Chapter 18
ROY
“No,” I snapped.
Nothing good happened when the DEA needed your help. Especially when it was my mate who was needed…
“Roy!” Brooke sent me a surprised look, even setting her hands on her hips.
“The answer is no,” I replied, slicing my hand through the air. “You’ve been shot at. Twice.”
Mark must already understand Brooke was my mate by how protective I was of her.
He wasn’t an idiot. Especially since I pulled her onto my fucking lap.
He could also tell she was unmarked. And human.
What he didn’t know was if I’d told her about me being a shifter yet or not.
I had to hope that he wouldn’t say anything before I had time to explain it all to her.
I didn’t want her to run from me, especially with someone still out to kill her.
And now knowing the DEA was investigating the man who was trying to kill my mate made it even worse.
I popped to my feet, so I loomed over Mark. “She’s not wearing a wire for you. No way. She’s not going anywhere near those guys again.”
Mark spoke as if I hadn’t piped up, calm as a fucking cucumber.
He ignored me and looked at Brooke. “I’m not asking you to wear a wire or get anywhere near Lazano. We just need the records of the money transfer. You know it went through and to where. You can get the digital proof we need.”
“What about the bowling guy? What about him?” I asked.
Mark’s jaw clenched and flicked a glance toward Brooke. “He was found dead this morning. That’s why I’m here. That’s why I’m asking for Brooke’s help.”
Brooke gasped. I could tell he wasn’t saying more because my mate didn’t need to hear it.
“Even more reason for her not to get involved,” I snapped.
“I… I don’t have the account numbers memorized, and I don’t have the laptop or anything else. I ran out without any of it,” she explained, wringing her hands.
“But you could go into your office and get it, right?” Mark asked. “We need that evidence to bring down Lazano.”
“Lazano’s guys are out there hunting her,” I snapped, as if he needed a reminder. “She can’t just show up at work Monday morning and hand over paperwork.”
Mark met my sharp gaze with one of his own.
“I stepped in to sort out the bodies you left at her place. I’m not asking for a whole lot in return.
I just need the evidence that will put this guy away for good.
This investigation has been going on for over a year.
Brooke could get the nail for Lazano’s fucking coffin. ”
I growled but tried not to make it too obvious.
Mark pushed on. “Obviously, that’s in the best interest for your ma–for Brooke. She has access. She knows how to get what we need. I’d appreciate your assistance in doing that the right way. As an employee, she has the legal right to go into the firm’s computers. The DEA doesn’t.”
The right way. Did he mean the legal way? The human way? I saved my mate! Not once but twice, and now he wanted me to deal with the guy who wanted my mate dead… the right way?
Why didn’t Mark just rip the man’s fucking head off?
I gritted my teeth and tried to stifle another growl.
“I’ll do it,” Brooke piped up.
I spun to face my mate. “Hang on, sugar. You ran from them once, we don’t need you to get mixed up again.”
Mark stood and smiled. “You two discuss it and come up with something that works for both of you.” He handed Brooke a small thumb drive. I snatched it from his fingers and wanted to break it into pieces.
I scowled but walked Mark out. I glared at him then shut the door in his face. Through the wood I heard him chuckle.
The fucker.
Even though I was annoyed with him, he was a good guy, and he was trying to make the world a safer place. But my focus was on Brooke. If the man was behind bars, then she would be safe. But at the risk of her own safety?
My inner wolf was pissed. I spun around to go and talk Brooke out of it, but she was right there. Furious as I was, I didn’t hear her come over. “I don’t like this, sugar.”
“It’s the right thing to do,” she said, her voice soft. “I have to help put this guy away.”
“ You have done enough. It’s not safe for you to go to work on Monday with this guy running around loose. Who knows how many other henchmen he has working for him? Maybe they’ll be waiting for you there like they had been at your house.”
“You killed them, remember?” she countered. “How many men can one drug kingpin have?”
I gritted my teeth because I didn’t actually know. I was aware that bad guys didn’t like loose ends.
She sighed. “Look, I don’t really want to go to work on Monday, either. Not after walking into my house and finding two guys there.”
She closed the rest of the distance between us and set her hand on my bare chest. Fuck, that felt good.
“But if I’m the one who can get the evidence to put him away for good, then I’m going to do it. Mark’s right, I know where it all is on the computers.”
Fuck. She’d said right before Mark knocked on the door that she needed to take care of herself. I’d agreed, but I hadn’t meant this way.
“The only way you’re going there is with me,” I said. There was a little snap of possessiveness in my tone, and I knew she heard it.
Even so, she huffed. Huffed! I wanted to spank her ass for that sound alone. “That’s ridiculous! I can’t go to work on Monday with you as my bodyguard. Look at you. No one’s going to believe you’re my client or whatever.”
I considered the options because I wasn’t backing down.
“We could go now,” she offered, which made me instantly protective. “It’s Saturday night. The office is closed, but my keycard will get us in, and no one will be there. I can get the information Mark needs.”
I drew in a breath and let it out slowly.
She had a valid plan, dammit. It was an accounting office.
I pictured cubicles and filing cabinets.
Boring as hell. It wasn’t tax season, so I doubted anyone would be working late or on the weekend.
Grudgingly, I asked, “You really want to do this, don’t you?
The bowling guy’s also dead. It’s best if you just stay here in this penthouse. ”
“Forever?” She looked at me with something like determination. “It’s the right thing to do.”
I hated that she repeated Mark’s words.
I closed my eyes briefly and nodded. “Okay. Let’s go help the fucking DEA.”