Grayson leans back in his chair before resting his left ankle on his knee. “From what my men have gathered, yes. It appears as if she requested for Jay to wear the same cologne as Regan’s deceased boyfriend to make it more authentic.”
Anger blackens my veins. “Then arrest her.”
“For what?” Grayson’s deep timbre reveals he’s seeking a lifeline rather than dispersing agitation. “Although she steppedwayoutside her box, anything Jay confesses to is hearsay if it isn’t backed up with evidence. Furthermore, you know the length some crews go to snag their man. This was just another tactic to bring down a criminal.”
“By placing Regan’s life at risk?” I lower my voice when Regan’s head pops up. “He endangered her life.”
Grayson shakes his head. “He threatened her life, but as far as Jay is concerned, she was never in any real danger.” He leans forward, recognizing I’m five seconds from blowing my top. “You cited in reports time and time again that those around Isaac were the way into his empire. Theresa accepted your advice. It may not be in the manner you were hoping, but she followed solid intel from a dedicated and well-respected member of her department.”
“You follow a lead; you don’t force a soon-to-be-agent to harass someone in such a way that they live in fear of their life.” I hear my anger roar twice when it ricochets off the living room walls.
Grayson locks his murky blue eyes with mine. “You do if it gives you a way in.”
I glare at him, knowing he isn’t telling me everything, but also aware he won’t hold my hand as I dig through the facts. Just peering into his familiar eyes brings to mind quotes our dad always says, “You don’t get anywhere by accepting handouts. You have to work for everything you have.”
My back molars grind together when the truth smacks into me two seconds later. “She used me to get to her.”
Air whizzes from my nostrils, shocked Theresa is this smart. I didn’t think she had it in her.
“That’s how Josie knew who Regan was. She wasn’t on a case the night we went out for dinner; she was leading me to Regan.”
“You’re a passive, stone-faced agent who could fool a pastor into believing he’s a saint. . . until you’re with her.” Grayson nudges his head to Regan. “You wear your heart on your sleeve when it comes to your girl. Theresa used that knowledge to her advantage.”
“Well she’s shit out of luck if she thinks my relationship with Regan will snag her Isaac. Regan doesn’t know anything.”
My reply doesn’t come out as strong as I’m hoping. Regan is innocent, but I’m confident she has Isaac’s trust, so that means she’s the key we need to unlock Isaac’s case. I just refuse to treat her as a commodity.
“What are you going to do?” Grayson asks when I stand from my chair.
I run my hand down the front of my pants, hoping it will calm my anger. It’s a woeful waste of time. “I’m going to wring Theresa’s neck.”
“Then?” Grayson asks, confident there’s more.
He’s right. “Then I’ll tell Regan the truth.” When Grayson attempts to talk, no doubt to tell me he thinks it’s a stupid move, I continue speaking, “It’s the right thing to do, Grayson. If Regan thinks I was only with her to take down Isaac, I’ll lose her.” The clench of my jaw says the words I can’t express:I’d rather die than live without her.
Those sixty-five seconds between Jay firing his gun and Grayson taking him down were the lowest sixty-five seconds of my life. In an instant, I understood Regan’s grief and why it’s taken her so long to overcome it. The pain was intense, worse than anything I’ve ever experienced.
This is selfish of me to say after all the hurt Regan has dealt with the past eight years, but she survived Luca’s wreckage because she’s meant to be with me. That was the universe’s fucked up way of bringing us together. If Luca hadn’t died, Regan would have never worked at Substanz. I would have never seen her dance on stage, and she would have never stolen my heart with a can-can kick and a bright smile.
Theresa thinks she forced Regan and me together, but I know that isn’t the case. The crazy, unexplainable thing between us started years before Theresa arrived at the Bureau—way before even Regan realizes.
Once the dust settles, and the world rights itself again, I’m sure Regan will see sense through the madness. I don’t believe in psychics and all that flowery shit some women try to pin you with, but I’m so confident Regan belongs with me, we’ll work through thistogether.
“Can you watch her for me?” I don’t need to nudge my head to Regan for Grayson to know whom my question refers to. “I need to make a call.”A really fucking important one.
I grow worried I said my last statement out loud when Grayson’s brows pull together. Although I can tell he is dying to grill me, he dips his chin, granting my request.
Regan’s eyes track me as I cross the room, but she maintains her quiet front. Not wanting anyone to overhear my call, I use the manager’s office at the back of The Manor to make it.
With our last conversation ending on a sour note, it takes Dane a little longer to answer my call than usual. He’s delaying on purpose. How do I know this? Where else does he have to go?
“You alright?” I ask, hating the grogginess of his voice when he greets me. Dane’s an early riser, and it’s late morning. He should have awoken hours ago.
“Yeah, it’s just . . .ah. Shit.”
I wait, hoping he’ll give me more to work with.
It’s a long-ass two minutes.
