even looking at her again, he turned and stalked back to the house.
She watched him with disbelief. He had to know that Carl had stopped her. And that leaving her in his company could be dangerous to her.
Carl glared at her. “Lying bitch. Who were you here to see?”
“She was here to see me,” Justine said. “Our business is over. Let her go, Carl.”
“Why’d she say she was a friend of Tony’s?”
“She wants to be but he’s not interested.”
“Hmm...I’m plenty interested.”
“You’ve got a job to do,” she reminded him.
He nodded. “I’ll come find you when I have some free time, lady.”
With a lingering look, he left. Swallowing hard, Linda turned to Justine. “Thank you,” she said.
The other woman smiled tightly and shook her head. “Don’t thank me. I won’t interfere again. I suggest you don’t come back here. You’re not wanted.”
No, she thought, she wasn’t. Tony had dismissed her quite easily, leaving her to the hands of one of his lackeys. She’d gladly give him and Justine what they wanted.
She wouldn’t be back.
* * *
Tony had thought it was the hardest thing he’d ever done—letting Linda walk away from him and out of the dingy house that was now his home. Especially now, after they’d made love. She’d expressed her faith in him and he wasn’t being watched by guards. He was a free man. Free to do whatever he wanted. And what he wanted—who he wanted—was Linda.
He’d still managed to let her go.
But then Justine had told him that Carl was hassling Linda. He’d had to do something, but, not wanting to make matters worse, he’d forced himself to pretend he didn’t care and this time walked away himself. He hadn’t wanted to. He’d felt an intense urge to rip Carl away from her. To pound on him. But he’d hung back and waited, ready to move fast if Carl didn’t follow him quickly enough. But luckily enough the man had and Tony had sent him off to make some runs.
As for Linda?
He should have been happy with the fact she’d made it past Carl unscathed, but he couldn’t leave it at that. She actually believed he’d made love to Justine after leaving her bed.
And even though that’s what he’d wanted her to believe, even though driving her away had been exactly what he’d wanted, he’d changed his mind. He couldn’t let her believe it. Not that.
At seven that night, almost twenty-four hours after being there and just two hours before he was supposed to meet with the Rapture supplier, Tony drove to Linda’s house. Standing outside, he peeked into her living-room window.
She sat on the sofa, her knees drawn up to her chest, the television on. She’d buried her face in her hands and her body shook with sobs.
Damn it.
The sight of her pain, the pain that he’d caused her, filled him with regret. He turned to stride toward the door. To knock. To demand she let him inside. But then her phone rang.
He froze as she wiped her tears, took several deep breaths then picked it up.
Since she’d cracked her window open to let in the breeze, he could just barely make out what she was saying. But he did hear the name “Neil.”
He frowned. Neil Christoffersen. The suit who was panting after her.
The man who could offer her so much more than Tony ever could, starting with a clean past and a bright future. Both of which would serve her well as a judge.
Rage and denial filled him, but what could he deny. It was true. Between the two of them, Neil was definitely the better man for her. All he had to do was look at the drying tear streaks on her face to know that.
They made small talk and he was about to turn away and leave when he heard her mention his name.
He stiffened.
“I went to see him. I know, I know. It was stupid of me. I saw his girlfriend, too. She was on the phone when I left. She didn’t know I was listening and I...I think Tony was telling the truth about killing Guapo so he could take over his business.” She sighed. “Yeah, I know what I heard potentially makes me a witness, but it’s hearsay and it doesn’t fall into any of the exceptions, so there’s no point in putting me on the stand.” She paused. “He’s said incriminating remarks to me, yes, but...I don’t know, Neil. I don’t know if I can actually testify against him.” She