Page 11 of Whatever It Takes

Once we’re settled across from one another, I watch the guys take a seat across the diner. They seem to be in their own little world, so I study Briar, but I can’t stand the vacant look on her face. She clasps her shaking hands on the table as her shoulders bounce. She’s busy looking out the window, and she doesn’t notice me studying her posture.

“Want to talk about that?” I ask, grabbing the menus from behind the condiments on the back of the table.

Her head shakes, making her dark curls fall over her face.

“Okay.” I place a menu down in front of her. “Want some recommendations? I come here at least two or three times a week.”

Her big blue eyes meet mine, and she blinks owlishly as her thick lips push together. “I’m thinking maybe soup and a sandwich.”

“The tomato is great or the homemade chicken noodle.” I flip open my menu and begin to browse, even though I know the damn thing by heart.

Looking up, I realize her mouth is hanging open, but I’m not going to ask.

If she wants me to know, she’ll tell me.

I’m not a saint, though.

Once I make it back to the office, I’m having Calder do a full deep dive on Bianca Manzo.

I’m guessing our sweet Briar has more than a few skeletons in her closet, but don’t we all?

Chapter Five

Briar

The tomato soup looks delicious, and the single dunk of my grilled cheese into it says it should be fantastic. Only, every bite tastes like ash. I was starving when we got here, but I manage three bites of my sandwich before my stomach aches so badly that I have to put it down and shove away the plate. The reddish-orange color of the soup turns my stomach, so I move it away too.

Flashes of my wedding day to Avan Barrett play through my mind on repeat. I never wanted anything to do with Barrett. It was purely a political union arranged by our families to pool their resources and power.

Except, we never even got to sayI dobefore the bullets started flying.

At first, I was relieved. So unbelievably grateful that I wouldn’t be tied to that awful man, but the reality of where the bullets were landing quickly caught up.

Both of our families were slaughtered.

I’m only alive because Barrett had an undercover DEA agent who was hiding on his security team. He got me out and took me into the closest FBI office, since he was part of a joint task force with the two agencies.

I was questioned for days before they even allowed me to sleep. And they made me all kinds of promises…if I could testify.

Only, my father made sure I never knew much, and the little I did know was useless. Everyone I could have testified against was dead, meaning the government had no use for me. They said I didn’t qualify for their witness protection program, and without one of the agents helping me claim several of the crime information rewards, I would have walked out with nothing.

It’s funny to think about it, but I was just as disposable to the government as I was to my family.

It’s rude to rest your elbows on the table. I can almost hear my mother’s voice echoing through my mind.

Exhaling heavily, I glance out the window to keep from bursting into tears. She wasn’t a bad mom; she just had no hope in hell of controlling my father. Even when she tried to stand up to him to protect me, all it did was cause her more misery.

She’s gone now too.

One of Barrett’s guys took her out immediately after the bullets started flying. It took a while for the two sides to realize it was a third party and not each side turning on the other.

I’m so lost in thought, I barely notice the cushion moving under my ass.

Keir slides in at my side, wrapping an arm around my lower back. “Are you doing okay?”

My head shakes, and my hair nearly falls into the bowl of soup.

Keir pushes the food farther away. “Tell me who that man is and why he’s a threat to you.” His tone makes him sound every bit the mercenary he is.

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