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“You aren’t my attorney, Gabe. We have no official contract.”
I reach in my pocket, pull out my money clip, and hand her a dollar. “Pay me and tell me I’m hired.”
“Gabe—”
“Do it, Abbie,” I bite out, feeling the pressure of Reese’s courtroom schedule.
“You’re so damn stubborn,” she hisses but she shoves the money in my hands. “You’re hired.”
“Tell me,” I order, pocketing the dollar.
“I’m afraid I caused this.”
“What does that mean?”
“I found some incriminating documents a few years back, proof that Kenneth stole from Jean Claude. When he came at you, I hit a limit. I didn’t want you to suffer for me. I had Jean Claude’s business card in my wallet. I thought if he went at Kenneth, broke off their financial arrangement even, that Kenneth would have his hands full. He’d back off. They’d leave us alone.”
“You sent the documents to Jean Claude?”
“Yes,” she says grimly. “I sent them. I told a brutal man that another man stole from him and someone ended up dead. Kenneth ended up dead. I caused this. Jean Claude—”
“Is responsible for whatever Jean Claude did. You didn’t do this.”
“We both know they will look at me and look hard.” Her jaw clenches. “I kissed you and then dragged you right into hell. That’s what this feels like.”
“This isn’t hell. This is you and me putting your hell behind us.” Hell was where I was living before I ever found her, but I don’t say that. I don’t intend to ever tell her that story.
“Cat just texted me,” Reid announces, rejoining us. “Reese is going to be another half hour but traffic is heavy. We need to get moving.”
Abbie’s cellphone rings. “That’s going to be my mother,” she says, reaching in the pocket of her jacket and grabbing her phone. “It’s her,” she says, glancing at the screen. I’m taking it.” She answers the line. “Mom,” she greets, already walking away.
I let her go, turning to face Reid, giving him the full update.
“I have only one question for you,” he says. “The only one that matters. The one I haven’t directly asked you. If she didn’t order the hit, who did? Did you?”
“I didn’t order the fucking hit, Reid. And I can’t believe you even asked me that.”
“We both know why I did.”
He’s talking about my involvement in the little prick who stalked our sister a few months back ending up in the hospital. “I don’t have time to go down this rabbit hole. You’re no boy scout, Reid.”
“I never pretended to be. That’s where we differ. I’m an asshole who claims to be an asshole. You’re Mr. Nice Guy with all your jokes and funny stuff, but we both know that you cut ten blades deep when someone crosses you.”
“When someone tries to hurt someone I care about,” I correct. “And don’t expect me to apologize for that. I won’t. I go after those who deserve it. I protect those who deserve it.”
“Just make sure she deserves it,” he warns. “You barely know her. She was married to a bastard of a man for a long time. Like minds attract.”
“Don’t be an asshole, Reid. She was afraid to leave him. Hell, she was afraid to get close to me because of him. Even her mother was afraid for her to get close to me.”
“Maybe her mother was afraid she’d eat you alive.”
“Careful, Reid,” I warn. “If this was Carrie, how would you react to having her attacked?”
He arches a brow. “Is that how serious this is? You think she’s your Carrie? Because I repeat, you just fucking met her.”
“She’s not going anywhere, Reid. You want to protect me, you protect her. If you can’t do that, step away. Go the fuck back to Italy.” I turn away, but he catches my arm.
I bite down and face him again. “What?”
