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"There’s a ed me with her elbow behind the table As soon as the words left her, a hush fell over the group We were at Joe’s for drinks after ith our coworkers, and all eyes turnedup ed "It’s probably paparazzi--"

"It’s not"

My words died in ood friend She knehat I went through--the real story, not the story every , she enjoyed the attention Everywhere ent, the reporters were there Carter Reed was their obsession He was gorgeous olf-like blue eyes, chiseled cheekbones, and broad shoulders that tapered to a thin waist Even though he was usually photographed in a business suit or a tuxedo on the way to formal events, I knew thousands of woht of what he looked like underneath those clothes Carter was gorgeous, which made the reporters and their audience love him But what really made them salivate for any shred of information about him was his association with the Mauricio faerous He was known to be an assassin for a local mafia family, but asn’t known to anyone beyond a select feas that he was out He’d bought his way out, and he’d done it for ht my life back after I killed ato save my friend Those were our secrets

Almost a year later, when my choices had seemed to be die or run for my life, I went to Carter: uy I knew because he’d slept on our couch for so hts This was still how I preferred to think of him, not as the man the city knew as the Cold Killer, Carter Reed He wastone of Theresa’s words, every part of e, but I h the possibilities of who this an around the table and then someone asked, "What do you need from us, Emma?"

I looked toward the voice, confused

It was a secretary for one of the senior officers froether, and her lips pressed in a flat line I’d never talked to her before we sat together this evening Six otten this reception People would’ve gossiped and judged But now, as I surveyed the rest of the table, it seemed they wanted to help

Then I felt a presence at uard Carter had appointed as uard I had three of them at all times: Tho Built like professional athletes, but with the skills to disappear like ghosts or stand and fight the best of the best Carter trained all his racefulness of a cat, appearing and disappearing when they chose, but the abrupt arrival of one of uards could still cause ain, a hush fell over the group around the table Half of the girls recoiled fro presence, while the other half were probably trying to figure out how to take Thoo, Miss Martins"

I shot him a look

The corner of his mouth lifted "Emma"

"That’s better"

His hand caain, so politely and yet with authority, "We should be going, Miss Emma"

Ah A compromise I saw the flash of hued at my lips I slid off my stool and turned to Theresa "Did you want a ride?"

She started to shake her head, then grabbed at the table for balance With a laugh, she replied, "Yeah, maybe I think I drank that last pitcher all by hed from across the table "You and me, Theresa I think we shared it"

"Yeah Probably" Theresa gave her a slight s her clothes as she stood She o"

Oh, yes Theresa had forgotten to pay Laughing softly, I reached into my purse and laid a hundred-dollar bill onto the table It would cover the two pitchers we ordered and the pizza we shared with the rest The group called good-bye behind us as we headed out the door, and I lifted a hand in response Theresa bent her head forward and was already out the door, rabbed the sides ofether Icar Dashing in after her, as Tho from farther down the sidewalk

"Miss Nathans!"

Whoever that was, it wasn’tperson I relaxed a little bit He wasn’t someone I needed to worry about I cli the door

I glanced at him, surprised He usually shut the door and went to the front seat, but not this tiuard was already seated inside the liaze He pressed his intercoo"

The carover to pinch her forehead with her hand "That last pitcher was tooto re old, Emma Beer doesn’t sit ith le" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true">