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Flinching at the harshness of her tone, deserving or not, I stepped in front of her and crossed my arms as the doors to the cop cars opened.
I didn’t know the four patrol officers, but I damn well knew the man stepping out of the undercover car. Lieutenant Robert.
“That was a long bathroom break,” he said, walking toward us. The patrol officers hung back, leaning against their cars.
“Not quite as long as the senators’ perverted little secrets were hidden from this investigation, Robert,” I hollered back at him. Even from this distance and in the dark, I could see the hatred in his eyes. Now I had no doubt who the puppet master was in all of this. I stared right back, long and deep, not blinking once.
“Let’s not drag this out in front of all of Boston,” Robert said and stepped over the curb and onto the walkway to my house. Mila was frozen behind me, her eyes moving from the cops and back to me. If Robert was here for her, if he expected me to move aside or move at all, he was in for a very unpleasant surprise. I had a good few inches in height and a few pounds in muscle on him; I was ready to take his ass down.
Robert slowed, jaw clenched, then stopped a few feet away from me. His hateful eyes settled on Mila.
“How many Kowitschs are you hiding here?”
I couldn’t help but grin. “So he got away.”
“Wait!” Mila said, stepping out from behind me. “My brother isn’t in jail?” Her face was filled with hope and relief.
“Not yet.” Robert spat on the ground.
I gently grabbed Mila by her hand to pull her back. She resisted briefly but then gave in.
“Well,” I said, half turning away from him. “It was nice chatting. Good luck finding him.”
“Ha!” Robert laughed sarcastically. “It doesn’t look like you really care if we do.” His eyes fell on my hand holding Mila’s. “In any case, I’m afraid the young lady will have to come with me.”
“Let me think for a second.” I scratched my chin. “No.”
“No?” Robert scoffed.
“No.”
His fists balled as he made a step forward. “You little shit, I’ll—”
“You’ll what?” I snapped, jumping right in front of him in one smooth motion, both of my fists clenched as well. “Come on, Robert. Do it. Please, I beg you, in front of all these people here, just do it and see what happens.”
Robert’s veins popped on his forehead and neck. He was crunching his teeth.
“Come on,” I whispered to him. “Be a man for once. Do it.”
I wanted him to. I wanted him to land that first hit so freaking bad. If he punched me first, I could whoop his ass to the moon and back and wouldn’t even take the blame for it.
But Robert just stood there, all bark no bite—a coward.
Sighing in disappointment, I relaxed my tense muscles and unclenched my fists.
“That’s what I thought. Now, unless you have a warrant or evidence of a crime against Mila Kowitsch, get your ass off my property, will ya?”
Without another second to waste on this dipshit, I turned and took Mila by the hand once more. I was worried she wouldn’t come back into the house with me, but I guess the whole scene had changed her mind or left her without a choice—unless she wanted to go with Robert to some illegal interrogation.
“You idiot! Have you never wondered why I requested you for this job, Noah?” Robert shouted after me. Mila still in hand, I stopped in my tracks without turning.
“Because if Eagle escaped, I wanted it to be you swimming face-down in the river with Andrei’s bullet in your head.” I was shaking with rage. Why not just do it? Just turn around and land a good punch. But just when I had decided on doing just that, I felt a light squeeze around my hand—Mila. I turned to meet her gaze, saw her head shaking at me. I knew exactly what she was saying.This is what he wants. For you to slip. Do not give it to him.
With a heavy heart, still trembling in anger, I continued toward the entrance of my house.
“Noah Carter finally dead. Killed by Eagle,” Robert continued. “That wouldn’t have been the case if you and the chief had just let me handle the operation tonight and get rid of Andrei Kowtisch. Wilson and I would have made Andrei disappear. No questions asked. But you were more interested in fucking around. Literally. So have a nice last fuck before you go.”
Some big words from a little worm like him,I thought to myself as I stepped back into my house and closed the door. The moment it fell shut, I sighed in relief for pulling off the impossible: for not beating the shit out of Robert. Mila ripped her hand out of mine.
