Page 92 of Operation Protector
“Then let’s proceed.”
Colby couldn’t help it, he was looking forward to this. Looking forward to seeing the look on Liz’s face, not just when someone dared to interrupt this crucial victory, but when it turned out to be him…
De Marco didn’t even knock. He simply shoved the door open. Colby heard a click and whoosh as the automatic closer kicked into action. De Marco ignored that, too, just strode into the room as if it were his. And Colby realized he was now looking not at the caring, empathetic Foxworth man, but the firebrand lawyer who had made headlines around the world.
Liz stared in shock. But then she saw Colby, and the shock turned to fury. “What the hell areyoudoing here?”
Colby couldn’t help himself; he grinned. Her expression was even better than he’d hoped. She seemed to have forgotten her business meeting altogether. Teague was on his feet now and, Colby suspected, ready to move in any direction in the large room. It was a nice room, Colby noted out of habit, with afireplace over by another entry door, and French doors leading out onto a deck that probably had a fantastic view up here on the third floor.
Nicer than the Hollens, anyway.
“He’s here,” de Marco answered silkily, “for his daughter. The child you have smuggled out of state without notifying her father, after breaking the custody-sharing agreement two days before.”
“She’s my daughter,” Liz retorted loudly. “And I have every right to bring her with me.”
De Marco smiled, as if he knew that would only set Liz off more. “Not without notifying her father.”
Liz gave Colby a look of utter disdain. “Avoiding any time with the likes of him is good for her.”
“You might want to rethink your attitude, Ms. Hollen,” de Marco said, his voice still smooth and unruffled.
Liz swore, loudly. Considering whom de Marco had come up against in the past—and beaten—Colby thought she ought to be a bit more careful. But he was very glad she didn’t see it that way.
“So you lied,” she spat out. “When you said you wouldn’t fight me anymore.”
Colby smiled. “I leave the lying to you, since you’re an expert. I only saidIwouldn’t fight you anymore. Not that the fight was over.”
“But it is now,” de Marco said.
“I don’t care how unbeatable you think you are, de Marco, you picked the wrong side here. Judge Boras will slap you down with fines and maybe more if you interfere with me.”
Colby tried to stifle a laugh, then realized nothing would push her over the edge faster, so he let it out. De Marco’s smile widened. “If you mean your bought-and-paid-for judge, you’ll want to rethink that, too. He was charged with multiple rather salacious crimes just an hour ago, and his time as a judge is over,for good. And he’s going to take you and your family down with him.”
Liz’s eyes widened. “I don’t believe you.”
De Marco shrugged. “Check. It’s all over the news. We’ll wait.”
She did just that, picking up the phone that lay on the arm of the chair she’d been sitting in when they strode in. A few taps and a half scroll and she stopped. She paled as she read, and Colby knew she’d found the story.
She looked up at them again, and this time in addition to the fury, there was a touch of fear. Just the idea of being held to account clearly frightened her.
“Well,” Teague said as if he were still that businessman, “obviously you’re not the kind of person my company wants to be associated with. You can consider this discussion over, and the deal officially dead. And I’ll make sure everyone we do business with is warned off.”
She let out a little sound as she spun around to look at the man she’d clearly almost forgotten was here. She wasn’t used to being afraid, and she did not handle it well. She let loose a tirade so loud it made Colby’s ears ring.
A noise came from another entry door he’d noticed by the fireplace. Colby saw Teague spin around, then take a long stride to put himself in front of both him and de Marco. The assistant coming to check because of the noise? Or worse, more security they’d missed? Or—
His mind went blank and his every muscle went taut as the door swung open and the person on the other side rushed in.
Grace.
Chapter 42
Cutter was practically dancing, but Quinn held him back.
“Daddy! I heard her and I knew it was you. You’re the only one who makes her so mad.”
The joy in the little girl’s voice made Ali’s heart skip a beat.
