Page 107 of When He Protects

First, Thaddeus peered at the wrecked bed. Then he looked over at the bags. And finally, his gaze flew to the broken bathroom door. His attention remained on that door. “Is she in there?”

“Why are you doing favors for her father?”

Thaddeus took a step toward the bathroom. “He’s a bad man.” Bitter laughter. “Serious understatement. He’s been pulling strings and working crimes for years.” Another step. “You know…” A sigh. “I hate to be the one to tell you, but I think her father killed yours.”

He remained in position near the door. “You don’t say.”

Those bored words caught Thaddeus’s attention. He stopped creeping toward the bathroom door and swung his attention to Tyler. “You don’t seem surprised.”

“I’ve spent the last…” What was it now? “Seventy-two? Ninety-six hours? Whatever—I’ve spent the last few days with Esme. At this point, I can tell you that it takes a lot to surprise me.”

“She told you what he did. And yet you still are protecting her.”

“Seems that way.”

Thaddeus whipped out his gun and pointed it straight at Tyler. “Then you are an idiot.”

“I’m not the Fed who has been in bed with a criminal so, are you really one to judge?”

Thaddeus cast a disgusted glance at the wrecked bed. “Want to try that again? Looks like I just interrupted your latest screw with a criminal.”

Tyler did not take his gaze off his prey. “Here’s the thing. No one is gonna be calling Esme any names. Never again.”

Thaddeus laughed. “You dumb fucker. I’m about to load bullets into your chest. You’re hardly in the position to be giving orders.”

There was a silencer on the gun. Figured. Not like Thaddeus would want attention drawn to his crimes.

“You won’t be around to stop me from doing whatever the hell I want with Esme.” Thaddeus’s smile still lingered. “She’s hiding in the bathroom, isn’t she?”

“Why don’t you go see for yourself?”

But Thaddeus didn’t take the bait. “Better idea.” More laughter. Then, “Esme!” Thaddeus raised his voice. “Esme, come out here now or I will shoot your boyfriend in the next five seconds!”

She couldn’t come out. She was long gone.Be gone, Esme.

“Five…”

Tyler stared at Thaddeus. “I’m curious. Didyouorderthe blast at that café in Paris? Did you do it because Louis Turner knew you were as guilty as they come?”

“How the hell do you know Louis?” Thaddeus shook his head. “Four!”

“Funny thing. Louis left a video that I recently had the pleasure of viewing. Actually, I saw a couple of videos.”

“Three!” But the color had bled from Thaddeus’s face.

“You were in one of them,” Tyler disclosed. “Maybe you want to see them? Because I still have the footage.” No, he didn’t. Esme did. But he was buying himself some time.

“Two.” The gun shook in Thaddeus’s hands. “I knew that Jorlan had lost his ace in the hole. When he came to the FBI office, all shaken and demanding to see Esme, I knew then.” He nodded. “Thanks for the confirmation. I’ll be sure to eliminate him next.”

Thaddeus was going to fire. Tyler knew it.

“One—”

Tyler yanked out his own weapon. He brought it up and around in a flash.

But Esme had just launched out of the bathroom. She slammed her body into Thaddeus’s back. They both hurtled to the floor. Thaddeus fired his weapon, and the bullet went wild, blasting through the window and shattering glass.

Thaddeus tried to bring his weapon around and fire at Esme. She was pounding his head—with her gun—and he was snarling and screaming.

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