Love or Justice Read Online Free

watched in helpless fascination as tension rose between them until Dante’s jaw muscles twitched. Jim put his hands on his hips, and straightened his spine in answer. They glared at each other for several seconds.
    “It’s okay, Jim.” Laurie stepped between them. “He’s telling the truth. I have to leave because of what happened in the penthouse suite. We were getting ready when these two men broke in through my bathroom window. Dante was protecting me. He saved my life.”
    Dante grunted behind her, but said nothing.
    “Are you sure, Laurie?” Jim put a hand on her shoulder, looking into her eyes.
    Dante moved past Jim, out into the hall, with Laurie’s duffle bag in hand. He paused at the threshold and looked back at her.
    Laurie gulped down her fear.
    “I’m sure. I have to go with him.” She gave Jim a hug. “Please tell Darcy and Mona I had to leave. I don’t know if or when I’ll talk to them again.”
    “You have to leave right now?” Jim followed her to the door.
    “No, ten minutes ago.” Dante swung her duffle bag onto his shoulder, glaring at Jim.
    “I’m sorry.” Laurie hugged Jim again.
    “Ms. Shelton!” Dante snapped.
    “I have to go, I’m sorry!” Laurie tore herself away from Jim and ran toward Dante.
    Laurie and Dante walked down the hall and into the whitewashed stairwell in silence. They exited the emergency door. Laurie followed Dante to an unmarked black SUV in the parking lot.
    He unlocked her door, tossing her bag in the back. Laurie hoisted herself up into the cab.
    Laurie stared out the window as Dante gunned the engine and left the parking lot. She watched as the only home she had known for the past ten years faded into a blur of lights as he got on the highway. As much as she had wanted to leave the hotel behind, she found herself tearing up. She had planned her departure. This wasn’t it. She didn’t say goodbye to anyone except Jim. There was no ‘good luck cake’ in the break room or dinner after her last shift. She was being ripped away. Tears fell in hot little waves down her face. She tried to cry quietly, turning away from Dante to muffle the sounds of loss she wanted to deny, but all she could think of was her friends and whether she would ever see them again.
     
    ***
     
    Dante
     
    Across the cab of the truck, Dante fumed. He couldn’t believe this woman leapt from the closet at a dangerous, armed gunman. She’d endangered both their lives. Hadn’t listened to him at all. She’d delayed leaving with her packing and her hugging. He was angry beyond words, but he heard her sniffling. His stomach filled with cold dread. The sniffling turned to soft crying. He glanced over and Laurie sat crumpled against the window, her eyes buried in her hands. His anger melted. He ran a hand through his thick hair. This was going to be a long assignment.
    “You’ll be able to talk to them soon.” Dante glanced at her to see if his words had any effect.
    “Will I be able to see them again?” She turned toward him.
    Dante sighed. He knew better than to answer that. Talk to them, yes. Over a secure line through the Marshals Service. See them? No, never again. He tried a different tactic.
    “If you’d stayed, your friends would have been in danger. Even if you escaped the attack tonight on your own, your friends would be in a lot of danger. Anyone around you would have been at risk.”
    “I know.”
    “Things will be better in the morning, after you’ve had some decent sleep.” Dante knew he was lying through his teeth.
    “Sleep would be nice.” She tried to dash away the tears as they appeared.
    “Sleep now.” Dante looked back at the empty road. “We’ve got a couple hours drive before we get to the safe house.”
    She nodded. Laurie stared out the window for a long time. Longer than Dante expected. Finally, after almost half an hour, he glanced over to see her eyes closed. She looked serene. Her position was too contorted, too uncomfortable to look