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"I can't believe you'd make this decision without consulting us. " Zach stalked to the other side of the room, his arms crossing over his chest in a gesture of frustrated anger.
"Why would I consult you?" Khalid asked, his tone mocking. "You have warned me from her for years. Why would I think you would agree with any decision I made in regards to her?"
"Can you believe this bastard?" Zach turned to Joe in amazement. "He thinks he's God. "
"Or the man she loves. " Joe got to his feet as he glanced between Khalid and Zach. "I agree with him. Marty's going to take herself out of the bounds where we can protect her. In this way at least someone will be watching over her. "
"Have you discussed this with Virginia?" Zach asked.
Joe's brow arched. "Did I discuss it with you? You and Virginia seem to forget that she's my daughter as well. And she's not stupid. She knows what's going on at the bureau; she knows why you allowed her to be stuck watching Khalid for the past two years. And, trust me, she already suspects that you warned Khalid away from her. She's not going to be happy with any of us if this continues, Zach, because she's growing damned tired of the fact that all you're concerned with is keeping her out of the line of fire. "
"She'll be safe," Zach argued furiously. "There's no chance of her getting killed. "
Joe laughed. "That's what we said about Virginia when we tried to maneuver her off a certain case during her first years as a prosecutor," Joe reminded him. "We nearly lost her then. I won't take that chance with my daughter. "
Zach grimaced before casting Khalid a hard sneer. "I blame you for this. "
Khalid shrugged. He really didn't care who Zach blamed as long as Marty didn't throw blame his way.
"This meeting is over, gentlemen," Khalid informed them. "Marty will be returning soon from her luncheon with her friends, and I'd prefer she not catch us in this little secret meeting. Her anger isn't something I wish to deal with at present. "
The quirk of Zach's lips was filled with a faint satisfaction. A smile quickly hidden, one that filled Khalid with suspicion.
Manipulating and calculating, Zach was a dangerous adversary. He was a dirty, gutter fighter when he felt the need, and about now, he would definitely be feeling it.
At that thought, the door was pushed open, and Marty stepped into the room.
His gaze turned icy as he realized the other man had arranged this.
It was nothing against Khalid personally. It was the fact that Khalid had always insisted that Marty should have the freedom she needed, without her overprotective fathers restraining her.
It was a belief Zachary Jennings had never shared.
It was a belief that may now cause them more trouble than any of them truly wanted to face.
Marty stared at the three men silently as she stepped into the library. Her father looked guilty, Khalid looked frankly pissed, and her godfather seemed rather satisfied, if the tiny curve of his lips was anything to go by.
"Daddy. " She walked to her father, kissed his cheek, then moved to Zach. "Dad. What are you two doing here?" She kissed her godfather before stepping back and staring at Khalid.
She watched Khalid closely, noting the icy look in his black eyes, the fury that gleamed just beneath the winter-cold depths of glittering black.
"A meeting. " Zach shrugged as though it didn't matter.
She knew her fathers, though, and she knew it was much more than a simple meeting.
"A meeting?" She glanced back at her father. "Concerning what?"
"Since Zach is so forthcoming, why not let him tell you?" Joe said, though his tone was tight, almost angry.
She stared back at Khalid. "Would you like to tell me what's going on here?"
"We were discussing the attempt on your life," Khalid told her. "We were trying to figure out the source and the best way to neutralize it. "
She looked at each man once again. She didn't doubt that they were discussing that, but she was betting they were arguing over much more. She had no doubt that they were arguing over her.
"I see. So did you figure anything out?"
"We figured out Khalid is paranoid and prefers not to listen to common sense," Zach growled. "And that this little meeting is over. Maybe your boyfriend here will give you the details. "
