Page 58 of When He Defends
“You’re working undercover. You’re probably walking a very delicate balancing act.” Emerson’s statement was mild. “I’m not going to spill your secrets to anyone.”
“I don’tknowyou, lady, and you don’t know me.”
“Actually…” Gray couldn’t help but smile as he delivered this taunt. Cass had it coming, after all.Poor timing, cuz. Poor timing.“Emerson’s specialty is understanding killers. So she probably understands you perfectly.”
Cass flipped him off. He also took another step away from them. “Psychopaths, huh? That’s her thing? Totally makes sense then that she’s sleeping with you.”
Not yet, she wasn’t. But it was on the agenda.
“I wouldn’t say that psychopaths are my thing,” Emerson’s measured response. “But I do like profiling. By the way, not all psychopaths are killers, just as all killers are certainly not psychopaths.”
“Great. Thanks for sharing that.” Cass swung away and headed for the door. “I get enough of that psychological bullshit from him. And, FYI, I do not need you profiling me, too.”
“You’re highly protective,” Emerson noted.
“Hell.” Cass froze in his tracks. “She’s profiling me. Didn’t I just say I did not need this in my life?”
“You defend those that you believe belong to you. You’re an eye-for-an-eye type. Someone hurt—someonekilledan individual that you believe belongs to you. And whether you are just pretending to be some hardened criminal or if you’ve crossed the line and done things you regret, this Anzo was still one of yours. You won’t rest until his killer has been punished.”
He looked over his shoulder. “I’m not pretending to be a hardened criminal.” His smile showed way too many teeth. “You don’t get to be the leader without proving yourself. There are some sins that will never vanish.”
Gray’s fingers slid over Emerson’s knuckles once more. Then he let her go. “I can get you out,” he told Cass. It was an argument they’d had before. “You know I can. I can make it all go away.”
“Sure. If I die. If I lose the life I have.” He snapped his fingers. “It will all go away, just like that, and what? I’ll become some farmer in Wisconsin? Get a new life as a computer programmer in Denver? Nah. Not enough adrenaline for me, but thanks.” His hand fell back to his side. “I’ll just let you two get back to…business, shall I?” He took another step toward the door.
“Wait!”
He stilled at Gray’s bark. “What, now?”
“Did you really see someone approaching us—a would-be mugger—when we were near O’Sullivan’s?”
“You know that I don’t lie to you, Gray.” Cass turned toward him. “Just to the rest of the world.”
Right. “Describe him.”
“Hard to do. Only saw him for a second, and it was from the back. Probably a few inches shorter than us. Male. Dressed in black, probably because the dick wanted to hide in the dark.” His lips pulled down. “Knife was gripped in his right hand. So, right-handed attacker.”
A tremble slid over Emerson’s body.
“He was intent on sneaking right up behind Gray. Gray, Gray, Gray.” He clicked his tongue. “Try to be less distracted by your partner in the future, would you? I can’t always save your ass from muggers.”
He didn’t think it had been a mugger. O’Sullivan’s was well known as a cop and Fed hangout. Most muggers avoided the place because they were trying not to get their asses tossed in jail. He was surprised Cass had just ridden straight in with his crew. But then again, Cass was typically never afraid of anyone.
Another trait they shared.
He decided to lay a few more cards on the table because he was gonna need Cass’s help. “Emerson had a break-in at her place tonight.”
A slight hardening of Cass’s jaw. “But you were there. No harm came to her.”
“Not this time.”Not ever again.“It’s sure a very unlikely coincidence that we had a near mugginganda break-in all within such a short timeframe.”
“You know I never believe in coincidences.”
Gray typically thought they were BS, too. “Let me know if you or any of your members hear chatter focused on her. I want to know exactly who has too much attention centered on my partner.”
“Done.” That was all. Typically the way with Cass. His word was his vow. A reason he was respected in the more shadowy parts of the world—well, that and because Cass was one wicked and dirty fighter. Dude had always been way too into adrenaline.
And violence.
