Page 35 of When He Protects

Tyler kept his eyes on Esme. Just how much of the conversation was she overhearing?

Probably everything. Gray’s voice could damn well carry. Hell. No choice. “Keep talking,” he told Gray.

“It’s not five million any longer.”

“Okay, okay, that’s good news, at least.” A bright spot. “So the Feds worked their magic and started scrubbing her info from the dark web?—”

“It’s seven million. The bounty on her has increased, and clearly, with this prisoner’s death, we have to believe that law enforcement members may be involved. That means you and I need to be extremely careful about who we trust. And you had better be stayingextraclose to Esme.”

Her arms moved to wrap around her body.

“Someone powerful wants her dead.” Gray wasn’t sugarcoating anything. “Get her to tell youwhy.I need more information from her.”

“On it.”

“Do whatever you have to do,” Gray continued in his carrying voice. “Seduce the woman. Make her fall in love with you. Worm your way into her cold, cold heart.”

Her eyes could not narrow more. Yep, she was definitely picking up on Gray’s words and not liking whatshe heard.

“Get the job done.” A flat order from Gray. “She’s sitting on a pile of secrets, and I need to know every single one.”

“Go investigate the dead guy,” Tyler advised him. “You leave her to me.” He hung up even as he wondered how in the hell he could possibly smooth this situation over with Esme. Should he just begin by announcing that Gray could be an idiot? His buddy could be. A loud-mouthed idiot.

“The hitman is dead?” A quiet, careful question from Esme. Her arms were still wrapped around her body in what looked like a gesture designed to either comfort or shield herself.

“Yes.”

“He was killed while in federal custody?”

“Yes.”

A quick exhale. “So should I assume that this location is already compromised?” Very, very careful words as her eyes darted around the house.

“No, you should?—”

The doorbell rang.

Her lips parted. Esme’s head swung toward the door. Her hair flew over her shoulder. “Company?” A gasp.

Screw that. He hadnotinvited any company over. Tyler bent down and picked up the gun that he’d tucked beneath the couch before he’d gone to sleep last night.

“When did you get that?” Esme squeaked.

He shot her a you’ve-got-to-be-kidding look. “I’m a U.S. Marshal, sweetheart. I always have a gun.” He headed for the door.

She lunged out and grabbed his arm. “You can’t just meet our neighborarmed.That is not friendly.”

“No prick should be at our door right now. We were just told that a hitman was killed while in federal custody.You think I’m just gonna stroll out, unarmed, and see who is knocking at our safe house?”

She nibbled on her lower lip.

“You need to go hide,” he informed her. “Now.”

“But—”

“You follow my orders, Esme. That was part of my conditions, remember? Non-negotiable.”

The doorbell rang again.

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