without my knowledge or consent.”
He chuckled. “The bureau isn’t very concerned with
the dead woman anyway,” Lucas said. “She’s just one of Sharpe’s many pieces of collateral damage.”
Ivy turned her head and stared at
him. “So you’re not investigating that
woman who died?”
“We’re aware of the situation,” Lucas
said, chewing and swallowing. “But
we don’t really care much about it unless it helps us with the bigger
investigation into his illegal activities.”
“Bigger investigation?”
Lucas turned towards her. His eyes were steady and unwavering,
watching her as closely as she was watching him. “We have reason to believe that Cullen
Sharpe is a very dangerous man—to himself, to those close to
him—and even to the security of our nation.”
This couldn’t be happening. Ivy felt as though she’d stumbled into a
waking nightmare.
“Listen,” Ivy said, feeling like she was
going to scream or throw up or just pass out. She tried to gather herself, as things
spun out of control. “Listen to me,
Lucas. I don’t know anything about
what you’re talking about. I hardly
know Cullen Sharpe. He tells me
nothing about his life or his business.”
“Maybe that’s true, or maybe you’re
already covering for him.”
She stared at him, aghast. “So now you’re accusing me of lying?”
“Lying to a Federal Agent involved in an
investigation is a crime, Ivy. It’s
called obstruction of justice, and it’s punishable by jail. Just saying.”
“I’m not lying. And I don’t intend to be bullied by
you,” she said, moving as if to stand up. “Now please leave me alone.”
“Stay right where you are.” Lucas threw the last of his hotdog in
the trash and then wiped his lips again with a napkin. “Don’t think you can have a temper
tantrum and make this go away. This
isn’t going anywhere, Ivy. You will help us in our investigation.”
She stared at Lucas, completely stunned
by the fact that he was the same young guy who’d seemed so young and innocent
previously. Now, he seemed much
older—maybe he was thirty-three, not twenty-three.
Not to mention an FBI agent.
He was also a mean, cruel jerk who was
trying to scare her.
Worst of all, it was working. She felt terrified and weak. “I don’t know what you expect me to do,
Lucas,” Ivy said helplessly.
He sat forward, hands on his elbows, not
looking at her as he spoke. “The
first point of business is that you absolutely will not reveal my presence to
Cullen Sharpe.” He turned and
glanced over his shoulder at her. “If you tell him I’ve approached you, I’m going to make sure you do
prison time.”
“Prison time for what? I haven’t broken any laws. I don’t know anything.”
Lucas nodded. “That’s what they all say. But the bottom line is that we have
plenty of evidence that suggests you’re romantically involved with Cullen
Sharpe, and that you have every reason to lie on his behalf. A judge and jury will likely see things
the FBI’s way, not your way. Remember that, the next time you consider telling Cullen about me, or
about any conversation we might have now or in the future.”
Ivy felt tears starting to well in her
eyes, and before she knew it they were pouring down her cheeks, and she hated
it. She hated that Lucas was seeing
he’d gotten to her, just as intended.
“I don’t know why you’re doing this to
me,” Ivy said softly.
“You might just be unlucky,” Lucas said,
standing up. “You got caught up
with the wrong guy at the wrong time. Personally, I don’t care what you did or didn’t know about the man when
you started fucking him.”
Her shoulders shook. “You’re evil,” she whispered, but her
words were barely audible.
Lucas continued, as if he was discussing
the weather. “I’ve told you that
he’s a bad guy and the United States Justice
He chuckled. “The bureau isn’t very concerned with
the dead woman anyway,” Lucas said. “She’s just one of Sharpe’s many pieces of collateral damage.”
Ivy turned her head and stared at
him. “So you’re not investigating that
woman who died?”
“We’re aware of the situation,” Lucas
said, chewing and swallowing. “But
we don’t really care much about it unless it helps us with the bigger
investigation into his illegal activities.”
“Bigger investigation?”
Lucas turned towards her. His eyes were steady and unwavering,
watching her as closely as she was watching him. “We have reason to believe that Cullen
Sharpe is a very dangerous man—to himself, to those close to
him—and even to the security of our nation.”
This couldn’t be happening. Ivy felt as though she’d stumbled into a
waking nightmare.
“Listen,” Ivy said, feeling like she was
going to scream or throw up or just pass out. She tried to gather herself, as things
spun out of control. “Listen to me,
Lucas. I don’t know anything about
what you’re talking about. I hardly
know Cullen Sharpe. He tells me
nothing about his life or his business.”
“Maybe that’s true, or maybe you’re
already covering for him.”
She stared at him, aghast. “So now you’re accusing me of lying?”
“Lying to a Federal Agent involved in an
investigation is a crime, Ivy. It’s
called obstruction of justice, and it’s punishable by jail. Just saying.”
“I’m not lying. And I don’t intend to be bullied by
you,” she said, moving as if to stand up. “Now please leave me alone.”
“Stay right where you are.” Lucas threw the last of his hotdog in
the trash and then wiped his lips again with a napkin. “Don’t think you can have a temper
tantrum and make this go away. This
isn’t going anywhere, Ivy. You will help us in our investigation.”
She stared at Lucas, completely stunned
by the fact that he was the same young guy who’d seemed so young and innocent
previously. Now, he seemed much
older—maybe he was thirty-three, not twenty-three.
Not to mention an FBI agent.
He was also a mean, cruel jerk who was
trying to scare her.
Worst of all, it was working. She felt terrified and weak. “I don’t know what you expect me to do,
Lucas,” Ivy said helplessly.
He sat forward, hands on his elbows, not
looking at her as he spoke. “The
first point of business is that you absolutely will not reveal my presence to
Cullen Sharpe.” He turned and
glanced over his shoulder at her. “If you tell him I’ve approached you, I’m going to make sure you do
prison time.”
“Prison time for what? I haven’t broken any laws. I don’t know anything.”
Lucas nodded. “That’s what they all say. But the bottom line is that we have
plenty of evidence that suggests you’re romantically involved with Cullen
Sharpe, and that you have every reason to lie on his behalf. A judge and jury will likely see things
the FBI’s way, not your way. Remember that, the next time you consider telling Cullen about me, or
about any conversation we might have now or in the future.”
Ivy felt tears starting to well in her
eyes, and before she knew it they were pouring down her cheeks, and she hated
it. She hated that Lucas was seeing
he’d gotten to her, just as intended.
“I don’t know why you’re doing this to
me,” Ivy said softly.
“You might just be unlucky,” Lucas said,
standing up. “You got caught up
with the wrong guy at the wrong time. Personally, I don’t care what you did or didn’t know about the man when
you started fucking him.”
Her shoulders shook. “You’re evil,” she whispered, but her
words were barely audible.
Lucas continued, as if he was discussing
the weather. “I’ve told you that
he’s a bad guy and the United States Justice
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