Page 40 (1/2)

"We can go get your clothes tonight on the way hoot you withher "Don’t expect o"

She wiped his ain "Text et to your office so I know you’re safe"

She nodded and reached for the door "Be careful"

"Careful is ht it was Luke’s" She pushed open the door and slung her briefcase over her shoulder, before heading the short distance to the glass door before disappearing inside

He dialed Kyle "I’"

"I’m about to follow her onto the elevator She’ll be fine" He hung up, no doubt already inside the car with Lauren

Royce dropped his phone on the seat, his gut tight Da down this bastard His first target, the ‘dude’ who’d been nasty to Lauren the day before Whether he was guilty of being a jerk or guilty of ain when Royce was done with him

Fifteen minutes later, Royce pulled into an apartment in the east side, poverty stricken section of Brooklyn and made his way to the door 4B He knocked, and mumbled under his breath, "Co amore "Yeah?"

A standoff ensued They stared at each other, sizing each other up Cockiness, bred fro, oozed from his opponent The man was a deadly weapon, but then, so was he "Jonathan Wilkins?"

"You’re looking at him," Wilkins said "Who are you and what do you want?"

"The name’s Royce Walker I’d like to talk about Lauren Reynolds"

No reaction "What about her?"

"You tell "

"She’s trying to killher job"

"Aet paid to kill another while others just get thrown in jail, now isn’t it?" There was nothe malice to the question "Makes a person appreciate the laws of another country An eye for an eye A life for a life"

"That’s called the death penalty," Royce reet a jury and we’re innocent until proven guilty"

"She’s already convicted my sister, and we both know it"

"Her opinion doesn’t matter The jury’s does"