Page 72 of Necessary Evil
“So Jenny’s not talking. The Judge is working on finding the method of transportation. Is there another accomplice that we’re just not seeing?” Evil finished his slice and grabbed another one. He’d skipped breakfast and was ravenous.
“Who gives a fuck?” Warden asked. “We have our orders. The Judge says he dies. He dies.”
“Our agreement with the Judge is we go after the perps that walk after their trials. We give the victims justice when there isn’t any from the system. The guys we’ve been doing lately aren’t even going to trial. We’re not giving justice a chance to happen. That’s a dangerous line.” Evil spoke the fear in the back of his mind. “How are we different from the criminals, then?”
“We kill for good,” Ryder said unemotionally.
“Are you even listening to yourself?”
“She’s right,” Sentinel said. “We are in a war. In a war, the bad guys die.”
“That works as long as there isn’t collateral damage,” Evil said.
“You think that piece of shit Bradford is collateral damage? That he’s innocent?” Sentinel sneered.
“No.” Ryder pushed herself to her feet. “In his mind, Lucy is the collateral damage. But I’ve got news for you. Every scumbag fuckwad has a mother or someone that loves them enough to grieve over them. Just because you’re bumping uglies with her doesn’t give you the right to question our code.”
Evil rose to his feet.
“Settle down, you two,” Warden said. “We’re not turning on each other.”
Sentinel stood up as well and bounced on the balls of his feet. Evil could tell he was spoiling for a fight. They all should just go to the gym and beat up on the heavy bag before they wound up beating on each other, he thought.
The hammering on the door broke the tense mood. No one should have dared disturb them when they were in a conference.
With a wary look at Evil and Ryder, Sentinel flung open the door. “What the fuck is so damned—”
He broke off as Lucy pushed her way in. She slammed a piece of paper into Sentinel’s chest. “This is a fucking restraining order, motherfucker,” she snarled.
Evil grinned. She was fucking gorgeous when she was angry.
“You don’t go near Jenny Marks. You don’t go near where she lives or where she works. Who the hell do you think you are? You terrified my paralegal. Is this some kind of power trip for you? You don’t want her, but no one else can have her either?”
“You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about.” Sentinel crumpled up the order and tossed it over his shoulder. “And you assholes shouldn’t have even let her come up here,” he snapped, addressing the two men behind her.
“Wait a damned minute.” Evil came around the table. “Lucy is allowed in the VIP area.”
“Not if she’s issuing restraining orders against one of the owners of this bar,” Sentinel snarled.
“Stop terrorizing innocent women and you wouldn’t need a restraining order,” Lucy interjected.
“Get out.” Sentinel pointed to the door.
“What the hell were you thinking?” Lucy said, her hands on her hips. “You could have had her back at any time if you really wanted her. Why are you so upset she moved on?”
“I don’t give a tinker’s damn who she’s fucking.” Sentinel grabbed Lucy by the upper arm and pulled her out of the boardroom.
She struggled. “Take your hands off me.”
That was enough. Evil gripped Sentinel by the shoulder, hard, and yanked him back. Sentinel let go of Lucy but swung at him.
“Really?” Evil said, dodging so that the blow hit his upper arm instead of his jaw. Launching himself at Sentinel’s waist, he tackled him to the ground. Let’s see how Sentinel’s Special Forces training holds up when he’s flat on his back. But Evil had underestimated him. Sentinel slammed to the ground, but immediately flipped him over. Straddling his waist, Sentinel pounded his fist into Evil’s face.
“Feel better?” Evil gritted out. Fuck, that had him seeing stars. This wasn’t the first time he and Sentinel had gotten into an all-out brawl, and he knew it wouldn’t be the last. This was Sentinel’s way of dealing with the frustration and anger that was always simmering under the surface. Hell, Evil didn’t mind going a few rounds. It kept him on his toes.
Sentinel drew back his arm to punch him again, but Evil kneed him hard in the ass, which sent him flying over Evil’s head. They both scurried up to their feet. Sentinel rushed him this time and slammed them both through the table.
“Wasting beer?” Evil snarled. He gave Sentinel two rough jabs to his body as they rolled on the floor, narrowly missing the broken beer bottles. He aimed for the same spot on Sentinel’s ribs each time, hoping the pain would clear the fog in his stupid head.