Page 36 of His Puppet

“Come on, you piece of shit,” I mutter, my eyes darting between the computer and the door.

The download finishes, and I jerk the flash drive out and shove it back into my bra. I slam the laptop closed, leap over the desk and land on the floor. Matt hurries into the room, and I watch to see if he’s suspicious of the thump my body just made. Maybe he’ll think I fainted. I don’t know, but he doesn’t seem fazed.

“Are you okay?” he asks, pulling antiseptic and bandages from a first aid kit.

It takes me until now to realize I’m sweating profusely. My heart feels like it’s about to explode. I nod and turn over to give Matt access to my back, pressing my head against the wooden desk and closing my eyes.

Am I okay?

I let out a relieved smile and laugh, not caring if Matt thinks I’m crazy.

I’m okaynow.

12

Blade

It’s all here.

I peruse the file Detective O’Rourke has for an investigation involving the disappearance of Damon Mathews. Damon was an informant for O’Rourke and was close,too closefor my liking, to establishing himself in my world.

Clearly, I am O’Rourke’s lead suspect, rightfully so considering I killed Damon, but from a quick perusal of this file, it doesn’t look like he has anything. The worst of it is the extra surveillance I’ve had on me since Mathews’s disappearance, but I’m used to a little surveillance. The police are very familiar with the familia, and there is no way in hell they would ever go after the Grucos. But theywouldgo after me. They’re not great fans of cop killers.

I blink and clear the thought before my mind can take it any further.

“Well?” Emily asks, her hands on her hips. She’s been shifting uncomfortably for the last fifteen minutes that I’ve been looking over the file. We’re in my home office, my laptop in front of me. Emily chews on her lips and looks at me expectantly.

I don’t give her anything with my expression. My face is a mask of disinterest, despite me being beyond impressed. I didn’t think she’d manage this. Which makes this the third time I’ve underestimated her.

I shut the laptop and meet Emily’s eyes. “Good work.”

She lets out a sigh of relief and lets her head fall back. Her arms cross over her chest while she moves her head down to look at me. “Great. So now what?”

My lips tilt into a smirk. “Already eager for the next job?”

“No.” She narrows her eyes. “I’m eager to go home.”

I raise a brow, and her eyes soften like that simple act is about to break her heart.

“I-I am going to get to go home… Right?”

I open my mouth to speak, but she interrupts.

“I mean if I’m an employee, I’m not a prisoner. You just had me break into a cop’s house, for chrissake, you should know by now I’m not going to the police.”

I tilt my head. “You think I’m worried about you going to the police?”

She doesn’t respond right away. “I don’t know what you’re worried about, Blade, but there’s no reason to keep me here any—”

“You’re a thief who just committed a very serious crime when you could’ve easily sought refuge with the nice detective. You gave me a fake name,twice.I hope you don’t think I’m stupid enough not to know you’re hiding from someone. Of course you’re not going to the police.”

Her face blanches, and I suppress a laugh. She tries to keep a poker face, but I can smell the fear emanating from her. Whatever or whoever she’s hiding from must be bad.

“Yeah, I know you lied to me,” I say, keeping my face hard as if I actually care. “Emily Granger is not your real name. I don’t know what is, and frankly I don’t care, but do not lie to me again. I vet those who work for me, and you’re already getting a pass for that one. Don’t give me another reason to think you’re untrustworthy.”

“I’m getting apass?” she asks, trying to sound annoyed, but her ghostly white face won’t let her hide the fact that I pushed a button. “As if I filled out an application to work for you?”

My jaw tightens, and I scowl at Emily. After a minute, she breaks eye contact and pretends to study the floor in my office. She chews on her lip some more, something I’m noticing is a bad habit of hers, and when I stand, her eyes dart up to watch me.

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