Page 85 of Missing Justice

He released her hand and took a step back. His face was stern. “Do you want to solve this case or not, because the last time I checked, you’re suspended from the Bureau, and from what I can see, they don’t deserve you?”

He was pissed. Royally.

Didn’t he understand?

He stepped toward her again, close enough he had to look down on her. His voice was low when he spoke. “I told you going in how I work. So don’t give me this bullshit that I’m corrupting you.”

She’d never seen him like this and she didn’t like it. “Bullshit? Are you serious right now?” Her voice shook. She couldn’t help it. The adrenaline was wearing off and she felt weak from the seriousness in his voice, on his face.

“I promise you, we will solve this case for better or for worse, and I don’t go back on my promises. But I need to know. Are you in or out?”

An ultimatum. Lovely.

She paced away, aware of the no-win situation she was in. She’d made sure her whole life, since Isabel’s disappearance, that she’d done the right thing, because when she didn’t, bad shit happened.

Isabel had been taken because Taylor had shamed her into staying in that goddamn tent. Her parents had become distant and their marriage had fallen apart because Taylor had made the mistake of leaving Izzy out there alone.

Her family had imploded and it was all her fault.

She’d worked her ass off to be the good daughter, the hotshot FBI agent, the perfect citizen, boss, employee.

Was she seriously going to blow all of that to bits over this case? Over thisman?

A headache pounded in her temples. A throbbing pain pulsed in her chest as well. Her feet moved of their own accord, bringing her back to face Matt. “You really know how to seduce a girl to the dark side, don’t you?”

His face was neutral, but curiosity lit his eyes. “Does that mean you’re in?”

“Yes. No.” She sighed. “Maybe.”

He grinned. “You haven’t even scratched the surface of the dark side yet, Agent Sinclair, but stick with me and you will.” He sat on the hood again and playfully chucked her chin with his knuckles. “And that’s a promise.”

He grinned and Taylor felt herself melting under those pretty eyes. She took a step closer, her fingers itching to touch him.

What am I doing?

“How did you get the nickname Mad Dog?”

He seemed surprised. “When people push me too far, I tend to get a bit snippy.”

Yeah, she’d just seen that. “Good. I was afraid it was because you’re insane.”

With that, he threw his head back and laughed. “Maybe that too.”

She had to admit, she was incredibly relieved that Rosalind hadn’t seen him hiding behind her office door. That they wouldn’t be spending the night in separate jail cells. “There was a birth certificate and adoption papers in the folder,” she told him. “I snapped pictures of all of it and sent them to Grey.”

He grabbed her by the hips and pulled her in close between his long legs. “Risky move, sweet cheeks, but I admire your guts, among so many of your other attributes.”

He dropped a kiss on her lips and she responded, because, honestly, she couldn’t resist him, no matter what.

After a long, deep kiss with lots of tongue, Matt helped her into his car.

“Where are we going?” she asked.

“To talk to my boss. She worked an identity fraud case and is now somewhat of an expert on birth certificates. Let’s talk to her and see if she can tell us about the one you snapped a picture of.”