Page 140 of The Vigilant

“So, you want us to help you with information that you have but can’t tell us?” Dare scoffed. “Bullshit.”

“I told you, I’m here to make a deal,” he said slowly, the lightness leaching from his voice. I got the sense that this was the moment he’d come here for. Whatever was about to happen was the keystone of his planned surrender. “I will tell one of you?—”

“Okay. I’ll go, and you can share this magical secret with Dare?—”

“No.” Remington didn’t even pause. “Not one of you two. I will only tell Robyn DuBois.”

There were graves that held more noise than the garage at that moment, and the look Dare sent me, it was almost as if he wasn’t surprised by the request.

The door banged against the wall, drawing all of our attention to the woman who’d entered.

Robyn.

And she looked…infuriated. Her red hair gleamed like liquid fire in the bright lighting as she strode toward the man in the chair, her gun aimed at Remington even though he was clearly restrained.

But it was the look between them that shocked me—a look of furious familiarity.

“Robyn.” Remington’s voice took a different tone, the kind you have when you finally find something you’ve lost.

“Dare, call the police,” Rob ordered, ignoring him. “Get the FBI here?—”

“He says he has information on Shazad?—”

“Then he can tell them,” she interrupted Dare.

“He said it will bring down Belmont, too,” I rumbled.

Rob stiffened, the pause she took to consider it only momentarily before she shoved away the temptation. “This man will say anything to get what he wants, and most times, it’s not the truth.”

“But sometimes it is.” Remington joined the conversation, his voice low and steady like what you would use to try and calm a skittish, wild animal.

Rob’s jaw locked, and her finger inched toward the trigger. “Dare, go call them. Now,” she ordered, and this time, her brother obeyed.

Remington’s jaw tightened, but his eyes never strayed from the woman in front of him. “It’s been a long time, Robyn,” he drawled. “You look good.”

“Tynan, you should go,” Rob said in warning, her eyes glazed and locked on the man in the chair. I knew that look. I’d felt that look. I’d harbored that look.

It was the one a predator gives to its prey.

And suddenly it became very clear that even though this man was labeled as the world’s most dangerous criminal, Damon Remington wasn’t the apex predator the world believed him tobe. He had a natural killer, and she was standing right in front of him.

“I didn’t expect you to want some time alone so soon.”

“Fucker,” Rob hissed and stalked toward him, her finger twitching on the trigger.

“Enough.” I reached out and grabbed her wrist and twisted, forcing her to release her weapon. “I don’t know what the fuck is going on, but I’m not letting you murder him in our garage.”

She hissed and yanked her hand away. “Fine. Then I’ll question him unarmed, but still alone.”

“Rob…”

“I need you to leave,” she said low, and maybe it was just me, but I heard her begging tone. “Please.”

I stood still, searching for any other option, but there was none. Remington was one thing, but going up against Rob’s will was another.

“You have two minutes. Don’t be stupid,” I warned.

Her lips curled into a bitter smile. “Don’t worry, I’ve already been that,” she said cryptically.

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