“Remember, Brogan, she did try and kill us.” I could tell my suggestion fell on deaf ears.
“But she didn’t. I’ve known a lot of killers in my time with the CIA. While some are truly accidental, those who plan them are cold and calculated. Dahlia is neither. She’s no more of a killer than the girl next door.” Daniel turned his head toward me, giving me a hard stare.
“And you need to remember that even the girl next door can snap. There isn’t a single person alive who hasn’t treaded near that fine line.” I shifted my gaze toward Brogan then turned around and walked away. What I couldn’t tell the other two was that she’d already awakened something inside of me that I believed was impossible. My balls tightened just thinking about her.
The taste of her lips and the intoxicating scent of her feminine wiles. I’d been the only one to see her exquisite body, to have my cock shoved deep inside and wanted more, so much so that I was willing to forgive her threats and her attempts at ending my life.
I continued walking and all I could do was laugh. Maybe I’d finally met a woman as devious as I was.
Imagine that. A match made in heaven.
Or hell.
* * *
Brogan
We were playing with fire, the kind that would ultimately burn the three of us in the fire pits of hell. I’d anticipated that happening, only I hadn’t predicted it would be because of a woman so pure and innocent that her aura had a warm glow. The thought was ridiculous of course considering she had almost been successful in killing me.
I hadn’t been immune to the concept, several attempts made on my life while I’d been locked away like an animal. However, the bastards who’d tried had quickly learning it hadn’t been in their best interests to fuck with me.
My gut told me we couldn’t keep her, but my mind was playing tricks on me, taking me back to another place and time when I’d been at the happiest point in my life. Then as with anything good that had ever occurred in my life, it had all come crashing down, the ravaging flames leaving internal scars that would never leave.
And they shouldn’t be allowed to.
“Who is she?” Daniel asked, more to himself than to me.
“I don’t know. Garrison wasn’t close to anyone. He hated his father and there was no one else in his family that I can remember.” While my answer was correct, the gnawing at my gut remained. There was something familiar about the girl I couldn’t place.
“No. His father is still alive but had nothing to do with him after his arrest, given it would taint his illustrious career. From what I remember, his mother died before he came to the university.”
“Maybe a pen pal in prison,” I suggested.
“Possibly. Garrison didn’t talk about women. Hell, the kid didn’t talk much at all. I don’t know what that brutal father of his did to him, but it altered his personality. He always seemed timid, caring, but extremely quiet.”
“You forget he turned into a killer.”
Daniel turned and looked at me. “Maybe Alexander is right, and everyone has the capability.”
“You should know that better than any of us.”
He laughed. “Because I’m a glorified cop?”
“Because you were always the good kid. Straight A’s and good reports from teachers. We were the fuck-ups.”
“You obviously weren’t paying that close of attention or choose not to remember what I’d proven myself capable of.” He shot another look through the trees. “I don’t know about you, but I could use a drink.”
“I’ll stay here like I said. I’m not waiting until nightfall. She has to be pretty scared.”
“Maybe that will help loosen her lips. Did she really help you earn a lot of money?”
“Over two hundred K. Of course, I never turned in the voucher.” I shook my head. “Biggest score of my damn life and I forgot to cash it in. Maybe when we return. All she had to do was blow on the dice. I couldn’t believe it. You know, I thought we had a real connection.”
“So I understand from Alexander. Maybe she is nothing more than an excellent con artist.”
Exhaling, I finally nodded. “Maybe so.”
He started to turn away then stopped. “I’m sorry you spent so many years behind bars. I should have intervened.”