Dangerous Liaisons by Tarah Scott, Evan Trevane Read Free Book Online Page B

breath washed over her cheek as she whispered, “Wait here. I’ll see what’s ahead.”
    He straightened and leaned against the wall, arms crossed over his chest and brows raised. Jesse grasped Lancelot’s collar and started forward. They reached the end of the hall. She stopped and peered around the edge of the wall. Straight ahead, half of the waiting room lay visible. She spotted the building’s main entrance. Where was the other exit? Jesse glanced at the dog. He remained impassive. She waved Cole forward. He tread lightly in those damned cowboy boots and came up alongside.
    “Don’t you think you’re overdoing this?” he whispered.
    “Where’s the other door?” she demanded.
    He motioned to the waiting room wall not visible from her position. “There’s an employee’s entrance in the secretary’s office.”
    “Can we enter the office through the waiting room?”
    He nodded.
    The employee’s entrance sounded better than the front door. “Let’s go.”
    They crept into the waiting room, then toward the secretary’s office. If they made it out the back, the men would follow. Would they come back for Rayburn? His would be a publicity-generating death. Maybe they wouldn’t take the risk. Or maybe he was already dead. She repressed a grimace when her empty stomach burned with stress.
    They made it through the waiting room and into the office.
    “I don’t think there’s anybody here,” Cole whispered.
    “They’re here,” Jesse replied. “When we open this door, where are we?”
    “There’s a small parking lot and a path connecting the office with the house.”
    Jesse released a frustrated breath. An open parking lot and back yard . “Stay here.”
    She started for the door, but got only three steps when Lancelot growled, then barked. Jesse lunged against the wall two feet from the door. Pain flashed up her leg.
    The door swung open, banging the wall inches from her shoulder. The muzzle of a Romanian Ratmil nine millimeter poked into the room.
     
     

Chapter Eleven
    Jesse’s heart leaped into a furious rhythm. The weapon had a three round burst capability. Who the hell were they expecting? Then she realized: her .
    Cole dove into the waiting room and rolled from view as expertly as any professional. Lancelot lunged forward at the same time Jesse swung the door closed. The Shepherd skidded to a halt as she slammed the door on the shooter’s arm. The man held tight to the weapon and Jesse heaved her weight against the door. He grunted and yanked in an effort to free himself. Three shots zipped past her ear and through the waiting room wall. She winced. Her heart beat faster, irritating the dull pain spreading through her injured shoulder.
    Lancelot barked with breathless intensity. Jesse grabbed the gun muzzle, shoving as she kicked the door open. The shooter stumbled backwards. He crashed onto his back still gripping the nine-millimeter. Lancelot charged past and pounced on him, locking the man’s free arm in a canine grip. She rushed forward as the intruder leveled the nine millimeter on her. She kicked, catching the barrel’s edge. The gun twisted from his grip.
    Jesse glimpsed tall, thick junipers lining the concrete walkway to the right as she yanked Lancelot back. She dropped to a squat, ignoring the tearing of her stitched leg, and seized the man’s hair.
    She pressed the scalpel to his throat. “Who the hell are you?” His eyes widened. Jesse dug the knife in. Blood trickled down his neck. Leaning in closer, she said, “The dog wants you bad, and if you don’t tell me what—”
    Lancelot turned, his lip peeling back in a ferocious growl. He sprang over them and darted into the juniper bushes. Jesse bore down on the man’s chest with her knee, then chopped hard on his vegas nerve with the side of her hand. He went limp. She wrenched her attention to the thrashing, growling junipers.
    A man shrieked, then three rapid shots. Lancelot let out a loud yelp. Jesse leaped to her feet.