Page 114 of My Beautiful Sin

“She used to be a cop. She was raised by a cop. I think it’s clear on which side of the line she falls.”

“Our side,” Devlin said. “Justice.”

“In theory, maybe. But she’s not the kind to break the rules. In case you hadn’t noticed, breaking rules is pretty much our playbook.”

“Do you trust me?”

Ronan’s brow furrowed. “What?”

Devlin stood. “You heard me. We’ve worked together how many years? Gone on how many missions? One word from me, and I could have you behind bars for life. One word from you, and a cell would be my new home. So I’ll ask again. Do you trust me?”

“You know I do. I trust you with my life. That’s not the point.”

“It is,” Devlin said. “Because I trust her.”

“One of her best friends is a detective. She’s sitting on evidence that could fuck us in the ass. How are you not doing the math?”

“I trust her,” Devlin repeated. “And you know I’m right.”

“Do I? You’re putting a lot of faith in her.”

“Yeah,” Devlin said. “I am. She won’t turn us in.”

“Us? Maybe not you, but—”

“Us,” Devlin repeated.

Ronan put his hands on the edge of Devlin’s desk, then leaned forward so that they were looking into each other’s eyes. “Let’s say you’re right. She’ll keep our secret. Where does that leave the two of you?”

“Now? I don’t know,” Devlin admitted. “She can push me away. Hell, she probably will, and with both hands, too. But this isn’t the end. I walked away from her when I was Alex, and it gutted me. And then she came back, and I tried to push her away again. I failed.”

Ronan scoffed. “You could have tried harder.”

“But that’s the point, isn’t it? I want her. No, I need her. And she can push me away all she likes, but I’m not letting her go without a fight. She’s my heart, Ronan. She always has been.”

“Do you think I don’t know that? Do you think I don’t envy you every single day for having found her? But this isn’t a movie. Love doesn’t conquer all. She is who she is.”

“You’re right,” Devlin said. “And even though she may not realize it yet, she’s of the same mind as we are.”

Ronan scoffed. “Yeah, well, that’s a lot for me to take on faith.”

“But you will.”

His friend nodded. “I trust you, just like I said. And I like her. She’s got backbone. But goddammit, I hope you’re right. Because if we’re making the wrong choice, both of our asses are going to fry.”

Devlin hit the button on his phone to buzz for Anna, then cursed softly when she didn’t answer. She’d been away from her desk when he’d arrived. Apparently, she was still away.

A wave of irritation swept over him—she was his damned assistant, so why wasn’t she there to assist him—but he tamped it down, immediately feeling like an ass for taking out his frustration on her, even if she wasn’t in the room to shoulder his fury.

This was his loss, his problem, and he wasn’t going to take it out on Anna.

Still, he needed to tell her what had happened. Ronan was right—Ellie was holding on to evidence that could destroy both of them.

Devin didn’t believe Ellie would use it, but he hadn’t gotten where he was by not covering his ass. And as much as it pained, him, he needed to let Anna know the score. If the worst did happen, and Detective Gage marched into his office with an arrest warrant, things would go south fast. He needed Anna and Tamra to be vigilant, because if that happened, they’d be the ones on the front line charged with making sure the operation was secure, the records safe, and the other team members shielded.

Tamra was back in Vegas. As for Anna…

He buzzed down to reception. Paul answered immediately. “Yes, sir?”