When He's Bad (Walker Security Adrian’s Trilogy #2) - Lisa Renee Jones Page 0,43

disconnects.

I dial Ed and it goes to voicemail. Of course, it does. Waters got to him. I can almost taste it in the air. Thank God Waters hasn’t gotten to the judge. My father is another story. I inhale and decide I’ve done everything but ask Blake where my father is right now. Almost as if some part of me doesn’t want to know.

It’s time, past time I find out and face the truth.

My stomach knots, but I stand up and head for the door. Once I’m upstairs, I find Blake at the endcap of the island with Adam in Lucifer’s spot and Adrian facing me as I approach. Savage and Lucifer are missing. All three men stop speaking upon my approach while Adrian tracks my every step, his gaze sliding over my work attire—no, over my body. I halt opposite him and the moment my eyes meet his, I know my answer about my father. I know what’s coming. “Tell me,” I order softly.

He motions to the sliding glass door. “No,” I say. “Thank you for trying to soften this blow, but just tell me.”

“You know what I’m going to tell you, sweetheart,” Adrian says softly.

“My father’s in Chicago.”

“In Houston, with a friend who’s connected to everyone involved in the Chicago warrant,” he supplies.

“I see,” I say, letting that seep in, ice that burns. “Does he know he’s involved with Waters?” I hold up a hand. “That’s a stupid question for ten reasons, spoken by a daughter who doesn’t want her father to be the asshole he is.” I move on. “Okay. So, my family is involved. No wonder they wanted me off this case and didn’t seek protection. Before we go further with that. The judge agreed to you giving your deposition via Zoom and he knows about us and he’s approved me remaining on the case.” I glance at Blake and then back to Adrian. “I’m still working on closed-door testimony.”

“When is the deposition?” Adrian asks.

“I’d like to say immediately, but I’m sure the defense will argue against it, stall, and drag this out. And, of course, you don’t have an immunity agreement. For that reason, I want you to talk to your attorney and of course, have her present for my questioning. If you’re in agreement?”

“I am,” Adrian states.

“Good. Now that we’re past all that, how do we use me to end Waters once and for all?” My eyes meet Adrian’s. “And don’t tell me you won’t use me. All the other people before us. We agreed.” My cellphone rings on the island where I’ve sat it. I glance down and frown before my gaze lifts to Adrian’s. “It’s my father.”

Chapter Twenty-Six

ADRIAN

Pri stares at her phone and I watch her perfect ivory skin, then flushes with pink. Her lips, also pink and glossy, press together as she decisively declines her father’s call.

“Since I just made my relationship with you official to the judge,” she says, her gaze lifting and finding mine. “I’d gamble and say my father just found out about us. Since we know Waters and his attorney already knew, I’d like to think that means he wasn’t in the know for at least some things. For instance, the fact that Waters sent Deleon to kill us both last night.” She draws a deep breath and inhales as she adds, “But I’m not going to guarantee it.”

“You are not your father,” I remind her softly, speaking to her concerns spoken in the bedroom, on the topic of her father’s involvement with Waters.

“If your father just found out, Pri,” Adam says, “are we thinking the judge is dirty? You did just tell him about you and Adrian.”

“I don’t get that impression at all,” Pri replies, shifting her attention to Adam. “Quite the opposite, but I don’t want to go down a rabbit hole of speculation. I wanted to wait to talk to my father until I talked to my mother, but I’ll call him back and find out what he wants.” She grabs her phone, punches the callback, listens a minute, and quickly says, “Voicemail, so we’re back to speculation.”

“And the judge,” Adam replays.

“I’m on team Pri on the assessment of the judge,” Blake says. “I don’t believe he’s compromised. He called the man I recommended for his protection, who is now in place. If he wasn’t fearful for his life, I don’t think he’d have hired him. If he needed privacy to work against the prosecution, I don’t think he’d have hired him. And,”