Love or Justice Read Online Free Page A

peaceful, but there was a calm, quiet aura about her while she slept curled up on his front seat.
    Dante drove for another hour down deserted highways. There were no cars behind him, not even at a distance, so he decided not to take any back roads or to back track to loose potential followers. He pulled up to the safe house in good time. Buried in the Hilo Forest Reserve, the house was impossible to get to if you didn’t know the dirt pathway off the main road. The lights in the house were on. He recognized the cars in the driveway. His team was already here. He pulled in behind them and waited. He saw some of the curtains move. He reached over to Laurie.
    “Laurie.” He shook her arm. She bolted upright in the seat, scaring both her and him.
    “What? What?”
    “Easy, easy.” He grabbed her shoulder. She looked confused and pale. “We’re at the safe house now. When my team comes outside, we’ll go in.”
    “Oh.” Her eyes drifted from his face over to the windshield.
    She sat back in the seat and yawned. Dante glanced up to see two of his team members emerge from the house. They ambled toward the car.
    “Stay here. I’ll make sure they’re ready for us.”
    He got out to meet them in front of the hood of the truck.
    “Hey boss, little late tonight.” Cheyn flashed a smile at him that gleamed white in the darkness. He was shorter than the other Marshals, and a native islander, with spiky black hair.
    “Yeah, ran into some trouble at the hotel. Two attackers broke into her room right before we left.”
    “You’re kidding.” Cheyn quirked an eyebrow at him. “You had to fend off two guys already?”
    “Yeah, I’ll tell you about it tomorrow. You ready for us?”
    “I know I’m ready for her.” Max stared at Laurie through the windshield.
    “Max, that’s unacceptable.” Dante stepped into his line of vision, blocking Laurie from sight.
    “Aw, come on boss. We don’t get too many sweet girls as an assignment.” Max backed up a step.
    Dante gave him a businesslike scowl.
    Max looked away from the truck, out into the trees.
    “I don’t want to hear anything like that again. She’s under our protection.” He tossed Max the keys to the truck. “Turn it off after I get her and the bag.”
    Max caught the keys and stood there while Dante walked away.
    Cheyn grinned, chuckling. He leaned over to Max.
    “Boy, he’s not in the mood tonight. He ain’t playin’ with you.” Cheyn nudged Max’s ribs with his elbow. Max glared at him and Cheyn chuckled even more.
    Dante pulled Laurie’s bag from the backseat. Then he opened her door. She looked at him wearily. Her eyes were glassy and her lips compressed into a thin line.
    “Come on,” he said. “Let’s go inside.”
    “Okay.” She slid out of the seat.
    Dante shut the door. He put his hand on her shoulder to steer her toward the house.
    Cheyn fell into step beside them.
    “Hello, Miz Laurie, I’m Cheyn. I’m your protector for the evening.” He extended his hand with a grin.
    Laurie smiled and laughed.
    Dante scowled. He hated the way his men looked at Laurie. He hated the way that Jim guy looked at Laurie. “Introductions tomorrow. We’ve had a long night.” Dante quickened his pace, pulling Laurie along with him. “Cheyn, I want Max to take the first watch, you’re the second. David’s fourth.”
    “Yes, sir, boss man.” Cheyn gave him a little salute.
    Laurie chuckled again.
    Max jogged up behind them as they all climbed the stairs, entering the house. David was keeping watch at the living room window.
    “David.” Dante nodded in greeting.
    “Boss.” David gave a little salute.
    Dante steered Laurie up the stairs toward her bedroom, at the back of the rooms on the left. “Laurie, this is where you’ll sleep. You’ll have your own bathroom, in there.”
    He gestured to a wooden door, half open. He put down the bag by the bed, which was bare. Dante sighed. He thought his men would have the forethought to make the lady’s