Princess: A Private Novel (Private #14)(61)

No, Morgan knew. Not a chance in hell.

And so his options were to run, or stand—he chose to stand, and Herbert hissed that he was an idiot.

Morgan said nothing. Maybe he’d be proved wrong, but he was listening to his gut, and his instinct told him that Flex would not be happy with Morgan simply being arrested and imprisoned. Flex wanted Morgan’s blood as badly as Morgan wanted his.

No, Morgan told himself, growing more certain. Flex wouldn’t send the police, and though Morgan believed in coincidence, he did not believe that a squad car would happen to pull up on him the moment he walked onto London Bridge, and single him out, when dozens of other pedestrians were walking across the length of the bridge.

There was something more going on here, and as the car drew close enough for the early morning light to illuminate the occupants, Morgan saw that his gut had been right.

Flex.

There was no mistaking the bulk that sat in the car’s passenger side, and who now emerged onto the roadside, clad head to foot in police gear, his equipment accurate down to the shoelaces. Behind him the rear door opened, and Rider stepped forth, equally tailored. So dressed, neither the men nor their car would draw unwanted attention—security was a part of London life, and nowhere more so than at its iconic locations.

Flex had taken the precaution of turning off the car’s interior lights so that they did not come on with the open doors, and Morgan could only just make out the shape of the figure in the car’s recesses. Behind the wheel sat the face of another “police officer,” and Morgan chanced a glance to Herbert, who gave a quick shake of his head—he didn’t know him.

“You keep your mouth shut, you fucking rat,” Flex snarled at Herbert. “Did the regiment teach you nothing?”

“Taught me that you’ll blow the bridge to save yourself,” Herbert replied.

“Shut up,” Morgan told him, as calmly as he could in the presence of Jane’s killer. Then to Flex, “Take Knight out of the car, and Herbert’s yours.”

“Change of plan on that one.” Flex shrugged his massive shoulders. “Knight can go, but you’re coming with me.”

Morgan held his tongue. He’d expected the gambit, and now ignored it, instead taking in his options, and his chances. Flex and Rider were both armed, pistols holstered on their hips. As seasoned pros, neither man was impinging on what would be the other’s aim—Rider stood aside and staggered from Flex. Morgan was a quick draw, but he couldn’t expect to take down both men before he was hit himself. Was he willing to die to kill Flex? Was he willing to give Knight’s life, too?

“Let’s talk money,” Morgan said. “You said no to twenty million. Let’s make it thirty.”

“Thirty million to walk away?” Flex sneered.

“To walk away from this bridge,” Morgan corrected him. “We both know that this doesn’t end until one of us is dead, Flex. I’ll give you thirty million to give me Knight, and leave this bridge.”

Flex scoffed, and Morgan looked to Rider. “You may not want the money, but maybe your men do.”

“They want what I want,” Flex growled, taking a pace forward. “Honor. Respect.”

But the look on Rider’s face told Morgan different. “Thirty-five million.”

“Let him speak, Flex,” Rider said from behind his boss. “That’s a lot of money.”

“He’s trying to confuse you, you soft bastard,” Flex snarled, turning back to Rider.

“I’m trying to save my friend’s life, and to get us off this bridge.” Morgan now spoke to Rider directly. “Thirty-five million, or a lifetime as a wanted murderer. Your choice.”

The look on the former Foreign Legion man’s face said it was a simple one. “Let’s get back in the car, Flex. Let’s get out of here, and at least talk about this.”

“We’re not going anywhere.”

“It’s a lot of money.”

As the two men scowled at one another, Morgan chanced to look at the police car’s driver—the man was pale with nerves, his hands gripping the wheel hard.

“You can’t stay on this bridge forever,” Morgan said to Flex and Rider. “The real police are going to smell something, and when they get here, there’s no getting off this bridge.”

“The real police?” Flex snorted. “How often do you want to underestimate me, Jack? Insult me? Why dress up as coppers when I can just buy dirty ones? This is a Met Police car, and it works this beat. If I say we have all day, we have all day. All. Fucking. Day.”

Morgan shook his head, and flicked his eyes to the east—the sun was rising higher in the sky, and with it would come more pedestrians. More scrutiny. They could not stay on this bridge all day.

“Into the car!” Flex ordered Morgan and Herbert.

“Thirty-five million,” Morgan replied.

“Get in!”

“Flex, think about the money!” Rider pressed from behind him.

But Flex would not. He could only think about reputation, and how Morgan had stolen his. And so he reached into the car’s back seat and pulled Peter Knight out by his hair. Morgan watched tense as his battered friend was shoved toward the side of the bridge.

“I’m sick of your shit,” Flex spat at Morgan, confirming the American’s fears. “Either you get in the car, or he goes in the river.”