Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 58108 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 291(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 194(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 58108 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 291(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 194(@300wpm)
I agreed to a certain point. I knew how to break and enter because of him, but I’d moved on, chosen a different life all on my own. Because he sure as hell hadn’t been there with me in juvie. He also didn’t know anything but the easy life on the wrong side of the law.
“You should go, too,” I told him. I was glad he was okay, glad that Burns had the dagger, but I wanted him gone. “I did what I had to. You’re safe from this asshole. Now slink away like you always do and let me get back to my life.”
He slowly shook his head. “See, Burns. A firecracker. I told you she’d be perfect for joining us.”
I frowned. That wasn’t what I expected to say. Maybe a thanks or something. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“You don’t think I’d ever let myself get caught, would you, Meggie?”
I blinked, suddenly very confused.
“I’m too smart for that. You are too, now. You learned it from the Empress job, I imagine. The year you were held.”
“Held? I was arrested, put in juvenile detention,” I countered. “Do you have any idea what that was like? What I had to do to survive?”
He patted my head as if I were a dog or a cranky child in need of a nap.
“You haven’t been caught since,” he replied.
“Because I haven’t done anything to be put behind bars. I’m a sheriff’s deputy if you’ve forgotten.”
“And also a thief,” Burns added. He raised his phone. “Here’s a picture of you with the dagger.” He swiped his screen. “Here’s you saying you’re the one who retrieved it from the Straights.”
My stomach plummeted, and my pulse kicked into high gear. I was used to being level headed under pressure. Under danger. Except this–
Fuck.
“What the hell do you want?” I asked, getting to the point. He didn’t take those images to take down to the station and have me arrested.
“Join us,” my father said.
“Join you?” I waved my finger between them. “Dad, he was holding you hostage.”
“I think that law and order stuff has made you forget where you came from. I wasn’t really his hostage. I knew the only way you’d steal that dagger was if someone you cared about was threatened. And since I’m the only person you have—”
Oh. My. God. My stomach seized up as tight as a fist.
“You set me up,” I whispered.
My father shook his head. “It was a test to show Burns your skills. You passed.”
My eyes widened. “Passed what? A bad guy test? That I care about you?”
“That you’re an asset I want on my team,” Burns added.
I’d heard the same thing last night from Kennedy. Ford had offered me a job–even jokingly–and Kennedy had welcomed me to their team. Their team was honorable, though. They protected people. And defended liberty. Their team was for good.
Burns was pure evil.
As I stared at my dad, who now seemed to be everything I never expected, I realized I was in trouble.
Huge trouble. I’d saved my father–who’d used me over and over–while I pushed Hayes away. My father stood before me and had not only gotten me to do a job for him, but he’d done it to show off my abilities to Burns.
What kind of fucked up mind did I have?
If I got caught, I’d go to jail. His hands, and Burns’, would stay clean. If I succeeded, which I had, they got the dagger and a patsy. Me.
“I don’t want to join you.” I set my jaw, realizing it was probably too little, too late. “I want you out of my house. Out of my life. I’m done with you, Dad. I never want to see you again.”
“Is it the cuts and bruises?” he asked, putting his fingers to the wounds on his face. “I thought it was a nice touch. It doesn’t hurt if you’re too drunk to remember being punched.”
He’d gotten himself beat up as part of this plan? Holy fuck.
“You’ll be joining us, Megan Hager,” Burns said.
I shook my head. “No way.”
“Or you can go to jail. A tip about who stole the dagger, and you’ll be arrested. You think a movie star is going to let charges drop? Imagine the news in this quaint little town. Deputy is really a jewel thief. You’ll do time. In a real prison, not day care for kids. I wonder how the general population will feel about a law enforcement officer in their mix?”
“I go work for you, or I go to jail,” I stated, making sure I understood what he was saying.
“I told you she was smart,” my father said. “Stop playing one of the good guys, Meggie. I raised you to be better than that.”
“It’s my job to uphold the law.”
“And yet you broke it,” he countered. “All by yourself. It took you long enough, but you showed your true colors.”