Freak Show (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #7)(83)

Juliet shifted in her seat, glancing uneasily from Briggs to me. There was something in the way she looked at him, something not entirely professional. Were they sleeping together? Sure Briggs was a hottie with that creamy dark skin, deep voice and intense government persona, but Juliet was playing with fire. It wasn’t my business though. My opinion would stay right where it was, in my head.

“Lexi, we take it very seriously when our agents are suspected of being involved in something illegal. There is no law against killing a vampire, but you must understand why we need to follow up on this.” Juliet appealed to my sensible side, hoping I’d respond favorably.

She wouldn’t look at Arys for long. Despite her tough exterior, he intimidated her. They hadn’t really met under the best circumstances.

“Sure. I just don’t understand why you need me to do that. The way I see it, I did you guys a favor.” I fixed Briggs with an ice-cold stare, daring him to make this my problem. “The entire Las Vegas FPA is corrupt. They’ve been in bed with the vampires there for a while now. So forgive me if I don’t feel bad about dispatching one of their sorry asses from the planet.”

Briggs seemed to be exerting great effort in keeping his jaw from dropping. The grip on his mug tightened, and his slow, steady breathing was incredibly forced. He looked to Juliet who shook her head. Nope. I wasn’t lying.

“What the hell are you talking about?”

Arys nudged me under the table. Maybe I shouldn’t have shared Jenner’s business transactions with Briggs, but I wanted him to know that the FPA as a whole had much bigger problems than me killing one measly vampire.

“Come now, Agent Briggs,” Arys said in his best placating tone. “Don’t pretend such corruption is unheard of in your organization. I’m sure the place is built on it.”

Briggs’s temper flared. He pounded a fist on the table, almost upsetting my beer bottle. “I can assure you, Mr. Knight, that no agent works with the enemy without just cause.”

“The enemy?” I repeated, incredulous at his broad description for an entire species. “That’s how you classify us? Well, now that I know where we stand, I’m pretty sure it’s safe to say we can never and will never be able to work together. On anything. Not even Shya.”

“It’s a general f**king term, O’Brien,” Briggs snarled, directing his angry gaze my way. “You are a goddamn monster, in case you’ve forgotten.”

Rage roared beneath the surface of my skin, threatening to burst forth like lava. Briggs was going to get burned if he didn’t watch it. “The worst monster I see here is the one throwing the word around while trying desperately to paint Feds as puritans. Get off your f**king high horse, Briggs.” I was seething. Letting him enrage me was playing right into his hands. A few calming breaths did little to help.

“Ok, let’s just keep things calm here.” Juliet held up a hand, demanding attention. “There is no reason we can’t discuss this rationally. Alexa, we’ll look into your claims. But please, can you agree to allow us to handle it next time you come across something as serious as a blood ring headed by an agent?”

I stared at her like she was speaking another language. “Um, what? No, I can’t agree to anything so absolutely ludicrous. That f**ker had children. Do you understand what that means? Vampires trafficking kids. Entertain that thought for a minute, will you?” I leaned back in my seat, arms crossed, angry gaze leveled on Briggs. If he was going to make me get graphic, I would. But I think he knew better than to push me on this.

After a few minutes of strained silence, Briggs relented. “You’re right, O’Brien. That’s some sick shit. Putting a stop to it should be a priority. I’ll take a look at the Las Vegas department myself, see what’s going on there.”

“And?” I was suspicious. He had changed his tune too easily.

“And I suppose I’ll do what I can to get the higher ups off your case. You made a call you thought was best that ultimately served the safety of the public. It wouldn’t be fair to hassle you further on this.”

I gawked at him, unsure of where this change of attitude had come from. Maybe sleeping with my sister was changing Briggs’s opinion of me. One could only hope. Although if that was the case, things could get sour very quickly if it didn’t work out with them.

“Thank you.” I raised my beer bottle to him before finishing the last of the brew. “You’re all wrong about me, Briggs. I am not the enemy. I don’t know why I have to keep saying so.”

“That’s the way the world works.” He shrugged. “We’re all the villain in somebody’s story. Get over it.”

Arys snickered. He knew that Briggs was pushing all the wrong buttons. “You’re talking the wrong crap to the wrong woman, my friend. Stop while you’re ahead.”

“Nobody here is a villain,” Juliet insisted, her gaze lingering on Arys. “Not even you. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be so dedicated to taking care of my sister. There’s no reason that we can’t work together for the good of this city.”

I was starting to get the feeling that this meeting had never been about Linden’s murder. It was just a ploy for Briggs to get me face to face so he could grill me further about Shya. “Don’t start with the Shya talk again,” I warned. “I have nothing to share with you.”