Page 47 of Savage Boss
Detective Miller is the first one to lower his weapon, stashing it away in his holster. Dean lowers his, too, then reaches out and grabs my arm in a vise-like grip. “Do you see now how dangerous he is to be around? Maybe he's not doing anything in this moment, but those bullets were meant for him, and you almostgot in the way. Do you know how his wife died? You're going to end up the same way.”
There’s movement behind me, and Miller's gun is back up in position. But I don't wait for Dmitri to react for me. I dig my nails into Dean's wrist until he lets go with a hiss, then slap him hard across the cheek.
Pain, sharp and stinging, radiates through my palm and up my arm as I step away from Dean and back toward Dmitri. “Don’t you ever fucking touch me like that again. You stay the fuck away from me. I don't want anything to do with you.”
“I should arrest you for assaulting a police officer,” Dean snarls.
“Self-defense, asshole. You put your hands on me first in front of multiple witnesses. I could sue you and get your badge taken away for that.”
Dean's shoulders rise and fall in a pattern I recognize as him nearing the limits of his control. The only thing keeping him from coming after me is the presence of all the officers, including his partner, who I have a feelingwon't back him upin this. I also have a feeling they won't be partners for much longer.
More police cars barrel into the street, followed by an ambulance. I look behind me, exchanging a look with Pavel before I take Emily's hand. “My friend is hurt. I'm taking her to the ambulance.”
I stare Dean down, daring him to make another move toward me, to arrest me for assaulting an officer.
The EMTs are seeing to Emily when another black unmarked car squeals to a halt. The door opens, and a tall, broad man with dark hair springs out.
“Michael!” Em cries, flinging her good arm out.
“Em, are you okay? Is she okay?” The man asks the EMTs and then turns to me. “Is she okay?”
“She’s going to be fine,” one of the EMTs assure him. “It’s just a graze. The bullet missed her, and I don’t see any shrapnel.”
He turns to me again, panic in his dark eyes. “What happened? I heard about the shooting on the radio and realized it was at your address. Last I heard, you were coming over tonight to stay.”
“I don’t—” I try to respond but have no idea what to say. “Someone drove up and started shooting. I really didn’t see anything; it happened so fast. I tried to get her out of the way.”
Emily and I exchange a look of ride or die, and I know she’s got my back, as always.
From the corner of my eye, I see Dmitri approach, watching Mike with every step, the lines at the corners of his eyes and mouth tight with caution.
“Okay, we’re taking her toMorningside,” one of the EMTs announce.
“I’m going with her.” I step into the ambulance, ignoring the way Dmitri and Mike both move toward me, but it’s Emily who stops me, her hand out.
“No, Clara, stop. I’m okay. It’s just a scratch, like they said.” She glances at Dmitri. “I need you to go with him. Right now. You need to disappear.”
“Go where? She needs to stay and talk to the police,” Mike says. “Em, what’s going on?”
“Later,” she tells her fiancé firmly, then wraps her good arm around me and hugs me before beckoning Dmitri over. He steps forward with unusual hesitancy, his gaze flicking to me before returning to Emily.
“Clara is not the mole.” Em drops her voice to a frantic whisper that only those of us closest to her can hear. “She would never betray anyone like that. Please, you have to believe her. Mike’s unit handles white-collar stuff, not organized crime.”
Dmitri's mouth thins, his jaw clenching, and I know what he’s thinking: Mike isn’t allowed to disclose details. Even if he is working the case, he’s still a federal agent. Disclosure to anyone, even his own fiancée, and especially to company legal representation, is a fireable offense. He would have to lie, no matter who is involved.
Emily knows it, too, but she still looks Dmitri in the eye, brave in the face of danger. “Clara isn’t the one.”
“We need to go.” The EMT breaks in, but I still hesitate.
“See? Go,” Emily says, nodding to the ambulance door.
“You promise you’ll call me?”
“I promise. Go. Please.” I take a step back and exit the ambulance.
Dmitri places his hand on the small of my back and begins guiding me away as Mike jumps into the back before pausing and thrusting his hand out toward Dmitri.
“Thanks for protecting them. Emily means the world to me, and Clara means the world to Emily.”
