"Son of a bitch." Zach came out of his chair furiously as he glared back at Joe. "You're in on this? We agreed that after she came back from her vacation to convince him to stay with the bureau. That was the plan."
Joe breathed out heavily as he stared back at Zach. "She's not going to stay, Zach."
Zach turned to his friend.
"Deerfield won't be there," Zach snapped, furiously. "I'm making sure of it."
Joe shook his head slowly. "She knows you're protecting her there. Holding her back. Marty knows she doesn't get the assignments she wants because you're pulling strings. Be thankful she's taking herself out of that equation rather than turning her back on us."
"She won't turn her back--"
"She will decide for herself what she wishes," Khalid broke in firmly. "She's an adult."
"And you're going to get her f**king killed," Zach yelled back at him. "Why the hell do you think I warned you away from her? I knew you'd do this. You and your damned determination that everyone has a f**king choice. That's bullshit, Khalid. Her choice will get her killed."
Khalid stared back at him, seeing a father's fear and rage, and he couldn't blame him for them. Marty was the child he had never had himself, for whatever reason. She was his daughter, and she would always be the little girl he had watched over.
It was hard for Zach to step back and risk his own soul, as he was being forced to do. Losing her could break him, no matter how it happened.
"Shayne will watch out for her while I cannot," Khalid stated. "This was the reason I chose him as a third."
"I can't believe you'd make this decision without consulting us." Zach stalked to the other side of the room, his arms crossing over his chest in a gesture of frustrated anger.
"Why would I consult you?" Khalid asked, his tone mocking. "You have warned me from her for years. Why would I think you would agree with any decision I made in regards to her?"
"Can you believe this bastard?" Zach turned to Joe in amazement. "He thinks he's God."
"Or the man she loves." Joe got to his feet as he glanced between Khalid and Zach. "I agree with him. Marty's going to take herself out of the bounds where we can protect her. In this way at least someone will be watching over her."
"Have you discussed this with Virginia?" Zach asked.
Joe's brow arched. "Did I discuss it with you? You and Virginia seem to forget that she's my daughter as well. And she's not stupid. She knows what's going on at the bureau; she knows why you allowed her to be stuck watching Khalid for the past two years. And, trust me, she already suspects that you warned Khalid away from her. She's not going to be happy with any of us if this continues, Zach, because she's growing damned tired of the fact that all you're concerned with is keeping her out of the line of fire."
"She'll be safe," Zach argued furiously. "There's no chance of her getting killed."
Joe laughed. "That's what we said about Virginia when we tried to maneuver her off a certain case during her first years as a prosecutor," Joe reminded him. "We nearly lost her then. I won't take that chance with my daughter."
Zach grimaced before casting Khalid a hard sneer. "I blame you for this."
Khalid shrugged. He really didn't care who Zach blamed as long as Marty didn't throw blame his way.
"This meeting is over, gentlemen," Khalid informed them. "Marty will be returning soon from her luncheon with her friends, and I'd prefer she not catch us in this little secret meeting. Her anger isn't something I wish to deal with at present."
The quirk of Zach's lips was filled with a faint satisfaction. A smile quickly hidden, one that filled Khalid with suspicion.
Manipulating and calculating, Zach was a dangerous adversary. He was a dirty, gutter fighter when he felt the need, and about now, he would definitely be feeling it.
At that thought, the door was pushed open, and Marty stepped into the room.
His gaze turned icy as he realized the other man had arranged this.
It was nothing against Khalid personally. It was the fact that Khalid had always insisted that Marty should have the freedom she needed, without her overprotective fathers restraining her.
It was a belief Zachary Jennings had never shared.
It was a belief that may now cause them more trouble than any of them truly wanted to face.
Marty stared at the three men silently as she stepped into the library. Her father looked guilty, Khalid looked frankly pissed, and her godfather seemed rather satisfied, if the tiny curve of his lips was anything to go by.