Page 58 of A Dirty Business
She backed off, just a little, both physically and emotionally. I saw her take a step back and felt the distance coming back between us. In another minute, I’d feel as if I’d never left my vehicle. She was putting the walls between us, and fast.
“What are you doing here, Trace?” Wariness flashed in her eyes before she began grabbing her clothes.
I righted my own, pulling my shirt back down and drawing up my boxer briefs and pants. My coat ... I looked around for it, finding it tossed on the floor some distance away. Going, plucking it up, I held it and watched as she found her bra and began clipping it back on. She’d already grabbed her leggings and had them back on.
She lifted her head, a flash of irritation flaring at me from her gaze. “Are you going to answer me?”
She was rattled. It was the only reason why she wasn’t thinking about where I had found her and why she wasn’t demanding to know how I knew she’d be there.
I rolled my shoulders back, throwing up another distraction right now. “There’s a development with your aunt. I thought you might want to know.”
Concern flared next, and she straightened up from finishing dressing, the hand going through her hair falling back to her side. “What is it?”
“They’re in Canada. She’s been set up. A small house. Enough money to get her started. I’ve got her in touch with a program that helps women like her disappear from men like her husband.”
“Okay ...”
“The drawback is that once the program takes over, my family won’t know where she is anymore. They’re not particularly open to working with people like my family.”
“So why did they?”
“I approached them, explained her situation. They were willing to step in for her but to hide her from us. Before we pull back, I need to know that’s what you want.”
“Yes.” The word rushed out of her, her eyes lighting up. “Yes. That’d be amazing. What’s the name of these people?”
“The 411 Network.”
She stepped back from surprise. “They exist? I thought that was just myth or something.”
I gave a hard nod. “They exist.”
Relief softened her face; her shoulders slackened, too, and then a soft chuckle. “The irony of them hiding my aunt from your family.”
“I’m to take that you approve of this?”
“Yes. I didn’t know they existed, but I’ve heard of them. I’ve wished they would exist, and finding this out now, I feel a lot better. They truly will be hidden then.” She frowned. “How were you able to approach them?”
My gut twisted. “I’d recently worked with them regarding two other individuals. It made them more amenable to me.”
“Two others?”
“I can’t tell you, and it’s not because I don’t want to. It has to do with my family.”
She locked down as I said that, which I knew she would. That was the deal with us. She was law, and I was half and half. I feared the day I would becomemostly not.
My whole body locked up as well because I heard what else she wasn’t saying.“They truly will be hidden then.”Even from me. She’d have no more ties to me.
“Thank you, Trace.”
I looked up, surprised at the genuineness in her voice.
But her eyes were flashing hard again. “But I meant it. Stay away from me.”
“You still work for me.”
She had started to turn away but froze before turning back again. “You want me to quit?”
I snorted, shaking my head. “Right. Doyouwant to quit?”
