(Blood and Bone, #2) Sin and Swoon(82)

“Yeah.”

He sits up, lifting Binx, and comes to the bed. “You look worried.”

I nod. “I am. Me and Antoine are about to get fired.” I wince. “I haven’t not had a job since I was thirteen. I worked at this shitty chicken shack in our small town and the owner was this mean lady. She always called me useless and threw chicken at me.” I grinned a little despite the fact I was terrified of what I had done. “The funny part was her name was Mrs. Beek. She had a chicken shack and her name was Beek.” I laugh at my own joke but Dash doesn’t smile. I cock an eyebrow. “You’ll still love me jobless, right?”

He scoffs. “You are the golden girl of the entire world. What could you—” he pauses, no doubt coming to the conclusion of my worry and possible actions. “Shit, Jane, did you get Antoine to send the information out globally?”

I bite my lip, wishing I could say no. I have never leaked information before. Ever. “Yeah.”

He closes his eyes, taking a deep breath. “So he’s exposing them all? Every person who went there is about to become a public spectacle?”

“I couldn’t let it get swept under the rug. I couldn’t risk it.” My insides hurt, but I have to ask even though I know the answer. “Did you go there?”

“No!” He offers up his answer and a wounded look. “Absolutely not. I never pay for sex; that’s insane. Water and sex should both be free to everyone.” He looks deeply into my eyes. “You realize what this means, right? You are done. No one will ever work with you again. I am for certain done. My career is over.”

I hate that this is where he’s going with it. “But they won’t ever have their day in court. The government is going to do the national-security bullshit, and then it will vanish. It will be some urban legend. And all eleven of those dead girls will have died for nothing. My job is worth their lives. I couldn’t risk it being swept away.”

He nods, lifting my chin. “As is mine.” He kisses me, and instantly my phone vibrates.

I glance at it, wincing as I answer. “Hello?”

“Going for code. Prepare,” a man says slowly. He comes back a second later. “Agent Spears, is there a reason our entire case has just gone to every media outlet in the world with the precise list of who made it happen?” The vice president’s voice is strong and harsh, even Christmas morning.

“No, sir.”

“I think you are lying to me, Spears. I think you know why. I imagine it has something to do with the fact you have zero faith in the system and its ability to prosecute those guilty?”

I gulp. “Yes, sir.”

“You have fucked this bad—really shit the bed on this one, but I suspect this was the option you were given. I don’t suppose you regret anything?”

“Just not seeing Guthrie for the man he was.”

He grunts a little. “Yeah, that is unfortunate. I suspect he will have very few friends now. Finding him might not be so hard after all.”

My brow furrows. “Why?”

“Have you seen the media blitz, Spears?”

“No, sir.” I point at the TV. Dash turns it on and scans channels until he comes upon one with Rory’s face on it.

“Merry Christmas, Spears.” The VP hangs up on me. I lower my phone, slack-jawed and shocked as Rory is named the whistle-blower of the biggest scandal in American history.

“Holy shit!” Dash snuggles in with me as Binx finds himself a new comfy spot to rest, oblivious of the outside world around him. “He’s screwed. That organization has some of the most powerful men in the world in it, and Rory has just betrayed them all.”





Epilogue




So you’ll be a lady then?” Angie is squealing she is so excited.

I shove her a little. “No. I don’t know. Dash’s dad is still young. I don’t think I have to think about this for a few years. I’m good. Just stop. Don’t make that face.” I point.

“What face?” She beams.

“That one, right there. The huge grin.”

“What grin? Ya sassy little minx, I always knew being your friend meant I would go places. Like to see the queen.”

I roll my eyes as we walk down the corridor of the building dedicated to finding out the truth behind the whole affair. “You hate the queen.”

“Och, I don’t hate the queen. I hate the monarchy. I love the queen. She’s mighty feisty and acts like a lady, but ya know she’d kick ass when no one is looking.” She opens the door for me with her scanner card. Mine isn’t working yet.

Antoine grins at me from the booth where we have been sorting data. My phone vibrates. I flip it over, knowing damned well it’s Dash and he’s being cheeky. It’s a selfie with an adorable black puppy, and it looks like it’s sitting at my desk. “You have got to be kidding me,” I mutter, not able to take my eyes off the picture.