Page 7 of Broken Rebel

Not good at all.

“I told you to stay in the car,” he said in a voice that was so calm and low that shivers skated up my spine, making the hair on the back of my neck stick up.

I straightened my spine. “I got worried. You didn’t answer when I . . .” I pointed to the earpiece I was still wearing.

He stared at me, a muscle in his jaw jumping.

“Then I got to thinking that maybe you needed . . . I thought you might need . . .” I held up the cuffs. “These.” Jesus. I was not helping my cause here.

His gaze dropped to guy’s cuffed hands before those pale green eyes were back, boring into me.

I’d screwed up. Again. Goddammit to hell. “I shouldn’t have assumed . . .” I trailed off again, not sure what to say. Nothing I said would stop him from wanting to strangle me, that was for damned sure.

His free hand was at his side, fist clenching and unclenching, causing his corded forearm to flex. I was obviously messed up in the head, because it kind of turned me on.

“I’ve been doing this a while, Ruby.”

I lifted my eyes back to his. “I know . . . I just . . .”

“I think I know what I’m doing by now.” More teeth gritting. “What if this guy hadn’t been alone?” He shook the man standing silently beside him, watching our little drama unfold, for emphasis.

“I have this.” I pulled the Taser from my pocket and held it up. “I also have this.” I drew my gun from the back of my jeans with my other hand. “I’m more than covered.” I slid my gun back in my waistband.

The Volcano returned and the muscle in his jaw ticked again. “Jesus fucking Christ.”

Nope. I wasn’t hot for the jackass anymore. I wanted to tase his ass. “Why can’t you just trust me?”

He shook his head. “Because you don’t know what the fuck you’re doing.”

Okay, I could admit my mistakes when I made them, when I was wrong. And yeah, coming in here was definitely a mistake. But I’d had good intentions. That had to count for something, right? “Maybe because no one at the agency will show me!” I flung my hands up. “You know this is what I want to do. Be more involved in this side of the business. To get out from behind that goddamn desk.”

“Not happening,” he said without missing a beat.

I wanted to scream. Just open my mouth and let rip. “Well, sorry, but that’s not your call.”

“Wanna bet?”

My God, he was a stubborn jackass. There was no one more annoying on the face of the earth. “Looks like Hunter’s already decided to give me a chance.”

“Hunter told you to stay in the car.”

Shit. “I’ll explain what happened. He’ll understand.”

Neco stared up at the ceiling for several seconds. I could only guess he was attempting to calm down. That’s when the guy he had hold of took advantage of his momentary lapse of concentration and kicked back suddenly, nailing Neco in the knee, and made a break for it. He came barreling toward the door . . . and me, and before I knew what I was going to do, with only a split second to act, I fired up the Taser, aimed, and fired.

The guy dropped like a stone to the floor and started flopping around like a dying fish. I stared down in horror and fascination.

“He’s down, Ruby,” Neco said.

My eyes were locked on the flailing dude on the ground.

“He’s had enough,” Neco muttered, reaching out and taking the device from my hand.

The guy lay motionless on the ground. I realized I might have shocked him a little longer than necessary. “Oh God, did I kill him?”

“He’s just out cold.”

I screwed up my face when a strong smell hit my nose. “Jesus. What the . . . ?”