Page 78 of Shadow Operative

“I’m assuming something changed.”

“I guess you could sayIchanged. I realized I didn’t like the way I was living. I didn’t like the partying and the jet-setting lifestyle. But Mario did. In fact, sometimes I think that’s what he liked more than he actually liked me. He saw me more as an opportunity. I only wish I had seen it sooner.”

“I can see why things didn’t end well.”

Nia shook her head as she remembered. “He came across as someone who was so noble. But the truth was, how he acts is all a façade. He’s a master at those things.”

“What did he do?”

She rubbed her throat, thoughts racing. “I knew his family had a place down in the Keys. He wanted me to godown there with him, but I couldn’t. I had something pressing at work and couldn’t get away.”

Nia licked her lips, taking a moment to compose herself.

“Then my meeting was canceled,” she continued. “I decided to surprise Mario. But when I showed up, he was with someone.”

“With someonewith someone?”

Nia nodded. “Even worse, it turned out the woman was a prostitute. I was horrified. But apparently, Mario had a long history of doing things like that. Many of his cronies knew about it, but they were loyal to him and stayed quiet.”

He grunted. “What happened next?”

“I confronted him. He made excuses. But I knew the truth. I left, totally blindsided by all of it. Before I drove off, he begged me not to tell the mayor. Told me no one would believe me anyway. Then he said if I did tell anyone, he’d ruin my reputation.”

“Did you tell anyone?”

She licked her lips as that horrible period in her life flooded back into her thoughts. “It’s a huge liability having a police chief who sleeps with prostitutes. It’s how people become crooked. The wrong person can use those things as leverage to get what they want—including dropped or lessened charges. Besides, if Mario was hiding his involvement with prostitutes, what else was he hiding?”

“Good point,” Gage said.

“So I went to the DA.” Nia swallowed hard as sheremembered. “He didn’t believe me and totally dismissed what I said. Honestly, I think Mario had something on him and that’s why he acted the way he did. Mario found out what I’d done, however. That’s when he started spreading rumors throughout the department thatIhad cheated onhim. That I was making up rumors to cover up what I’d done. Most people believed him.”

“That’s dirty.” Disgust rippled through his words.

Nia nodded. “I know. He even sent officers out to harass me. They’d drive past me when I was walking down the street and give me looks. I got parking tickets for no good reason. Got pulled aside for an extra security check at a ballgame. I knew what it meant. It was a warning.”

“Did you press the subject anymore?”

“I wanted to. I thought about it. But Mario insisted no one would believe me, and I think he was right. Eventually, I came to accept the fact that one day he’d mess up. I needed to step back and wait for him to get caught in his own lies.”

“Probably wise.”

Their gazes met.

Gage opened his mouth as if he wanted to say more.

But then he shut it again.

Which was better.

She’d already shared too much. She never talked about the Mario situation anymore. It was too painful. Too frustrating.

But somehow, telling Gage had felt like a relief—especially since he believed her.

She had the crazy desire to reach for him. To fall into his arms.

Or, at least, to dream about what that would be like.

The feelings felt foreign. She had no idea where they came from.

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