Read Online Another One Bites the Dust by Lani Lynn Vale - Free Book Online Page B

that though.  You always seem to know what to do to make me feel safe.  Thank you, Max.”  She said huskily.
    The way she said Max sent my dick into ‘let’s do it’ mode and she hadn’t said a single dirty thing.  “You’re welcome, pretty girl.”
    “Max?”  She asked quietly.
    The tone in her voice made me come to a stop outside of Layne’s office.  I turned my back towards the door and surveyed the hallway.  “Yeah, baby?”
    “I’m ready for you to come back.”  She whispered.
    Before I could answer her, a sugary sweet voice said, “Well isn’t that sweet.  Does she know what you’re doing?”
    I heard the door open, but I’d just assumed it was Layne.  Obviously, I shouldn’t assume.  You know what they say and all, ass out of you and me and all that shit.  Payton’s swift inhalation on the other end of the line took my attention away from the sneering woman in front of me, and back to Payton, who I’m sure was fuming right about now.
    “Apparently, the bitch slipped her leash.  Perhaps we should buy her a shock collar next time.”  I said mildly.
    “You bastard.”  O’Hare said and lunged.
    Now my momma told me never to hit a woman.  What I did next wasn’t so much as hitting, as helping her fall.  I raised my hand and wrapped it around her loose hair, guiding it away from me and using her momentum against her so that she sprawled unladylike onto the tiled floor.  She went down, and I stepped into Layne’s office so I would have a witness in case this got any uglier. 
    Layne looked up in surprise as I slammed his door open, stepping in quickly to one side as O’Hare made another lunge at me. 
    Layne’s sharp “O’Hare.”  Stopped her cold, and she came to attention two feet away from me.  “What the hell is going on?”
    “O’Hare doesn’t really like me very much.”  I said jovially.
    Her outraged screech filled the room, their eyes connected and finally Layne said, “Well?”
    “He called me a bitch!”  O’Hare said.
    “Lita, I realize that you don’t like him.  He doesn’t do anything unless he’s provoked first.  I took you on this case unwillingly.  Now, I think it’s time you packed your belongings.  I’ll have a helicopter ready to take you home at twelve hundred hours.  Dismissed.”
    O’Hare, or Lita, watched in stunned silence for a few moments before storming out of the room, slamming the door on the way.
    “Hello?”  Payton asked.
    I’d completely forgotten that I still had the phone pressed up against my ear.  “Oh, shit.  I’m sorry Payton.  I forgot about you while drama queen had a temper tantrum.  Listen, can I call you back?” 
    “Of course, but I’ll be at work tonight, so don’t be surprised if I don’t answer.”  She said.
    “I love you.”  I said to her and then hung up the phone before she could say, or not say, anything back to my declaration.
    I laughed inwardly.  Let her chew on that. 
    Layne smiled, and it was a tad disarming since I never saw him smile.  He was a stoic man, who very rarely let you see that carefree side of him.  “So you got yourself a girl, do ya’?”
    “Sho’ nuff’.”  I said jokingly.
    He rolled his eyes, very much used to my sense of humor, and continued on with business like he didn’t just fire the drama queen only minutes before.  “You’re actually free to go back home now.  You will no longer be on active duty, but I’m going to get some paperwork in motion that will allow you to come in as an independent contractor just in case we ever need you again.  It just takes a while.  As you can tell, we were in need of you in a faster manner than that would have allowed.”
    “You don’t need me to stay?  Looks like you just lost one of your team.”  I asked.
    “No.  She was never really part of the team, we have plenty of support, and you’ve already done your time.  She was a pain in the ass is what she was.  She’s with the CIA and