Vigilante Mine Read Online Free Page A

would take the offer at face value. McLelas Financial aside, building Klepto's renown for eliminating the competition depended on a police department with the funds and equipment and manpower to handle the influx of thugs dropped on its doorstep. Lieutenant Dale and his comrades running the 16th sported solid enough track records to make it happen. Asking for anything in return had never been part of the plan.
    The president of an upstanding financial institution didn't twist the law to his own aims. That job fell to Klepto. But Amanda . . . her whiskey-smooth voice . . . She provoked memories of a night he'd rather remain buried.
    At least this mistake wouldn't physically harm her.
    A pang of self-loathing forced his hands into fists. The way she'd looked at him, the accusation, the hurt, the mute, cold acceptance. Like she'd hoped for a second he was as clean as his business cards professed. Like he'd let her down.
    I can fix this.
    Ryan eyed the way Detective Werner led the way without hesitation, head high, self-assured, far too tempting in her pale blue cotton tee and snug denim — Remorse forced his gaze to the safer, taut line of her shoulders. She didn't favor her right arm. A good sign, but not one that eased his conscience any more than months of keeping tabs on her recovery had. She was here at the precinct, back with the force. That meant she was fine, didn't it?
    Ryan shook his head as she stabbed a finger at the elevator call button. He could forgive himself for re-launching the syndicate gunfights. Maybe. Eventually someone would have broken the ceasefire. But despite that, despite all the crooked deals he'd cut lately . . . His fingertips brushed the front of his jacket. Accidentally shooting Amanda was the only thing that could make him feel so much guilt his chest burned.
    The bulbs embedded in the ceiling gave a loud fizzle. They dimmed twice before returning to full strength. She slapped a palm on the wall and sighed when the lights dimmed a third time. The look she sent him was not a happy one, and his gut said it wasn't because of the elevator.
    The truths locked inside the Old Town file had to be worth this torment.
    "Elevator's out again, Werner." A muscular officer in plainclothes passed them with a grin. "I think she's stuck down by Evidence."
    Amanda groaned. "Thanks, Hunter."
    Ryan cleared his throat. "This happen often?"
    "She takes a lunch break between 11 and 2." She pivoted on her toes, her brown-gold hair whipping over her good shoulder. Still no sign of the injury. "Stairs."
    Amanda brushed past him toward the opposite end of the hall and his whole body seemed to remember at once that she kissed like a vixen. When had timing ever been convenient around this woman? Ryan tugged his suit jacket down, a vain attempt to hide interest that distance had never quite squelched in the first place.
    Forget it. Forget her.
    Right. If out-of-sight, out-of-mind hadn't worked after all this time, how could he expect to shake his thoughts free of her now? Now that she stood an arm's length away, now that he'd breathed her in again — sweet, sweet caramel — he needed to be even closer, needed to know if she was truly okay. He didn't deserve it, could never have a clean slate, but she was right here . Maybe this was his chance to do penance.
    Too bad he hadn't considered that before asking for the file. She didn't like him, and she would never tell him about her recovery. He'd have to get her to open up first. Perhaps he could merely look at the file and return it, rather than remove it from the building. Then, unmasked, he could win her over the way he did everyone else in the city: charm.
    "May I call you Amanda?"
    Her sneakers squeaked, fumbling on the next step. Amanda righted herself before he could intervene.
    Ryan threw her an improvised grin to cover a wince. Lieutenant Dale had never mentioned her first name, and the narrowed blue eyes staring up at him were loaded with