Page 10 of The Negotiator

Oh, come on.“Do you even know what I do?”

Matthias shrugged. “Not really.”

Garrett was about to shoot off a two-word response when Lauren answered. “Fine.”

Kayla’s eyes widened. “What?”

“You’re making it too easy on him, Lauren,” Matthias said at the same time.

“I don’t want to put either of you in danger, especially so soon after all that happened to you.” Lauren’s voice grew stronger the more she talked to Kayla.

“You’re saying you’re okay with Garrett being in danger?” Matthias got the question out but Kayla elbowed him in the stomach right after.

“Let me get the okay from Detective Cryer and we can leave.” Lauren headed back to the kitchen before Garrett could stop her.

As soon as she was gone Kayla pointed at Garrett. “You behave.”

“What are you—”

A sharp shake of her head stopped him from saying anything else. “Garrett, her idiot husband is dead—”

“Again,” Matthias added.

Kayla talked right over him. “She is on a wild emotional ride. Don’t add to it.”

“Did we stop getting along and you didn’t tell me?” Back when she started dating Matthias, Garrett had been her ally. An ally to both of them, really, but they didn’t know that at the time.

“I like when you keep Matthias in line.”

Matthias threw his hands up in the air. “Hey.”

“But I’m not sure if I want you crawling all over my best friend.” Lauren’s eyes narrowed. “I’ve seen how you look at her. All those trips down here for pie. Please. As if they don’t serve pie in DC.”

Not pie that came with a view of Lauren, but Garrett decided not to explain that. Not when Kayla was in protective momma-bear mode.

“I don’t plan to...” But he stopped because he actually did plan to. Not right now because he had some level of control and decency, but he didn’t have any plans to leave Lauren alone unless she asked him to. And he sure as hell hoped that didn’t happen. “Okay, I do have some finesse, you know.”

Kayla studied him for a second. Her half-angry, half-skeptical gaze roamed all over him. “Then use it. Lauren might be tough on the outside but Carl is her weak spot.”

“She’s not in love with him.” He was positive that much was true.

“He hurt her, Garrett.” Kayla’s voice dropped lower. “You better not do the same.”

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