the building and even the floor, I tracked every person in my path and in view on my way here. “Ed’s office area is private.”
“And yet you walked through the main workspace. You’re going to get yourself killed. Are you crazy?”
She’s worried. I shouldn’t enjoy that, but I really fucking do. “For you,” I say, sliding my hand around her hip to press to her lower back.
“Adrian,” she chides, her hands going to my arms, but her body softens and melts into mine. “What are you doing?”
“Weeks ago you would have eagerly handed me over to Ed as your star witness.”
“I would have protected you then, too, but now—”
I arch a brow. “Now?”
“Now, I’m personally involved,” she says quickly, glossing over what she might have said moments before. “We agreed you were keeping a low profile to stay alive.”
“And now, I’m not. Do you trust me?”
“I thought I did,” she says, “and then you showed up here trying to get killed.”
“More like trying to catch a killer.”
“Please tell me you’re not using yourself as bait.”
“I’ll tell you everything after we make sure Ed doesn’t make a deal.”
“That’s a yes. Or no. No and no. You are not doing this.”
“We can argue the merit of my actions over lunch after we leave. Right now, you just did your part to check the mistake Ed was about to make. Now it’s time for me to do mine.” I release her and when I would step around her, she catches my arm.
“Wait. Did you hear my conversation with Ed?” She gapes. “Did you wire the DA’s office?”
“Savage did yesterday. He had a bad feeling about Ed.”
“Oh. God. So do I. And?”
“And not much yet, but his sudden need to make a deal doesn’t feel right.”
“No, it doesn’t. I tried to stop him.”
“I know and that was pretty freaking badass, sweetheart. I’m just going to help you finish the job.” I motion to the door. “Let’s make that happen.”
“How?”
“Trust me,” I say.
She considers me a moment and then nods, and I can almost feel her concerns about Ed solidify with action. She turns, opens Ed’s door, and enters.
“I hope this means you came to your senses,” Ed spouts off to her, but I’m on her heels, right there behind her, shutting Ed’s door.
His gaze rockets to me and he pops to his feet. “Who the fuck are you?”
“Adrian Mack, your star witness again Waters.”
Ed’s a good-looking guy who drips arrogance, and at some point, he had a backbone. But then Waters can scare the piss out of a rock. He glances between us, intelligent eyes reading the room before he narrows his stare on Pri. “You knew he was here and you didn’t tell me?”
Pri doesn’t even think about denial. She, as I expect of her, is right to the point. “He didn’t trust you,” she says. “Now, I’m not so sure that wasn’t without reason.”
By the time he turns his attention back to me, I’m in front of his desk. I lean over it, hands on the wooden surface, crowding him. He could back away, but he doesn’t. He plays the tough, stubborn guy role and well. “What is this?” he demands.
“If you make a deal with Waters, he’ll hunt me and anyone I love. And then I’ll hunt you down and you’ll be easier to find.”
“Is that a threat?” he demands.
My lips quirk. “It’s just me stating a fact.”
Now, he leans back just a bit, obviously fighting the urge to put space between me and him. “Twenty years is not an easy deal.”
“He won’t take that,” I say, straightening. “Obviously Savage wasn’t clear on the cost to you, so I will be. Waters will kill you before he signs the deal and uses everyone he offered up to you as a suspect that offers him cover. After all, he’s in jail.”
“You don’t know that,” he argues. “You’re jaded from your time with him.”
“You’re right. I am. But I know him. I know him well. Exactly why I’m your star witness. Are you willing to risk your life on me being wrong?”
His lip thin. “What do you want?”
“For him to go to trial.”
“Bodies are dropping,” he argues, his voice spiking. “I’m trying to stop the bloodshed.”
“Including your own?” Pri challenges. “Because if you think this deal saves you, Adrian already told you it doesn’t.”
“And we can solve that problem anyway. We’re going to catch the assassin. I’m going to go with Pri to see Waters. I’m going to tell him there