Cold & Deadly (Cold Justice: Crossfire #1)(100)

And normally Dominic would say, no, sir. Nothing for you to get involved in, sir. He despised nepotism, but this wasn’t about him. This was about a grave injustice being dealt out to an agent he respected and admired.

“A fellow agent of mine, one I happen to care about deeply.” The director flinched at that, and Dominic knew he should feel ashamed for using his connections in a way he’d sworn he never would in the past. Except he wasn’t looking for favors, he was looking for fairness. And he’d only just appreciated how much Ava meant to him. “Was fired after I kissed her in public.”

The director opened his mouth to defend himself, but Dominic spoke over him. “Either the director fires us both, or he gives Ava her job back, and she faces the same disciplinary review process I do. What he does not do is treat us differently because she’s a rookie, and I’m the son of a goddamn politician.”

The president and his father came toward them.

“Is this true?” his father asked. “You fired Ava?”

“She and Dominic were involved in an intimate relationship—”

“Were?” Dominic snarled. Was he supposed to ditch Ava now?

Deep wrinkles gathered on his father’s forehead. “But that’s not frowned upon in the Bureau when they are both single.”

“Agents have to declare it to their supervisors. They can’t work together,” the director blustered.

“This just started,” Dominic said impatiently. He wanted to go to her but needed to fight for her first. “We didn’t plan to get involved. We were forced together due to…circumstances.” Dominic’s gaze flicked to his father and the president. He couldn’t discuss an active investigation even with them. “We fell for each other. Hard.”

Dominic closed his eyes. Oh shit. He had fallen for her so hard, from so high. His landing zone had been like the cross a parachutist aimed for from ten thousand feet. Tiny and insignificant until you got close. And then when you got closer you knew exactly what to aim for and where to go.

“I need to find her.” Dominic looked at the director. “I’ll hand in my official resignation tomorrow, but first I need to talk to Ava.”

“I saw her out front,” his father said. “With a pregnant woman. Senator Tremont’s daughter, I think…”

“Mallory Rooney?”

“Yes, that’s her.”

“Excuse me, gentlemen, but I have a relationship to save.” On the way out, he paused to put a hand on his father’s shoulder. “Sorry to ruin your party, Pop. I like Tracy, by the way. I hope you’ll both be very happy.”

“I like her too. In fact, I love her.” His father’s hand covered his. “It’s all right, son. Go find your girl.” His eyes grew watery. “You look at her the way I used to look at your mother when we first met. I want to see you dancing together at my wedding.”

So did he, Dominic realized. He wanted to show her off on his arm and go home with her. Which pissed him off all over again that she’d left without him.

Because he hadn’t fought for her.

Because, like always, it had been Ava Kanas against the world.

If only she’d been patient, she’d have seen him go to bat for her. Balls to the wall. Mouth set to megaphone. Was he too late? Had he come riding to her defense a few seconds too late? She was pissed but, more importantly, she was hurt. Would she forgive him?

He didn’t know. He texted her and waited for her to reply, but the message didn’t even show as being delivered.

Dominic stared at the screen impatiently then shook his head as he made his way through the ballroom to the front of the house. He knew how to negotiate a high-stakes game, and this thing with Ava was about as high stakes as anything he’d ever dealt with before.





Chapter Thirty-Two





Mallory wasn’t sure how she’d ended up at Governor Sheridan’s engagement party with her mother.

She wore a flowing black dress made of layers upon layers of netting that resembled a tent. It reached her knees—probably—and had a decorative collar covered in shiny costume jewels. The only saving grace was it was loose and cool, and her arms and legs were bare.

Mal was pretty sure she’d attended another engagement party in this house years ago and knew the governor had remarried several times after losing his first wife to suicide. She understood grief better than most. She was lucky to have channeled her anguish into her career on the way to finding Alex. If anything happened to him…she couldn’t imagine carrying on.

Except, she ran a hand over her taut belly, she had another reason to keep going now. Another reason to live.

She climbed the steps to the massive front door of the impressive mansion and took one look at the crowd of people milling around inside.

“You go on, Mom. I’m going to sit outside on the bench in the sunshine.” She pointed to a garden seat that might hold her weight. “Say hi to the governor and grab me some water, would you?”

Her mother’s mouth turned down at the corners. “Are you all right?”

Sweat broke out on Mal’s brow, and a wave of lightheadedness rolled over her, but the last thing she wanted was for anyone to make a fuss. Low blood pressure came along with the pregnancy, and she’d learned to move through it. It only lasted a couple of minutes generally. It was the constant back ache like knuckles kneading her kidneys that was driving her to distraction.