vacation and learned of it,” she assured him, though she really hoped he didn’t believe her. “Any decisions he made, he made without my input. But I don’t disagree with it.”
“You and your father are a plague.” His lips pulled back from his teeth in a display of primal fury. “Neither of you want to accept that we’re not safe. That the country our agents die to protect is under attack, and that Khalid is a part of the disease moving into it.”
Marty sat silently; she wasn’t arguing Khalid’s innocence any further. Her last report stated all she had left to say about it.
“Your resignation.” He sat back in his chair once more as flicked his fingers toward the paper still lying on his desk. “I’ll file it. Collect your belongings and get the hell out of here. But when you’re staring into that monster’s eyes facing your own death, don’t say I didn’t tell you so.”
Marty moved to rise from her seat.
“Agent Mathews.” Leaning forward, Deerfield had her sitting back slowly in her seat. “The attack against you last week ties directly back to the Mustaffa family. Are you aware of that? He’s ready to rid himself of you and you can’t even see it.”
Marty didn’t speak. She stared back at him silently, following her godfather’s advice to allow him to dig his own hole to see how deep he was involved in this.
“If his family doesn’t kill you, others will. Mustafa has enemies.” He grimaced as, she suspected, he realized she cared very little for whatever he had to say. “Those enemies will kill you, simply because you’re associated with him.”
“I’ve known Khalid most of my life.” A small, knowing smile tipped her lips. “I’ve followed him for the past two years, and I know things about his life that I’m certain even he is unaware of. I believe by now I know exactly the man this Bureau has been harassing.”
“Harassing?” His voice sharpened angrily as he leaned forward. “This fucking office doesn’t harass anyone. We are investigators, Agent Mathews. We are all that is standing between the evil of this world and the country we are sworn to protect, this United States of America,” he yelled back at her. “That son of a bitch has never known what it is to suffer. To fight to rise above poverty or to fight for justice. He doesn’t know any fucking thing but the silver spoon shoved up his ass when he was born.”
Perspiration popped out on his forehead as his face flushed a dark, ruddy red. Anger sparked in his gaze and his lips pulled tight as he glared at her while she refused to speak.
She sat calmly, though she allowed the contempt to reflect in her face. It was better not to argue with him. At this point, it would be much more productive to allow his paranoia to build instead.
“Get the fuck out of here,” he snarled, when she said nothing. “I hope you sleep well at night.” His hand brushed the paper violently to the side of his desk.
She was dismissed that easily. Contempt glittered in Deerfield’s gaze, as did an edge of fear.
Rising to her feet, Marty moved to the door.
“He’s nothing but a fucking disease and you don’t want to see it,” he told her as she gripped the doorknob.”
“If he’s such a monster, then his enemies would already be taken care of, wouldn’t they?” she asked him. “Khalid is innocent, Deerfield. You simply refuse to accept it.”
She didn’t give him time to reply. Pulling the doorknob, she left the office quickly and strode past the secretary watching her suspiciously as she left.
The office was filled with suspicion and plots. Everyone watched everyone else with the knowledge that a meeting with Deerfield could signify yet another spate of harassment or suspicion of their character or their investigations.
No one was safe here when it came to having their character sliced and diced.
While entering the elevator, Marty clenched her teeth to hold back the curse trembling on her tongue. Damn Deerfield. The bastard made her want to rake his eyes out. He was condescending, superior, and completely neurotic. She had never been so certain of her decision to resign as she was at this moment.
After leaving the elevator, Marty walked quickly through the exit to the outside parking lot. Sunlight speared through the shelter of trees that filled the barriers between each section and lent a measure of shade to the overly warm day.
Stepping to the curb, she waited as the limo came to a stop in front of her. Stepping quickly from the driver’s side, Abdul rushed around the vehicle and opened the door for her with a flourish.
Marty slipped inside where Khalid and Shayne waited silently, their gazes on her.
“I can see a pleasant time has been had within the offices of the Federal Bureau of Investigation,” Khalid drawled knowingly. “Is Deerfield still living or should I start purchasing alibis and having federal surveillance videos acquired?”
He sounded much too certain that he could do exactly that, and in her experience, given enough money, most anything could be accomplished.
“He’s still alive,” she breathed out roughly as she pushed her fingers through her hair. Anger still washed from her in waves, instilling a heated tension in the air that had Marty’s nerve endings suddenly more sensitive than they should have been.
Or perhaps it was simply the fact that the two men were in the back of the limo together. After the past night, she found herself too aware of them, too aware of herself. It hadn’t been a problem after she had left the limo earlier to enter the federal building. That sensitivity had evaporated as though it had never been present. The moment she stepped back into the limo, though, it had increased in strength and depth.
“He’s riding a fine line.” Marty swallowed tightly as she tried to ignore the sexual intensity wrapping around her. “He’s been riding it for a while. And that’s a shame, because he was once a well-respected agent. He should have never been promoted to bureau chief.”
“Having me branded as a traitor and locked away would make it much easier for my brothers to get to me.” Khalid shrugged. “It would also implicate Abram and almost assure his execution. I feel no sympathy for him, love, and neither should you.”
“I don’t feel sympathy for him,” she sighed heavily. “Just for the agents working under him.”
“Agreed.” He nodded at her. “And it’s something Zach will be taking care of with the investigation he started. Deerfield ruined his own career when he targeted you as he did.”
Khalid moved to sit beside her, his hand lifting and curling around the back of her neck to stroke the sensitive flesh there gently.
The stroke of his calloused fingertips over her skin sent a shiver racing down her back. She was still sensitive, not sore exactly, but the flesh between her thighs knew it had been thoroughly ridden the night before.
The thought of it had her thighs clenching, as a sudden wave of heat flushed through her body. She could feel her pussy becoming sensitive, swollen, needy.
Breathing in deeply, her gaze lifted, suddenly becoming locked with Shayne’s.
“Shayne becomes very wired when he allows his anger free,” Khalid stated, as Marty felt her heart begin to race. “He’s furious that you had to go into Deerfield’s office and be subjected to his abuse alone.”
“I can handle Deerfield.” She had to force the words past her lips. “And I’m not a toy to relieve the stress with.” She shot Khalid a challenging look, knowing what it would do to his lust. She wanted to be their toy, just for a little while. A favorite toy. A much loved toy.
“I’ll be your toy,” Shayne said, as she felt Khalid’s hand move to her side, his fingers bunching in the material of her T-shirt to begin lifting it.
“Allow me to see how gently he would play with your perfect body, precious,” Khalid crooned, his dark voice filled with lust now.
She couldn’t breathe. Her chest felt constricted as Khalid shifted her, lifting her to his lap as he pulled the shirt from her body.
She shouldn’t allow this. Oh God, she was melting right there for them, allowing them to do whatever the hell they wanted to do, as though she were the toy she had said she wouldn’t be.
She had to admit, though, the thought of how wicked he could be in the back of the limo was burning through her now.
“We have several hours before we arrive at my mother’s estate to ensure my family’s protected,” Khalid whispered against her ear, as Shayne released the catch of her bra and spread the lace from her breasts. “How
