Page 43 of Bad Guys Need Love Too

“Dually noted,” she said dryly.

The more comfortable with him she got, the sassier she got. He hated it. And loved it. He hated that she didn’t just follow orders when it came to her safety. Loved that she was comfortable enough with him to voice her opinion and stand up for herself. He was living on a double-edge sword and…damn it. He was having fun. Except he could feel his blood pressure going up, which couldn’t possibly be good for him.

He’d meant it when he’d blurted out that he loved her. And he meant it even more when he said he didn’t want her to respond. Rejection wasn’t something he needed at the moment.

So, instead, he was focusing very hard on the fact that he didnotwant Lark to stroll into the law office and act as bait. He’d said as much at least a dozen times since she broached the idea. Which explained her exasperation with him.

“I’m sure there’s another way to draw this guy out,” he grumbled. Again. “Besides, what’s the hurry? You’re safe with me. We have time to find another way.”

Frankly, the idea of Lark living in his house, right where he could make 100% sure she was safe at all times, wasveryappealing. Not just her, either. If he could move Tenley and her husband, and Mrs. Fulkerson in with him, he’d do it.

But Lark cocked her head to one side and eyed him with a mix of humor and pity, and a sad little smile. “I can’t hide from the world forever. I’d like to go back to work at some point.”

Ren took a deep breath. This wasn’t an argument he could win. He knew because he’d been trying to come up with a winning argument all morning, and the whole time, he’d been failing epically. Which was why they were sitting here in his surveillance van outside the law firm while he fruitlessly argued with her.

“Fine,” he said on a gusty sigh when he finally accepted reality. “But I need you to wear the communications earrings.”

She nodded solemnly as she took them from him and clipped them to her earlobes. “No problem.”

“And you’ll saypistachioif you feel uncomfortable inanyway.”

It was the same safe word he’d ordered her to use when he’d had her bent over the bed the previous night, hands cuffed behind her. She hadn’t surrendered then, and he didn’t expect her to surrender now. But he did enjoy how the mere mention of the safe word caused her to blush. No, he didn’t enjoy it. He fuckinglovedit.

“I’ll say the word if I need you to storm the place,” she mumbled.

“And you’re taking Dammit George with you.”

Her brows drew together. “I can’t imagine they’ll let me walk into their office with a giant scary guard dog.” She patted Dammit George’s head. “No offense,” she told the dog.

Dammit George took no offense. Just gazed at her adoringly with his tongue lolling out of his mouth.

“I have a service dog vest for him,” Ren told her. “A bunch of lawyers will know they can’t keep you away from your service dog.”

She blinked at him for a moment before asking, “What’s his service?”

“If they look into it, they’ll find that he’s registered to tell you when your blood sugar is too low.” He shrugged. “You do get grumpy when you haven’t eaten.”

Another long pause. “Rude. True, but still rude. So, fine, I’ll take Dammit George with me. Are you actually going to let me go in, or are we going to have to bang this out again?”

He’d love nothing more than to drag her back to bed and bang this out some more. But he’d already lost this fight once. He didn’t imagine any amount of banging was going to change her mind now. He barely suppressed another pained sigh. “This is happening. Tell me what you’re going to do one more time.”

She didnotsuppress her pained sigh. “I’m walking in. I’m asking to speak to Neal. We know he’s not there yet, so I’m going to ask his assistant to leave him this box of his things, in which we’ve included your device that can bug the office and let us know when anyone is sending out any communications to the killer. Then I thank her and walk directly to Tenley’s car.”

“Yes, that’s right,” Tenley said dryly through her own communications earrings from her parking spot across the street. “I’m glad you two finally remembered that I’ve been here the whole time, listening to everything you’ve been saying.”

“Shut up,” Ren grumbled.

“Then,” Lark continued, “Tenley will drive me around and see who follows. If someone follows, you’ll follow them until Tenley can do her fancy driving maneuvers and lose them. Then she’ll drive me home and you’ll do…whatever you need to do on your end. Kind of the same plan if someone calls the killer to the law office to deal with me.”

Home. She’d called his place home. Now that was the type of warm feeling he’d kill to hang onto forever.

Hopefully, it wouldn’t come to that.

“We could just send Tenley in with the box,” he tried again. He sounded desperate even to his own ears, and he didn’t care. His dignity was averysmall price to pay for her safety.

“That would get the bug planted, but it wouldn’t draw the killer out,” Lark reminded him gently. She laid her hand over his. “Please. I can do this.”

“I’m not worried about you not being able to do it. I know you can do anything. I just…look, the thought of sending you out to intentionally court danger goes against everything I am, OK? I’d fucking wrap you in bubble wrap if I thought it wouldn’t piss you off.”

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