Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 56782 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 227(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56782 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 227(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
“What the fuck did you think you were doing?” he barked the question the moment she walked into the room.
Chapter 6
“A dog has one aim in life... to bestow his heart.”
― J. R. Ackerley
* * *
Leena blinked and stepped back out of the room, looked around then proceeded back in. “Are you yelling at me? Because I’m pretty damn sure I’m in my own house.”
He wiped a hand down his face and cursed. “You put yourself in danger.”
“I went to see if I could offer help to those down there and give you a chance to see their faces. Which by the attitude I’m assuming you did and that’s what this obnoxiousness is about.”
He ground his jaw and stalked toward her.
She crossed her arms and arched a brow at him. “Think carefully before you make your next move.”
His gaze flicked to Argo who stood alertly beside her, not making any noise, but ready.
John drew up short. “You’d sic him on me?”
“I wouldn’t have to. If he decides I’m in danger he’ll take you out. It’s his job to protect me. He will attack on command of course, but he’s not going to wait until I’m hit before he attacks.”
“I’d never hit you.”
“That was just an example.” She held out her hands. “Look, I get it. You didn’t approve of the methods, but you got your answer, right? It was them? There were two more men in the vehicle. One looked like one of the one’s who stopped me at the rest area. But I’m not sure. I don’t recognize the other two.”
“They’re top men in the family.” He began to pace.
“Maybe you should tell me more about this family.”
“Can we lose the protection?”
“He’ll go away when he’s confident there’s not a problem.” She shrugged. “They all will.”
He glanced around the room. “Fuck.”
“Okay. How about the living room? Can we go there?”
She stepped back gesturing him along. Leena had to give him credit, he didn’t hesitate, just moved by her and the dogs. She joined him in the living room, taking a seat on the other end of the couch from him. “The family?”
“I shouldn’t be talking about this.”
“I shouldn’t have pulled you from the water and not taken you to a hospital. We all do things we shouldn’t.”
He nodded. “They are one of the largest crime families in Oklahoma City. Most people don’t think that there would be any of that out there since it’s not like New York, Miami, or the like. But there is and they’re damn good at what they do.”
“And what is it that they do?”
“You name it. Human trafficking, drugs, guns.”
“So, you were undercover to stop it?”
He scratched the back of his neck. “I was there for the guns. The ATF came and asked me for some help. Asked my captain if I could be borrowed.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Borrowed implies a length of time. How long had you been undercover?”
“Two years and a few months when they caught me.”
“So after all that time, your cover was blown?”
“Yes.”
Her heart broke for him. “And did you solve the gun issue?”
“No. We had just set up for a massive sale, which was when we would’ve taken down that part but…”
“You were compromised.”
“Exactly.”
“Why didn’t they kill you immediately?”
“They wanted to know who I had talked to about what I’d found out while in the organization.”
Anger lined his words. She didn’t blame him.
“I have to find out who did this to me. I need your help to do that.”
“You have it. I may not have known what I signed on for when I put you in my van but I’m in. Just no more yelling at me like I’m a disobedient child. I don’t like it and I sure as hell ain’t putting up with it.”
“Sorry, I saw them and all I could see was them shooting you.”
“They were just asking for directions. Fishing. I was fine.”
He reached for her and drew her across the cushions to lie against his chest. “I was scared for you.”
Not an admission she figured he made often or easily. Turning her head so her ear placed against the solid beat of his heart, she sighed.
“I figured if I told you what I was doing you would try to stop me.”
“Damn straight I would have stopped you.”
She smiled against his torso. “I said try.”
He wrapped his arms around her. “What else did they say?”
“That they were looking for a friend of theirs and thought he’d said he was going to be along our road. I sent them to the closest motel and told them that with this weather, not many were going to be out, and they should seek shelter soon or they would get trapped in their car.”
“They bought it?”
“Why not? I wasn’t nervous. It was nothing but the truth. The roads are damn near impassable now, give it another hour and no one will be coming by.”