Page 81 of Parker

“See? This was always our problem.” His shoulders shook with a huff. “You always thought you were calling the shots. Well newsflash, babe. You weren’t. Not back then, and not now.”

“Fine.” She went for hypotheticals. “Let’s say I do help you steal money from whatever target you’ve chosen. What about after?”

“Easy. You help me, I hand you over to Vic. And then, I disappear into the sunset.”

“And whenVic’sdone with me?”

You already know.

“That’s not my problem.”

Anger replaced her earlier fear. ““Nothing ever is.” She ground her teeth together. “So that’s it? I do your dirty work, and you hand me over to your buddy? A man you know will kill me the second I finish whatever job he needs me to do?”

There was the tiniest flash of…something. But it vanished with a shrug of his shoulder. “Sorry, babe. I don’t have a choice.”

They were the same words he’d told her six years ago. Right before he tried to throw her to the wolves.

So Quinn decided to do a little throw-back herself.

Taking a cue from Agent Manning’s speech from that same night, she kept her expression neutral and her eyes on his. “There’s always a choice, Justin. I just hope you make the right one here.”

Those words had changed her life once. Maybe they would do the same for him.

“Too late.” Justin destroyed her hope that he’d do the right thing. “It’s already been made.”

In an unexpected move, he raised a hand to her face. Not to hit her like before, but rather brush some hair from her eyes. But Quinn pulled back just in time to avoid the unwanted contact.

“It’s not too late,” she tried again. “We can leave right now. You know who Parker is, so you know what he has a shit ton of money. I know he’ll help you out if I ask. Hewill!So let’s go.” She grabbed his hand and began pulling him toward the door. “We can call him from the car.”

“We can’t.” Justin planted his feet and pulled her back.

Quinn’s body boomeranged; her upper half jolting forward as her forward motion was abruptly reversed. With their arms stretched into one continuous line, Justin showed the first signs of real emotion since stepping into the room.

“Justin, please—”

“You don’t get it!” Frustration and fear clouded the blues in his eyes. “If I don’t hand you over to Vic, I’m dead.”

Quinn’s heart fell all the way to her feet. “And if you do, it’ll be me who dies.”

The look on Justin’s face said it all. He’d already put her death sentence into motion.

“You know how it is with guys like Vic.” His throat worked. “Jobs like this…you can’t leave any loose ends behind.”

“He’s right.”

Both Quinn and Justin turned toward the door where a tall, broad-shouldered man staring back at them. Dark, almost black hair with slivers of silver at his temples. Square jaw and long, straight nose. A frame bigger than most but solid.

And eyes that were as cold as the black coal in their centers.

Victor McMahon.

“Vic!” Justin gave a nervous laugh. “Hey, man. I was just filling Quinn in on why she’s here.”

“I heard.” McMahon sauntered over to where she stood. With an outstretched hand, gave a proper introduction. “Victor McMahon.” He waited but when she didn’t return the gesture, he let that hand fall back to his side. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Miss Wilder.”

“Eh, you can call her Quinn.” Her ex nudged the formidable man’s arm. “

“Let me save you some time.” She tightened her gut and pushed past her fear. “I’ll tell you the same thing I told Justin. I’m not stealing anything.” Quinn looked him square in the eyes when she added. “Not for anyone.”

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