Dangerous Lines by Moira Callahan Page A

and Ro stayed right where they were. Neither spoke. Neither moved. They just soaked in a moment of peace,
together. Vincent knew Rhonda prayed for the same thing he did. That this wouldn’t be their last moment together.

 
    Chapter Fifteen
     
    Tied to a chair in the middle of the room, her head
down, was the bitch that had escaped. Moreau didn’t know how, yet, but he would
find that out as well. Looking to the man who had finally brought the bitch to
heel, he gave an approving nod.
    “I may have more work for you in the future. You
have proven to be most competent, and I like that in my employees.”
    “Always happy to help,” Adam said. “For a fee.”
    Smiling tightly, Gabriel Moreau tipped his head in
acknowledgement. Holding out his hand, he snapped his fingers, the weight of a bag
soon on his arm. “Your bounty, as promised.”
    Adam took the bag, hefted it, peered inside and
then set it aside.
    “You’re not going to count it?”
    “It’s all there,” Adam said. “If it’s not...” He
gave a lazy shrug that didn’t hide the lethal promise behind the words.
    “Quite right,” Moreau laughed. “Yes, yes, I think
you would be a fine addition to my business interests.”
    “One thing at a time, Mr. Moreau,” Adam pointed
out.
    “You are absolutely correct.” Turning, he looked at
the drooping head, the slouched form, and felt a quiver in his gut. Anticipation, of finally putting the bitch where she belonged. In the ground.
    Normally, he wouldn’t sully his hands with such a
thing. Deniability was a precious commodity in his world. For this one though,
he would make an exception. She slipped away once because he wasn’t diligent.
She wouldn’t slip away again, because he would ensure that he ended her life
permanently. With his own two hands.
    “Is she conscious?” he asked.
    “Not at the moment.” Adam looked at his watch,
tipping his head slightly. “She’s likely starting to come around. She was a
little hellcat when I caught her, had to drug her or risk losing the family
jewels.”
    A laugh escaped Moreau, unexpected, and yet he
didn’t mind. While he preferred being in complete control of everything around
him, his emotions, his employees, and everything, a bit of spontaneity didn’t
upset him. Especially amusement. “Tried to unman you,
did she?”
    “To say the least. That bitch has claws on her. I was expecting she’d fight, just didn’t
know she’d fight so dirty. She decked me with that damned cast.”
    Seeing Adam rub at his jaw, he narrowed his eyes,
and caught the hint of bruising. She’d clipped him there obviously. “Well, fear
not Adam, she will be duly reprimanded before I take my own annoyances out on
her.”
    “Whatever. I’m good with anything as long as she
gets what she’s got coming.”
    So he wasn’t squeamish about killing a woman. Interesting. “Out of curiosity’s sake, and for my own peace
of mind, had I ordered you to remove her permanently, would you have? Hypothetically speaking, of course.”
    “Of course,” Adam said. With a shrug he slid his
thumbs into his front pockets. “Hypothetically speaking? Sure. It would have
cost you more since, there would have been a bit more work involved after the
fact.”
    “True enough, and you are
right. For something like that the fee would have been appropriately negotiated
for adequate compensation. Hypothetically speaking,” he said.
    A low moan of pain brought his attention to the
bound woman.
    “Sounds like she’s finally coming around,” Adam
muttered. “I had to take into account she might be on pain meds, but without
knowing what, it was still a crap shoot.”
    “You did well, Adam. A man who handles the pressure
of immediate decisions like that is a man I like having on my side.” Turning to
his bodyguard, he told him to wait by the door and keep watch. His driver and
other bodyguard outside would do the same for the approaches and egresses of
the location. His man hesitated a moment, his