Page 38 of The Reluctant Siren
She’d been ready to get into Niall’s Jeep. Not Jensen’struck. He could tell himself it was because Niall’s vehicle was closer andMiranda started walking for it, but he knew the truth.
She liked Niall. Niall had spent the last several monthsstealing his woman.
Needless to say Jensen had gotten his ass in that Jeep, too,leaving behind his truck.
Jack had apparently dealt with the cops quickly and shown uphere after Harlow had sent Miranda off with her mom and a check for mentalhealth services since she’d witnessed a lot of shit tonight.
“You got to admit it was pretty funny.” Jack was the onlyone who seemed somewhat comfortable with the outcome. “I was thinking the bigguy was about to punch me and he went for the new guy.”
Taggart grinned. “Did he have the crazy eyes?”
Jack—if that was his real name—nodded. “It’s like you alwayssaid. You gotta watch out for the crazy eyes.”
“I would like to know what’s going on with you.” Jensen hadbeen quiet for way too long. “You said you were a fed. At least I think youdid. It got confusing.”
Taggart nodded. “That’s what happens when you lose yourshit. Tell me, did you see a red mist or just black out in a jealousy-fueledrage?”
If this guy wasn’t so important to Harlow… “I had a normalreaction to learning that my best friend in the world was poaching my girl.”
“Not your girl,” Harlow said as Taggart’s wife sat downbeside her and handed her a cup of tea. Harlow managed a slight smile. “Thanks,Charlotte. I’m sorry to get you out of bed. It was supposed to be a simpleclient move.”
“Nothing is simple when you’ve got two men involved,sweetie,” Charlotte replied. “If I wasn’t worried about how you’re gettinghome, I would have brought out the vodka.”
Jack stood by the big floor-to-ceiling windows thatoverlooked downtown and all its glittering lights. This building was nice, andapparently Taggart owned it. It reminded Jensen of the difference in his andHarlow’s circumstances.
But at least that asshole Niall was as poor as he was.
“I’m FBI,” Jack said with a sigh.
“Booo,” Taggart called out.
Jack’s eyes rolled. “Like the Agency is cooler. Anyway, myteam has been following a man named Cliff Hamilton for the last several years,but it wasn’t until he crossed state lines and started to build hisorganization in both Texas and Nevada that we got involved. Up until that pointCalifornia Bureau was handling things. Then a while back that sweet thing fromThe Hideout busted the op wide open.”
“We call her Hurricane Daisy,” Taggart explained.
“And that’s when you decided to hire on?” Niall asked. “Didyou realize your cousin was involved?”
Jack winked Harlow’s way. “Not at all. I mean I knew she gottangled up with his group in California. By the way, we got that stupid arrestthing all cleared up for you, darlin’. She’s not actually my cousin, you see.Not a bit a blood between us.”
He noticed Niall sat up a little taller. So did he. He mighthave to kick a fed’s ass tonight.
“No, but we do have a whole childhood between us,” Harlowreplied with a frown. “Don’t spin him up again.”
Jack glanced at Niall and then back to Jensen. “Which one?Because from where I’m sitting I got a rise out of them both.”
Harlow took a sip of tea and then set it down, looking toher “cousin.” Who damn well was going to stay her cousin. “Jensen was always ajealous ass. Niall has no reason to be jealous since he was a plant meant tokeep me pure while his friend was doing his thing.”
“His thing being stupid, get-him-killed revenge on the manhe blames for his brother’s death?” Taggart asked.
She nodded. “Yup, and now I’m worried that you already knowthat.”
Taggart sat back, not replying at all, simply waiting forsomeone to take the bait Harlow had thrown out.
“If I was trying to keep you so pure, why did I sleep withyou the last several nights?” Niall got hooked.
And was about to receive another one of Jensen’s left hooks.What had Taggart said about red mist?
Jack looked his way. Not like he was going to stop him thistime. Like he was enjoying the show. “Don’t like that much, do you?”
