew the word out and got in his face with my gun, “what?”

“Or else I’ll have to fucking make you.” With that he suddenly made a grab for me and wrestled the gun from my hand and was trying to aim it under my chin. Dammit, I should have shot the arrogant bastard on sight. My arm went up, just as my knee collided with his balls and the gun went skittering down the hallway.

Bare knuckle fighting, my favorite.

I shoved him back and laughed when he stumbled. “I don’t see your boys in blue anywhere, so how do you plan to do that, cop?”

“They’d only get in my way.” He lunged forward, shoving his head into my midsection with a grunt.

I raised my arms and clasped my hands before I brought them down against his back with enough force to make his knees collapse. The asshole brought me down with him and he scrambled to get on top of me, landing a few ineffective blows to my shoulders and chest. “That all you got?”

He grinned and continued landing blows that didn’t slow me down but instead gave me time to think. I balled my hands into fists and landed several jabs in his right side until he couldn’t take it anymore, and then I switched to the left side as he laid on top of me.

He grunted in pain as I pummeled him from the disadvantaged position. I shoved Eric off and he rolled onto his back, panting and breathless. I got to my feet and stared at him. “Stay down, asshole, and I’ll let you live.”

I grabbed a couple of cable ties from my pocket and tied his wrists together, fucker could still move his legs but at least he couldn’t get to his gun.

“You really gonna kill a cop?”

I shrugged. “If your body is never found, no one will ever know.” Diesel gave strict orders not to kill the bastard, so I couldn’t do it unless it was absolutely necessary, but a man could dream, couldn’t he? “You’d be surprised how many bodies are buried in the desert.”

He shrugged. “I wouldn’t, actually, but when this is all over, I’ll be sure to add that to your lengthy file.”

“I’m sure it’ll be added to yours when Internal Affairs opens an investigation into you.” The arrogant bastard really believed he had won.

“Asshole.” He spun around on the floor and kicked out in an attempt to sweep my feet from under me, but I took a step back and avoided it.

“Where is she?” I asked, and grabbed him by his collar, pulling him to his feet. “Fine, make me beat it out of you. Been looking forward to it since I found out you were the asshole stalking Laura.”

“Stalking? Hardly.” He got to his feet and lunged forward, trying to headbutt me.

Fucker was determined, I’d give him that. I dodged him and rewarded him with jab straight to the nose. “Just following to find out where she was staying.” I hit him again. “You smashed her windshield too.”

He laughed even as the blood trickled down his face. “Good luck proving it.”

He was such a cocky little shit it made me wonder what Laura saw in him. “Don’t need your luck, asshole.” I lifted one leg and gave him a sharp kick to the gut, smiling with satisfaction as he fell onto the coffee table and broke it.

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