When He's Dirty (Walker Security Adrian’s Trilogy #1) - Lisa Renee Jones Page 0,68

find an equally dusty-ass bottle of whiskey, a couple bottles of water, and two plastic Solo cups, before returning to the living area.

Pri stands up, holding the candy, and displaying a small bottle the size of a salt shaker between her index finger and thumb. “It’s called Sweet Tea Mio, one of those flavor additives for water, and there’s a note from Savage that reads, ‘Water, Mio, whiskey. Thank me later.’”

“Savage knows his whiskey, so let’s give it a try.” I motion to the living room and we settle onto the couch. Pri’s already removed the plastic from the basic wooden coffee table and we set our haul on top. “No cable,” I say, filling our glasses with whiskey and water, while Pri adds the Mio. “But we have computers.”

“What about the internet?”

“Lucifer will give you a secure line. I have a new phone for you, and Lucifer will forward your calls to it.” I hand her a glass and lift mine. “Shall we try it?”

“I’m all in,” she says, and we both take a sip, the sweet mix of tea and whiskey a surprisingly good combination.

“I like it,” Pri says. “And I don’t even really like whiskey.” She takes another sip and leans back onto the couch cushion, facing me. “Tell me about your father.”

I lean into the couch facing her. “He was a good man, a proud man. A skilled agent. He made me want to be a better man.”

“And mine made me want to bill the highest dollars. I let the money go to my head and I’m not proud of that.”

“Because that’s the bar your father set for you to be successful. Hell, I like money, too. I made more money with Walker during my first year with them than I would have my entire career in the FBI. And I got to do good things.”

“That much money?”

“Yes,” I say. “But I did go overseas.”

“And did what there?”

“Rescued a foreign diplomat’s daughter, and captured a terrorist, among other things. Pretty much it’s the rite of passage for Walker. We all go, make our money, and decide when we’ve had enough.”

“Is it a requirement?” she asks, reaching for her drink as if she suddenly needs it.

“It’s not. Nothing but honesty and integrity are requirements at Walker and they share the profit with us all anyway, even stateside.”

She sips her drink and sets it back down before scooting closer to me, her hand on my leg, her touch tempting me already. “Tell me something,” she says.

“All right,” I say, steeling myself for a question I’m not willing to answer now.

“Wasn’t Savage some sort of assassin?”

“A mercenary and yes, an assassin.”

“And he’s been with Walker how long?” she asks.

“A few years longer than me,” I say cautiously. “Why?”

“If he’s with Walker, why do you believe Walker will turn their backs on you after you testify? Because you do. I know you do.”

I cup her face, regret in my answer, I don’t hide. “The same reason I know you will. I had to play the role. I had to let people get hurt.”

Her hand covers my hand on her face. “I let people get hurt by helping bad people stay out of jail. I’m not going to turn my back on you. I’m not. Try me.”

“I can’t do that, not without the immunity deal.”

She pulls back to look at me, a stab of pain in her stare. “Do you think I’d use what you tell me tonight against you? Do you really think that of me?”

“I think you’re a good person, even if you question that. But you have a legal obligation to expose what you know. I’m not going to compromise you in that way.”

“You have immunity.”

“For reasonable justified actions. I went beyond that, Pri.”

“Do you think guilt is controlling you, even effecting your judgment?”

“No.” I tangle fingers into her tousled dark hair and pull her mouth to mine. “We aren’t having this conversation right now. I’m not ready for you to hate me.”

“I’m not going to hate you.”

“And yet, you will.” I brush my lips over hers and whisper, “You’re going to be the death of me, woman.”

“Maybe I’ll save you,” she answers. “Maybe we’ll save each other.”

Or maybe I’ll destroy you, I think, but still my mouth closes down on her mouth, and the instant our tongues collide, there’s a shift in the air, hunger spiking between us, demanding and ferocious in its need. The sweet taste of her is now my new obsession and I can’t