Page 68 of A Very Un-Shakespeare Romance
His ears buzzed. His heart knocked in his chest. He clenched his eyes shut, his emotions flying out of control like unruly fireworks.
“Robbie,” she said again in a calm voice, one he could hear entreaty him. “No one hauls mobsters in for a first misdemeanor destruction of property. That’s all we had then. No evidence. No witnesses. We were building our case. Like any good law enforcement official. We were tailing her when she went to Costco and had a buying spree. She looked like she was fleeing—”
“She was!” he finally exploded, spinning back around. “She was running scared. Like she is now. All you’ve done here is sit on us and twiddle your thumbs.”
He knew it was below the belt, but he couldn’t stop himself. Seeing her flinch made his gut twitch.
“Sorry to say this, Robbie, but isn’t that what you’ve been doing here too?” Clarice asked with an edge.
He had to rein in the urge to lash back. “Why aren’t you out looking for Scotty—”
“We are, trust me,” Lily continued in that same calm voice, although her face was several shades paler. “He hasn’t surfaced. Neither has Janice. If they do, we’ll bring them in immediately. But I knew Tara wouldn’t leave her girls alone forever, so here Sheila and I sat. But we weren’t twiddling our thumbs, and you know it. Just like you weren’t.”
He heard the steel in her voice and reluctantly nodded. “I have a plan—”
“Mine is better,” she said, her eyes flashing with that familiar challenge.
The punch to his gut was heavy-hitter quality. Now it all made sense. The initial foray to become friendly and then create rapport. He knew how the job was done, and God, they had done a good one. “I can’t risk her or the girls with you after all of this. I don’t trust you, which brings us back to your original question, doesn’t it?”
Hurt flashed in her green eyes, but her face remained stiff and wooden—so unlike the woman he’d come to care for.
“Robbie, you can’t do everything yourself,” Tim said quietly. “Tara said the Kellys have people on their payroll in your precinct.”
He was breathing hard as he turned to look at his brother. “You don’t know what the Feds are going to do with Tara. I do.”
“Robbie, didn’t you hear what Lily said?” Tim gestured in her direction. “She argued with her boss for a different way. At least hear her out. They care about Reagan and Cassidy and us. It’s not going to be like your other dealings with the Feds.”
“I could quote case after case of them grinding people down for a collar.” He made a rude sweep of his hand. “This— This is all an illusion. A mirage. That’s what undercover is. A bunch of lies wrapped up in pretty packages. Fed style. I won’t put my family in their hands, Tim. You don’t know how badly things could end up. It gives me fucking nightmares to think about it. If I didn’t believe it would screw with your head, I’d have my partner back in Southie send me a few photos of some crime scenes where the Kellys did their worst to a woman or a kid. Do you hear me? I can’t risk it!”
His brother studied him before giving an explosive breath. Then he walked over to Clarice—Sheila—and whispered in her ear. The woman blurted out a shocked laugh before rising. He watched in shock as they left the room together. “Tim, you come back here! We’re leaving. I swear to God, I’ll go get Billie. If we have to hog-tie you—”
“Violence is not needed here,” Lily said in a raspy voice in the now empty kitchen. “Cooperation is. Look, I know some of the cases you’re talking about. I even probably know those FBI officers, and while I work with them, that’s not how I do things. People matter to me.”
His throat suddenly felt raw.
“The story I told you about the cult my mother put us in is true.” She took a deep breath, her green eyes bright with emotion. “I know what it feels like to be scared and vulnerable—like Tara and her girls. What I didn’t mention is that an undercover female agent brought it all down and saved me. She inspired me to join the FBI. So I’m not just a hotshot Fed going after a collar. Everything I do on a case is about protecting people and putting the monsters away.”
He had to look away from the pain in her gaze.
“I have a plan that will keep Tara and the girls safe. The Kellys will be caught and go away for a long time for a whole host of offenses—”
“Summer—Lily—stop.” He exhaled harshly. “I believe you care. But I can’t just go with feelings. How long have you been assigned to Boston?”
Her brows tensed. “Six months, but I’m—”
“My guys were born and raised in Southie,” he said in as even a tone as he could muster, “and they know what they’re dealing with. It’s our community. Forgive me for saying this, but you’re a rookie in our backyard.”
“I’m sorry you think so little of me.” She crossed her arms in a protective gesture. “I didn’t want to go here, but you don’t seem to be willing to give me the same respect I’m giving you. Robbie, Sheila and I are such good agents that you didn’t see us once on your tail the whole way here. And you didn’t suspect us on this fake vacation.”
He felt the slap of that on his face. “You’re right. Clearly, you and your partner took a few liberties with your undercover assignment. Because you used your feminine wiles to hook me and my brother—”
“I did not!” She fumed, fisting her hands at her sides. “I beat you at every sport we played. I purposely did not use the damsel card, not only because I knew it wouldn’t work, but because I wanted you to see me as an equal. Clearly, you’re too much of an ignoramus to do that.”
“Your partner already thinks I drag my knuckles on the ground,” he shot back.
“Well, Lieutenant, if the shoe fits.” She sucked in a breath. “We’re getting totally off track. I didn’t want to get personal.”
“Well, it is personal, dammit.” Calling it out there had something breaking free inside of him. He grabbed her to him, feeling her heart pounding in her chest. “You made me like you. Want you. Care about you. I’d decided to try and see you after this! How the fuck do you think I feel knowing this was just a job to you? And you say it’s not personal. Sweetheart, you’ve made me as raw as they come.”
