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“You don’t want to do it?”
“I don’t know.”
“If you don’t want to do it, don’t do it,” he said. “These things always start with one small step. You take that one step and another… Is this Steeple? Something he wants you to write about?”
Confirming that suspicion was better than telling the truth. “Sure,” she said. “Steeple.”
“You know how I felt about the Manzani thing,” he said. “You’re an incredible writer, but that won’t mean anything if you’re dead.”
Something she’d considered in another circumstance. “You do difficult things. Dangerous things. All the time.”
“I carry a badge and a gun,” he said. “I can protect myself.”
“And I’m just a feeble woman?”
He snickered. “Think I want my balls served to me on a plate? No, I don’t think you’re feeble. But I think guys like Vex know better than to take down a cop.”
“I’m the sister of a cop,” she said. “Did you tell Immie she was a feeble woman in need of protection?”
He laughed again. “See my previous answer. Immie’s worse. She dives in headfirst. I want to think you’re smarter than that.”
“Because I learned so much from you?” she teased. “Maybe that’s the problem. I want to do the right thing.”
“So do it.”
“You always told me that doing the right thing never starts with doing the wrong thing.”
“And I was right.”
“What if there’s no other way out? Maybe the wrong thing is the only way.”
“Don’t buy it,” he said.
“There are others involved.”
“Whatever you want is right, Ser. And I know you, you don’t want anyone to get hurt. If you want to do the right thing, you find a way to make it happen. No one can bully you. No one can make you do anything you don’t want to do. If they try it, you come see me,” he said, leaning back when the server brought their drinks.
“Thank you,” she said when the woman left.
“For?”
“You’re the only one who doesn’t make me doubt myself.”
Sometimes her mind was fried by the different people in her life demanding different things or giving opposing views. Lachlan didn’t tell her what to think or what to do; he told her to trust herself.
“Don’t need to,” he said, picking up his glass. “I taught you well.”
Yes, he had, and thank God for him.
TEN
ESCAPING IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE.
Maybe that was why she chose to wear her off-shoulder bandage dress in hot pink. She had to own her choice. Had to walk tall and stand proud… or he’d eat her alive.
Without even checking out her living room window, she went outside knowing the Bentley would be on the curb. Ire expected her to show up, mission complete.
She had a drink in the back of the car. Two… doubles…
