Page 22 of Bastard

I laughed. Like, seriously laughed out loud. “Are you fucking nuts? You really think anything the FBI has is going to crack a Stroman computer or a Roark firewall? They make your toys and only give you the ones they feel like sharing.” I would absolutely help him bring down the Feyereisens and anyone else involved at Roark who stood in Sam’s way. But that didn’t happen overnight. Fuck, I just spent six goddamned years finding enough on Devil’s Wrath to make it an airtight slam dunk.

“So you’re telling me you basically live with Samantha Stroman, have access to both Stroman and Roark properties, and you have nothing useful to provide?”

While he spoke I ate. It kept me from telling him where to shove his gun and badge. “I have a lead.”

Steel perked up like a dog scenting an animal. “What is it?”

I swallowed another bite and pulled the wrapper back. “Todd wants to meet with the Feyereisens. Wants to get into bed with them. I told him I’d see what I could do next week when we’re back in the city.”

“This is great news! Tie Devil’s Wrath to the brothers and bring them all down at once. That just leaves the rest of Roark. How long do you think it will take to get into their records? A month? Two?”

Greedy son of a bitch. It wasn’t worth finishing my sandwich, so I threw it back in the paper bag and wiped my hands clean with a napkin. “You keep reaching for the bigger apple and you’re going to fall off the ladder.”

“You can’t protect your girlfriend or her family.”

That was true. But Sam didn’t do anything, and I was fairly certain Georgia hadn’t either. “Might want to ask your superiors which they’d rather have—Devil’s Wrath and the Feyereisens, or nothing.”

“Are you threatening me?”

“I’m being practical. You have your original assignment in the bag. I understand wanting to go for more since the circumstances changed. It’s a great opportunity. But at some point, doing your job means getting what you can get.”

“Convenient that it allows your girlfriend to stay wealthy.”

My phone vibrated in my pocket so I pulled it out but didn’t look at it yet. “You think I care about money? Really? You’ve known me since I was a teenager. You know what Sam means to me, you know what Todd means to me, and you know full well what money means to me. So fuck off with that bullshit.”

“Okay fine.” He stood up and walked toward me. “You’re right. Do the work and we’ll get what we get.”

I got to my feet to shake his hand. We were very different people and we butted heads a lot, but we usually left things peaceful. “And can you not pull me again for like six months?”

“Can you actually file an update?”

He really didn’t get the undercover gig. At all. “I’ll update you when there’s something to say.” We shook hands and I finally glanced at the message on my phone.

Buttercup: Dinner at Eve’s tonight. 6?

It was just after 1 now. I still had two stops to make but I could be home by five to shower.

“Is that important?” Steel asked.

“Not to you.”

“Everything’s relevant to me.”

I shoved my phone back in my pocket without replying. “You know, there are some parts of my life that have nothing to do with you.”

He frowned, genuinely confused. “Devil’s Wrath is most of your life. And now Roark is pretty much the rest of your life. So I’d say that’s not true.”

I dropped my lunch into the trash can. “My company has nothing to do with you. That’s mine.” And Sam would never be his either.

9

I kept checking the windows and doors even though I knew I didn’t need to. The property was secure. Eve and her husband Jake were as nice as could be. Storm ran background checks on everyone and came back squeaky clean.

“Cheers.” Jake held up two glasses of bourbon.

I took the one he offered me. “Thanks.” There was no reason for me to feel this uneasy. There was no danger to Sam. I was drinking bourbon. I loved bourbon.

Something beeped twice.

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