Deception (Carrington Hill Investigations Book 1) by Kate Allenton Page A

Seconds ticked by as her heart threatened to beat from her chest. She grabbed the Glock in her waistband and lifted it into the air.
    “You won’t need that , luv.” Marco’s voice was yet a whisper in her ear. His words registered, but she couldn’t bring herself to put the weapon away.
    “Come out, come out where ver you are,” a male voice sneered. The voice sounded as though the man was just on the other side of the tree. She tightened her grip around the gun, sliding her finger solidly on the trigger.
    She heard a tussle and the accompanying grunts sound ed in the distance. Her shoulders eased, and she let out the breath she’d been holding.
    “We got them , boss,” an unfamiliar voice called out.
    Marco stepped out from behind the tree , and she followed, pointing her gun at the men kneeling on the ground. Blood oozed down from one man’s nose. The other man’s lip was busted. Both of their faces were red, either from the heavy exertion or pissed they’d been caught. Marco’s men stood behind them with their guns pressed against the men’s heads.
    Marco placed his hand over her weapon, lowering it to the ground. “I think we’ll take it from here.”
    Sh e shoved the gun back in her waistband and walked closer to the thugs before glancing back over her shoulder. “You aren’t going to kill them, are you?”
    “ I haven’t decided.” His eyes narrowed. “They used you for target practice, so maybe I’ll do the same.”
    The thugs ’ eyes widened as obscenities left their lips. Cursing a string of words, they tried to yank free of their captors.
    “Marco.” Her voice was a warning.
    He chuckled. “You’re no fun.”
    She raised her brow.
    “I’ll deliver them to your director, and they’ll still be breathing…that’s the best I can promise.”
    Marco walked her back to where she ’d left the car. The front bumper of the blue sedan was crushed and locked onto the Mercedes’ back bumper. The huge dent in the rear made her cringe. He threw his arm around her shoulder. “Oh, man, hope that car wasn’t yours.”
    Lexi grimaced as her stomach rolled. “No, not mine…my husband ’s.”

Chapter 10
     
     
    Lexi spent the next hour arranging to have the Mercedes impounded by the FBI forensic team to check for anything left behind from Catherine’s attack. If they were lucky there was blood left behind on the driver’s seat. One way or another, she was going to find who attacked Catherine, and the car was a good starting point because of the surveillance. Having to explain it to Trip was going to be a whole new set of worries for a later time.
    Lexi and Marco went back t o the main headquarters for Carrington Hill Investigation where she explained her impromptu marriage and the newly discovered footage, getting him to agree to help. Even with the FBI on the case, his resources were going to be useful. His personal assurance that he would be the one handling the case set her mind at ease.
    “Why are you still with the FBI? You ’re already partnered with me, and we could use you.”
    It was an age -old discussion between them. Only now did she see it as a possibility. She loved her job, but with the threat of her identity being blown, everything was up in the air.
    “ That time might be coming quicker than you think, considering I’ll probably lose all my privacy that I’ve tried so hard to protect.”
    He grinned. “It’s about time.” He leaned back in his chair. “Considering you own half the company anyway, it’s about high time you started to contribute.”
    S tanding, she chuckled for the first time since leaving the house that morning. “Can you give me a lift to my house? I need to get one of the cars, and I don’t want to have to worry about wrecking another one of his.”
    “Why don’t you already have yours? I don’t see you as the type to like being stranded.”
    “His limo took us back to his house. I didn’t have the option of driving. So can you take