Page 23 of When He Protects

Tyler’s growl cut through the apologizing agent’s words.He was the one who should have been watching the interrogation room.Tyler recognized the green agent. He’d walked past him a few times earlier.

So much for top-of-the-line security. The place felt more like a joke than anything else. There was a reason why he hadn’t become a Fed. Two reasons, actually.Too much red tape. Too much bullshit.“Clear a path,” Tyler barked. “Now.”

The man in cuffs laughed. “Five million.” He smiled, revealing the blood on his teeth from his busted lip. “Like I’ll be the only one who comes for her with that much cash on the table.”

A path had been cleared. But Tyler stopped in front of the grinning jackass. He kept his grip on Esme’s hand. “Hey, dumbass,” Tyler said to him. “You just confessed to being a hitman. A confession you made in front of at least five agents. You attempted to assault a U.S. Marshal. Just when do you think you’ll be able to see the light of day again?”

That wiped the smile off the creep’s face.

“Someone did not think this through,” Tyler noted. “Your mistake.”

But five million dollars could just be too tempting to pass up. The hitman must have been close by, and he’d seized his opportunity when he’d received word about the five-million-dollar pay day. And the damn thing was…

What if I hadn’t been in the room with her? Shit. In a freaking FBI office, this prick could have killed Esme.

Enough of this crap. His path was clear. And he was taking his charge the hell out of there. He strode forward. Esme’s heels hurriedly tapped as she followed him.

“Uh, Tyler?” Gray cleared his throat. “We need to talk more. I need?—”

“Ineed to get her the hell away. That’s a hitman cuffed near you. And that’s a bullet hole in the wall.” He threw a glare at his friend. “She’s mine to protect, so letmedo my damn job.”

A grudging nod from Gray. “Fine, but first…” His stare darted to Esme. “I’m gonna need some intel from her.”

“I want to see her.”

Grayson glanced up from the paperwork on his desk. A freaking mound of paperwork. Because a sonofabitch hitman had stormed into the FBI field office and nearly taken their prime witness in an international criminal investigation. That attack had led to hours of a paperwork nightmare.

And now…

Grayson sighed.

Now he had Jorlan Rodgers in his space. The man had lawyers on either side of him. Expensive ones thatGrayson recognized from their billboards and commercials.

“Hello, Jorlan.” Grayson kept his tone civil. “Just who is it that you want to see?” As if he didn’t know.

“Esme Laurent.” Bitten off with fury. “Right now.”

Grayson glanced around his office. “I don’t think she’s here.”

“Don’t give me that bullshit!” Jorlan lunged forward. One of the lawyers grabbed his arm. Jorlan heaved out a breath. “I know you arrested her. She attempted to steal from me, and I want to confront her. I want to know how the hell she thought she could get away with taking what’smine.”

Grayson closed the file he’d been studying. Then he slowly rose to his feet. “There’s been a mistake.”

“Hell, yes, there has been.” Jorlan’s nostrils flared. “No one steals from me and walks away.”

“I’m not sure where you are getting your intel.” Again, Grayson kept his voice civil. “But Esme Laurent has not been charged with any crimes. The scene at your home was very chaotic and confusing so I’m afraid some details may have been erroneously spread.”

“Bullshit.”

“Esmedidassist in recovering your diamonds.”Because they were strapped to her thigh and their recovery was made by Tyler Barrett right in front of me.

“What?” Jorlan’s jaw nearly hit the floor. “Recovering them?”

The lawyer on his right—an older male with carefully styled, silver hair—leaned forward and whispered in Jorlan’s ear.

“Fuck that,” Jorlan blasted back at what had obviouslybeen an attempt by the other man to calm his client. “I want to see Esme, right the hell now!”

“I wish I could help you.” Grayson lifted his hands and then let them fall back to his sides in one of thoseso-sorrygestures. “But Esme left hours ago. Her father is the French Ambassador, you know. He wanted his daughter away from the spotlight. Perhaps you could try calling her?”

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