Page 25 of Renegade (The Santini Assassins #2)

“Hold on.” He tapped the mute button, said to Caroline, “You sure you don’t want to go back inside?”

Inside? You’ve got some chick waiting for you.

“I’m good.” She stopped in front of her ALPHA SUV. “See you tomorrow. I crossed a line, but not again.”

Before he could respond, she climbed into her vehicle, shut the door, and started the engine. He waited while she backed out before waving goodbye. With his phone to his ear, he walked to his SUV.

What the hell was that? He’s got a woman. I can’t believe I was that stupid.

She sat there in the parking lot too stunned to drive forward.

BEEP!

She put the vehicle in drive, headed out. As she approached the exit, Grey pulled onto the street. In those few seconds, a terrible idea took hold.

Keeping her distance, she followed him home.

Grey parked in the driveway of a modest one-story home in Arlington. A woman exited a car parked on the street and walked over to him. After hugging her, they disappeared inside his house.

A stabbing pain shot through her chest while emotion clogged her throat. She liked him, like for real.

I’m so glad I kept my stupid feelings to myself.

She drove away feeling like a fool.

I invited him, he accepted. It was a booty call, so woman-up and let it go .

Her heart sank. She would have to face him every day at work.

The self-scolding continued until she drove into the underground parking at Carlyle Towers.

As she walked into the building, she made the decision to let it go.

She’d sleep it off, wake with a new attitude, and work the case like the pro she was.

Even so, her heart broke a little as she rode the elevator upstairs.

And here I thought he was the one. What a dummy.

Her phone buzzed with an incoming text from the Lost Souls app. Once inside her condo, she opened the app and read the message from Stan.

Hey friend wanna grab coffee sometime ?

She set her phone down and stared out the picture window in her living room. She’d hooked up with a stranger at a club and broken her work rule with Grey. Determination had her steeling her spine.

No more stupid decisions.

Her phone buzzed again. She read the next message from Stan.

You read my message, but you’re ignoring it

ARE YOU DUMPING ME

I’m not getting together with you. Stop messaging me

As she returned her attention out the window, her gut told her she hadn’t heard the last of Stan.

GREYSTONE

Greystone pulled an iced tea from his fridge, handed the bottle to his cousin. Monroe cracked open the lid, took a long swig.

“How’ve you been?” she asked.

“I’m in trouble,” he replied.

“Who’ve you pissed off now?”

“I got feelings for someone I work with.”

Her deep brown eyes grew large. “Nice. The man of steel is made of flesh and blood after all. Have you told her?”

“Not exactly, but weird shit is flyin’ outta my mouth.”

Monroe laughed. “About time. Would I like her?”

“It’s my handler.”

“From what I know about her, she’s a total baaaaaadass. ”

Greystone smiled. “She’s great.”

“Well, don’t fuck it up, bud.” Monroe pulled out her phone. “I got a few pics I need you to see.” She scrolled, then turned her phone toward him. “Who are these men?”

He eyed the photos. “No idea. What’s their story?”

“They’re brothers who run an international sex trafficking ring. They’re proud misogynists who’ve added drug smuggling to their long list of crimes.”

“Whatcha need me to do?” he asked.

“Get word to someone in the area.”

“Why can’t you tell ‘em yourself?”

“Because they think I’m dead,” she replied.

She told him the message, he committed it to memory. Then, she downed the tea and asked about family.

“Lulu’s like a damn ice cube,” Greystone said.

“He’ll thaw,” she replied.

“Teddy’s great.”

She smiled. “He was my fave. He let me dress him up and he’d follow me around. He was like my own walking, talking baby doll.”

They shared a laugh.

“You gonna see him?” Greystone asked.

“Not this trip. I needed to get that message to you, so you could pass it on. I’m out.”

“Where to now?”

“The California coast, then I fly to Italy.”

“Gabriel?” he asked.

“He’s a demanding pain in my ass.” She walked to the front door. “He’s got me working for him.”

He saw her to her car, scanned the street for any vehicle he didn’t recognize.

After hugging his cousin goodbye, she slipped into the car and drove away.

He went back inside and fired up his laptop.

He’d pass along the message tomorrow. For the next few hours, he needed to make headway in their case .

After jumping online, he went in search of someone in a chat room who might be bragging or sharing a shocking piece of information.

After working for an hour, his thoughts floated to Caroline. He typed out a text, “Can’t stop thinking about you.”

Instead of sending, he deleted it, and refocused his efforts on the Day of Destruction. When the time was right, he’d tell her how he felt. In person. Not by text.

He was falling in love with her… and he was falling hard.