Loving Lies by Lora Leigh Read Free Book Online

mean witch at the best of times. She was a good woman, and for a while, until the past month actually, she had been his partner on a secret operation for the F.B.I in conjunction with the Office of Homeland Security. The fact that she worked for the agency and lived close enough to him that he knew her well had worked out for them and the operation. The fact that she was looking so hard for him could be a problem.
    â€œAmy doesn’t have a hold on me.” Slade shook his head, trying to push away the memory that the operation they had worked on had been dropped rather than completed, and the needed information still hadn’t been gained.
    â€You better hope she doesn’t,” the other man grunted, rubbing his hand roughly over his lower face. “Because if she goes after Jessie and you let her tear into her…”
    â€œNo one will hurt Jessie.” The smothering sensation disappeared beneath the instinctive, furious urge to shelter Jessie.
    â€œMake sure of it,” Ron warned him firmly. “And expect Rhonda to tear you a new ass next time you see her. Jessie has been one of her babies for years, and she’s worried herself to death since the girl came up missing. She won’t be happy that you didn’t let her know where she was.”
    Rhonda was Ron’s wife. A petite, blonde-haired spitfire who everyone knew better than to mess with. She was friendly as hell, smiling, laughing, making everyone feel welcome. But mess with one of her babies, whether the child or person she had taken under wing was her blood or not, and she would take an iron skillet to your head. She had been known to do that on more than one occasion.
    â€œJazz and Zack said to tell you they’re kicking your ass too.” Ron smiled then. A real pleased, exuberant kind of smile that had Slade grimacing. Jazz and Zack had been his best friends all his life. They were presently partners in a rapidly growing home construction company that threatened to make them very comfortable, wealthy old men one day.
    And Slade had no doubt they would kick his ass. They were usually damned good at keeping their word.
    â€œI can see you’re looking forward to it,” Slade muttered. “Hell, you’d think I took off with a minor the way you’re acting. She’s of age, Ron.”
    â€œAnd I have a feeling you fucked up,” Ron drawled. “And that kid you’ve hijacked this weekend is going to be the one to pay the price. If that happens, I’ll kick your ass, and you can bet I won’t leave you walking when I’m finished.” His finger poked into Slade’s chest, causing him to blink at Ron in shock before narrowing his eyes.
    â€œIf I fuck up and lose her, then you won’t have to kick it.” He knocked the other man’s hand back, tensing, preparing to meet the challenge in Ron’s eyes. He didn’t want to tangle with the gutter fighter he knew his friend was, but he would if he had to. “If I lose her…”
    He snapped his lips closed. Fuck it. “This is my business, Ron, not yours. Not now, not ever.”
    Ron flexed his shoulders, his anger more than apparent, even as confusing as it was. What the hell had Amy done to piss him off so hard? Slade couldn’t fathom the reason behind it, but he knew he would damned sure get to the bottom of it.
    â€œI’ll take care of Amy after I take Jessie home tomorrow,” he snarled, furious at the other man’s interference and threats. “I’ll deal with whatever the hell she thinks she’s doing and Jessie won’t be affected. You know better than to think I’d hurt her.”
    â€œAnd I don’t think you’ll have a choice,” Ron bit out. “That’s the pissy part, Slade. Amy plain pissed me off while she was out there this morning, and her smart-assed shit didn’t go over real well with Rhonda either.”
    And when Rhonda wasn’t