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“Debutantes, Capitol Hill brats, and an intern froer over the pale, shadowed face of a young woh school”

“Underage?”

Their eyes uy is a predator Is the senator implicated?’

“His people are aware the kid is a proble hi?”

“Nothing on radar Don’t see how they can let this continue The kid gave alcohol and drugs to a seventeen-year-old and then slept with her It’s all on film”

“Motherfucker” Gabriel placed the photos back in the envelope and slid it across the table

“Returning your fee” Jack tucked the photos inside his leather jacket and then took a business-sized envelope from one of the pockets He held it out

Gabriel waved it aside

Jack dropped the envelope next to Gabriel’s coffee ry blue eyes on theacross from him

“She will always be my problem”

Jack squinted

“Man like you, spends thousands on white stuff that goes up his nose Nearly gets himself and his father killed Shit” He shook his head “I’hted you aren’t with her anymore”

“Then take the money” Gabriel clenched his fist and inhaled deeply, resisting the urge to bounce Jack’s head off the table

“Tom should have solved this problem Way I look at it, he fell down on the job”

“It isn’t the first time If you’re so sympathetic to Julianne, why the hell didn’t you rescue her from her mother? You could have saved her the scar on the back of her head”

Jack’s face grew very red “She told you?”

“Of course”

“Fuck”

Gabriel glared “I don’t expect you to understand, but for reasons I won’t delineate, we can’t be together I’d still walk through Hell for her And I’ll be da to let some motherfucker with a senator for a father embarrass and humiliate her You don’t want the money of a cokehead who broke your niece’s heart? Fine Do your job and do it right, or I’ll find someone ill” Gabriel stuffed the envelope into his pocket and moved to stand

Jack held out his hand to stop him

“I’ll call you when it’s done”

“Good I expect you to keep this conversation between us”

Jack looked up at him in surprise “Don’t you want her to know?”

Gabriel’s expression tightened “The i is that she’s safe No blackmail, no blowback They stay out of her life forever And she gets to sleep peacefully at night”

A long look passed between the two men before Gabriel strode out of the diner

Chapter Fifty-one