Rough Edges Read Online Free Page A

time.
    Victor closed his eyes to block out the sight of her lovely face, and took a deep breath. “Do what you want, Bella. I’m here until the job is done, and right now that job means getting you to talk to Payton. Someone has to be in charge when you’re out looking for Gage, but none of the men will take orders from him anymore.”
    â€œBecause I told them not to.”
    â€œBut he’s the one with the most intel. You can’t just shut him out.”
    â€œI can. I have. End of conversation.”
    A grizzled old man came out of the house carrying a cooler. Victor recognized him but couldn’t place his name. He moved slowly, taking each step with measured care. No doubt the device was inside.
    â€œWe’re done,” said the older man in a voice as rough as crushed gravel. “We had to cut the gas line, so you won’t have any hot water. You need to find another place to stay tonight. We’ll do another sweep tomorrow in the daylight and fix your gas line.”
    â€œI’d rather sleep in my own bed,” Bella said.
    â€œYeah, and I’d rather not be mopping up squishy pieces of you come morning.”
    She straightened and squared her shoulders. “That one didn’t go off. There aren’t that many incompetent bombers with enough fingers left to do a job, but apparently, our guy was one of them.”
    â€œWrong,” said the man. “The work was solid. Set on a timer so the boom wouldn’t happen until the room had time to fill with a small cloud of gas. Whoever did this wanted to make sure you were
in
the blast, not just next to it. If you’d taken more than a few seconds to realize there was a problem and turn off the gas, you would have been one crispy critter.” He strapped the cooler into the back of his truck, inside a custom-built steel container.
    Bella’s jaw tightened in anger, but the rest of her body was loose and relaxed—just like she always was before a fight. “I didn’t see the problem. Uncle Sam’s poster boy here did.” She hooked a thumb toward Victor.
    The man’s bushy eyebrows lifted in a show of surprise. “Good eye. Bella assign you to a team yet? We could always use a man with a brain.”
    â€œHe’s spoken for,” she said before Victor could say a word.
    The older man nodded in acceptance. “Fair enough. I’m taking the device to my place out in the country to dispose of it.”
    â€œHave you gotten all the information from it you can?” she asked. “I’d really like to find the person who’s trying to kill me before they succeed.”
    â€œI’ll do what I can before destroying it, but it’s not the kind of thing we can have sitting around while the eggheads do their thing. That’s a really good way to lose eggheads.”
    â€œI understand,” she said. “I don’t want you to risk your fingers doing anything unsafe. You’re my man and I want you in one piece.”
    â€œYes, ma’am. We’re of a mind there. I’ll call you when I know more.” He got into his truck and pulled away slowly.
    A minute later, Franklin and two other men came out of Bella’s place, carrying the gear they’d toted in.
    â€œWe’ll come back after the sun is up and do another sweep. Do you want me to stay here tonight and keep watch?” Franklin asked Bella.
    â€œNo. I got it.”
    The young man’s face turned red and he shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other. “You know I can’t let you back in the house until the boss gives the all clear, right?”
    She crossed her arms over her chest, pressing her breasts upward in a mouthwatering display that made Victor squirm.
    â€œ
I’m
the boss, Franklin,” she reminded him.
    â€œYes, ma’am. You’re my boss’s boss and I respect that. But he promised me that he’d beat the everlovin’ hell out of me if