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“No.” She sucked in a deep breath. “But federal agents are.”
Barking out a laugh, he scrubbed his hands over his face before staring at her as if seeing her for the first time. His mouth closed again without a sound. In her chest, her heart pounded with such force her body trembled slightly.
“You can’t do anything halfway, can you? Is this a ‘fuckyou’ to your family? Because this isn’t a game, if Carlisle’s men find out what you are.” He muttered something unintelligible under his breath and shook his head. “You’ll wish you were dead.”
She pushed off the bed and stalked toward him. “This has nothing to do with my family. This is my job, and I’m damn good at it. You were inside me before you caught on.”
Grinding his teeth, he glared back at her. He’d likely never forgive her or him for that slip up. “You have to stay away from there.”
“No.You’rethe one who has to stay away. Anyone there, anyone I get information on is fair game. I don’t want you in there when my team comes in.”
Betrayal turned his gray eyes navy. He ran a hand over the back of his neck and looked away, before returning his gaze to hers. “You would do that?”
She stepped forward and put her hands on his biceps, holding him in place, trying desperately not to notice the feel of his warm skin against her palms.
“I’d never turn on you,” she vowed. “I’d throw this whole case if it meant saving you. It’s not only up to me. There are others, some I don’t even know about. Whoever they are, they’re not concerned for you. You know how this’ll go down. They’ll raid that place and everyone there will go downtown until they figure out what to charge you with.”
He pulled away without a word. She didn’t follow him, only watched from across the room.
“You’ve never been anything but trouble, you know that?” He shook his head.
“You don’t mean that.” She stepped toward him. The worst of his temper had subsided. “You used to love me, Finnegan James. You adored me.”
He couldn’t deny it. Even if he could never love her the way she wanted him to as an adult, he’d loved her once.
“You’re right,” he conceded. “Then you hit puberty.”
“You mean then I got boobs.” She slid her hands around his waist and pressed the assets in question against him.
He slid a finger along the edge of her towel, dipping between her cleavage. “You did get those, but I don’t want anyone else to see them or touch them. Understood?”
“Like ever.” She pursed her lips, and he rolled his eyes.
“Like at the club.” He turned serious. “Those guys. The stuff they do to girls. You have to find another cover. This is seriously dangerous shit you’re involved in.”
She nodded and pulled away. “Then help me.”
“I’m not a snitch.”
She knew that, and she respected him for it. “Let me stay. I won’t ask you for any information.”
He should tell her to fuck off, he had everything to lose if he helped her. Still, a part of her hoped he cared for her enough to help her see this through.
“Pretend you don’t know. I swear I’d die before I told,” she insisted.
“Fuck.” Squeezing his eyes shut, he fisted his hands on his hips.
Guilt pinched in her gut as she watched him struggle. He was in an impossible situation, and she’d put him there. If he didn’t help her and someone found out, they’d kill her. If he helped, he’d have to turn on the man he worked for, the men he worked with every day. And if someone found out, she wouldn’t be the only one praying for death.
He let out a deep sigh and glared at her. “You promise to follow me? To trust me no matter what I tell you to do?”
Gretchen hesitated. She didn’t trust easily, and she wasn’t great at following the lead of others. She preferred to work undercover solo.
“I know I embarrassed you last night, and I know the things I said hurt you,” he spoke up when she didn’t answer.
Gretchen snorted at the understatement.
“I didn’t know why you were there, and I couldn’t let one of them touch you,” he continued.
