Page 35 of Protected By Him

“No,” he said, “I got greedy. My wife left me with a mountain of debt and a hefty alimony payment. I needed more, and Grey refused to increase my cut. We could only take what was seized during raids that Grey or Holston worked, so it wasn’t like I could increase the drug or weapons sales. I decided to run some charges through the shell companies, just enough to make ends meet.”

“I heard you in your office,” I told him. “You were arguing with someone. He threatened you, told you that you had two weeks to come up with the money you owed.”

Harvey deflated completely and lowered the gun to his side. “That was one of the Cahills’ men. They’d paid us for some cocaine that Holston had gotten from a raid. Turns out, the drugs were bad, laced with boric acid. They were furious and demanded their money back, but by then, we didn’t have it. All three of us had already spent our shares. They gave us two weeks to come up with money.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. In my wildest dreams, I never would have guessed this was the scheme behind the handful of fraudulent charges I’d seen on Harvey’s expense report. I shook my head in disbelief.

“So, what was the plan with Laura?” Leo asked. Up until now, he’d been completely silent as Harvey had confessed to everything.

“This was all Holston and Grey’s idea,” Harvey said, growing flustered again. “I wanted no part of it. He made me participate.”

“Then why not end this here? Put down the gun and walk away. There’s no reason anyone needs to get hurt. Until this, nothing you did hurt anyone. Don’t start now,” Leo said in a calm, soothing tone that I could easily imagine him using on scared witnesses.

Harvey didn’t respond, but stood quietly, almost in a daze. Just then, there was a pained grunt from behind us, and I spun around to see Holston struggling to sit up. He was holding his bloodied face with both hands. Leo darted glances between the two men, as if trying to decide who posed the bigger threat. But before he could make up his mind, the front door pushed open again, and several men in navy windbreakers rushed inside with guns raised.

“FBI! Nobody move!” one of the men, who I recognized as Leo’s friend, Rob, shouted.

Harvey immediately dropped the gun and held both hands high in the air. Holston’s only response was another pained groan.

As the other agents set about securing Holston and Harvey, I turned to Leo. “How did you find me?"

“The alarm company called. You set off the alarm when you left. I panicked and jumped in the car to come home. I was halfway there when you called. I realized you weren’t at the house, so I headed for the city and waited for you to say where you were. When you mentioned going to your apartment, I came straight here. I called Rob when I arrived.”

I looked at the man in question as he holstered his gun and walked over to Leo and me. “You just couldn’t help yourself, could you?” he asked. “Damn reporters,” he continued without waiting for a response.

***

Rob and another agent escorted us home. Rob offered to have the other agent stay with us overnight. Leo and I had immediately agreed. Of course, there wasn't much he could do. But just knowing he was armed and nearby put us both at ease. The agent said he would stay parked outside, keeping watch on the surroundings and available if we needed him.

Leo and Rob went to the kitchen to talk over a cup of coffee, but I made my escape. My thoughts were racing, and I itched to put pen to paper. I made my way back to the guest room where I’d started to pull everything together before the phone call had come through.

I picked up my pen and paper and once again started the recording of my interview with Holston.

Sometime later, I heard a tap at the bedroom door.

"Laura?"

"Hey Leo, come in."

As I sat the pen down, I realized my fingers and hands were numb and cramped from all the writing. I looked at my phone, four hours had already passed.

Leo left the doorway and knelt down next to the bed where I was sitting. "Why didn't you call or text me when you got that call?" He was searching my face as if looking for answers. "I would've come straight back. Why did you go alone?"

"Leo, he only gave me thirty minutes to get there. Waiting for you to come back would have wasted precious time I didn’t have.” I looked down at my lap, unwilling to meet his eyes as I continued, “And I didn’t want you to get hurt. You have Ella to think about. I couldn’t risk it. I thought when I called you as I entered the building, you’d call Rob. I never expected you to be the one to come after me.”

Leo took my chin between his thumb and forefinger and directed my face to him. He waited silently until I met his gaze. “I’ll always come for you, Laura. Never doubt that.”

I stood, drawing him with me, and wrapped my hands around his waist. Unable to resist, I stood on my tiptoes to give him an open-mouthed kiss.

Leo leaned into me, pulling my body tighter to his. His presence dominating me and teasing me with each flick of his tongue. "You always taste so good. I could never get tired of this," Leo muttered against my lips.

"Leo." I felt heat fill my body as he mapped the skin of my neck with his lips.

"I want you." I pulled away just enough to make eye contact, the hunger in his eyes matched my own. "I have been thinking about last night all day," he said as he lifted my shirt over my head.

A groan escaped my body as he wrapped his hands around my hips, then sat on the bed and lifted me to straddle his waist.

He kissed between my breast while his hands squeezed my ass with intent. He made his way up to my face, I looked down at him, watching as his eyes flamed with lust.

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