Page 36 of Dirty Empire

“We got a pin on the call. It came from a warehouse in L.A., and the phone is unregistered. But I ran some scans on calls to and from the number, and it appears that a guy named Brighton Gentry is attached to the number. A run of this guy tells me he’s a political figure but not currently holding office because he’s been called to the stand in the trafficking trial. He has associations to a now-dead man, Miles Devereaux. If I had to guess, it's not Brighton who called, it's one of his goons.”

Fuck. Just another way that Miles is haunting me from beyond the grave.

“Keep digging, get me everything you can on this guy. I need you to take the lead on this one. Come up with a plan quickly and fill me in on the plane.”

Mike nods and leaves the office. I know I’ll have to nip this situation in the bud.

A light knock sounds at the door. Too light to be one of my security men.

“Come in,” I boom. The door opens, and Hazel hesitantly steps inside. She threads her fingers together like she isn’t sure if she should be here. The scent of her body wash fills the air, and it makes my shoulders relax a little bit. I miss that smell.

“Hey, Mav. Is something wrong?” she asks, seeing the disdain on my face.

“I have a small problem to take care of.”

“What kind of problem?” She takes a seat across from me. It’s the closest we’ve been to each other in a while, but it’s still too far apart. I want to lift her and place her on my lap, but I don't think she’d go for that.

“I got a call from an old enemy… A threat. Someone named Brighton.”

She never asked me about my dirty business, but if she did, I’d answer all her questions. When did I start to answer to a barely five-feet tall woman?

“Brighton? I know that name. I think he did some work for Miles,” she says. I nod. So Miles and Brighton worked close enough together that Hazel knew him. That was saying something, considering she hadn’t even been aware of what Miles did for a living.

“I’ve got to go to L.A. tonight. I will be back tomorrow. I know exactly where this guy is. I’m going to take care of him,” I growl.

Her beautiful blue eyes widen. “What if something happens?”

“Nothing is going to happen.”

“You don’t know that. If something happens to you, what am I supposed to do?” she asks.

The question takes me off guard. She made it clear that she was ready to walk away if I pushed her, but just because she could turn her back doesn't mean she wanted to. Hope blooms in my chest.

“I mean what if-” she tries to backtrack, but I won’t let her.

“I’ll be careful.”

My eyes shift to her stomach. There seems to be a bit of roundness to it, but I could just be imagining it. My son or daughter could be in there. It hits me like a freight train. Holy shit.

“Maverick, I need you to keep your cool.”

“How was the appointment?” I ask her.

She looked taken aback, as if unaware that I knew about her first appointment. “It was fine. The baby is fine. I didn't think you’d want to go considering…”

“I want to go from now on. To all the appointments.” It’s the first time I’ve mentioned the future since coming back from vacation.

She nods.

Standing from the desk, I straighten my suit jacket. “I have to handle this. It shouldn't take me long.”

“Maverick-”

“No, Hazel. You don’t know these guys. They won’t stop until it’s done. I have to do it now. You only got a taste of it with Miles.”

Tears well up in her eyes. Fuck, I hit the wrong nerve.

“Look. Sorry, I didn't mean to bring that up. I have to go. It has to be done.”

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