Lawe's Justice - Lora Leigh [41]
A fierce frown furrowed Lawe’s brow as a snarl lifted the sides of his lips. “That’s why the rogue they call the Executioner was shooting at you. Because he thought you knew something, Diane.” He bit out his words, the ice in his tone barely covering the anger. “Why the hell are you risking yourself and your men that way?”
“Let him keep thinking it then.” A toss of her head and a wave of her hand should be enough to convince him she really didn’t give a damn. “I hope the bastard has nightmares about me getting there first. Wherever the hell ‘there’ is.”
He raked his fingers through his hair as he turned from her, took two steps then turned back suspiciously. “You were gone three months,” he reminded her. “You found nothing?”
“Oh, I found plenty,” she informed him. “The files are in my bag.” She flicked her fingers to the leather bag she’d carried downstairs earlier. “Brandenmore and his scientists were some coldhearted monsters, but you already knew that. They were determined to make the Genetics Council’s scientists look like cuddly teddy bears. But none of them knew where the Roberts girl or the other two earlier subjects were. As far as they knew, the Bengal and the remaining girl had been terminated. If they knew any differently, they weren’t telling.”
She hadn’t expected them to know differently. She’d hoped one of the techs who had befriended the girl, or perhaps one of the scientists’ assistants, would have come forward, but none had.
“Son of a bitch,” he growled, the exclamation an animalistic rasp pushed between his teeth.
“None of the information I found applies to her,” she informed him. “And you know what, Lawe, I’m tired of looking. Especially considering the fact you’ve had a team just waiting to push me out and take over.”
The look on his face assured her he would have done just that.
“I didn’t know you were on that mission,” he finally told her, his voice harsh. “I had the team covering you, nothing more, in case your uncle’s enemies found you again. They hadn’t even notified me that Jonas had sent you out. As far as I knew, you were still on that security detail in California.”
The expression of self-disgust on his face had her suspecting he just might be telling the truth, but it didn’t really matter. Once he had learned what she was doing, he would have still pulled her out of it.
She snorted at the excuse. “Whatever helps you sleep at night, asshole. And that security detail? I’m not a friggin’ moron. I knew it for what it was while I was there. A damned pat on the head and a safe little corner to stand the weak little female in.” She flipped her hand carelessly as she stared back at him in disgust. “Now, I have reports in triplicate to write for your boss and a few vacations to arrange for my men. I have paychecks to write and bills to pay. Deposit my damned fee in my account so I can get that done.” Her voice rose in anger. “And leave me the hell alone.”
While he was speechless, or at least not speaking, she pushed past him and stomped across the room to the door. She threw a very human, more than furious snarl at the guard standing inside.
There were two more outside and two more at each end of the hall. The mated wife of the director of the Bureau of Breed Affairs was in attendance, so the security required was no less impressive than that of the alpha’s mated wives on the next level.
That didn’t mean there was a single damned Breed in the place that she wanted anything to do with at the moment.
Jerking her key card from the back of her jeans Diane swiped it through the electronic lock and pushed her way into the room.
As she knew they would be, her men were waiting, still and silent, their gazes narrowed as she came inside.
“Boss, I don’t like these fucking Breeds tellin’ us what to do,” Brick bitched immediately as she closed the door behind her, his dark face creased in a scowl. “This ain’t no fun for me at all. And I sure as hell don’t enjoy getting my leg trashed by some bastard out to keep secrets from them. I say we ditch this hellhole and go back to our real