All the Way Read Online Free PDF Page A

trouble.”
    A lump thickened in her throat at the memory of the slain officers. “Your partner’s safe. The ambulances weren’t for him.” Remembering her circumstances, she tried to sound tough. “He’ll call a taxi when he can’t find you.”
    â€œYou know who the ambulances were for?” He had nosy reporter written all over him. He detected a story and would do whatever he had to in order to get it. His nature might work in her favor; it might not.
    â€œListen, angel, playing this game with you has been—interesting—but I need to get back to my hotel tonight, so I can pack my bags. I have an early flight to Chicago. You don’t want to tell me what’s going on, fine. Tell me where to drop you. I have things to do.”
    His flippant attitude angered her. “Don’t you understand how serious this is?”
    â€œNo, I don’t. You haven’t told me what’s going on.”
    Payton watched him, trying to get a read on his trustworthiness. It was impossible. Even under duress, his eyes looked as if they danced with laughter. His tone roared with arrogance. He wanted to be in control. She wished she could relinquish it to him, relying on his strength to pull her through. The hardest part of everything she had suffered was going through it alone.
    Adriano licked his lips and grinned devilishly, knowing he had gained the upper hand. “I’m waiting, Payton Vaughn.”
    She’d never forgive herself for what had happened to those police officers at the hotel. She couldn’t endanger him. “Take me home.”
    She could see the wheels in his head churning, dangerously spinning ideas, but he only asked, “Where do you live?”
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    Adriano drove past Payton’s apartment building three times. “This is a terrible idea, angel.”
    She had no ideas. What did a person do when bad men were trying to kill her and the police had failed in their attempt to protect her? She needed to settle her racing thoughts and come up with a viable plan. She needed to feel safe for just a moment to weigh her options and figure this whole thing out.
    â€œI was hard on you before, but I mean it. This isn’t a smart move.” Adriano kept talking, taking the SUV for another tour around the block while he tried to convince her not to go home. “Do you have any family or friends you can go to?”
    No way was she dragging her brother and his family or her elderly parents into this. She’d managed to keep them at a safe distance so far; she wouldn’t chance them being used as leverage. “I appreciate your concern, but I need to change. I need money. I need time to think.”
    He continued to sweep the block, looking side-to-side as he drove, checking for anything suspicious.
    â€œI’m going to go in and change, pack a few things, and then I’m leaving,” she told him. “If I get this done I can be out in ten minutes. It’ll take longer than that for those thugs to track down my address.”
    â€œYou don’t think they know where you live?” He snapped into reporter mode again. “How did you get mixed up with such dangerous people?”
    â€œPlease. Let me out.”
    He rolled to a slow stop in front of her building. “I don’t like this.”
    She turned to apologize and thank him for all he’d done when he hopped out of the Land Cruiser and joined her on the sidewalk. “I’ll make sure you get inside okay,” he told her.
    Everything had happened so quickly she’d never had a chance to unpack after her trip to Miami. She’d spent three days at the new Skye club in Miami, gathering ideas for the best way to operate the business. She was so excited by the trip she’d headed right over to Sherman’s office from the airport after her return. She knew he’d be there, no matter how late. She had no idea what he would be doing when she