Breaking Bad Read Online Free PDF

me, Jack.”
    “Maybe you’re right. Maybe this case will help wipe the slate clean between us.”
    Wipe the slate clean between them? What slate did
she
have to wipe clean? Stevie made a sound similar to a snarl. He was impossibly obtuse. The most stubborn man on the planet. But also the sharpest. Sharper than even the illustrious Sheriff Cavanaugh.
    She glanced at the lifeless victims again. She was their voice now, their champion, and as much as she didn’t want to work with Thorn, she wanted to nail Spoltori more. No one deserved to die like those women had. So she would suck it up, pray she wouldn’t fall too hard and hurt too bad when it was all over, because she
was
going to work with Jack Thornton on this case. But on her terms. Stevie smiled blithely and gave Jack a sideways glance.
    “I have three conditions.”
    He raised both brows, as if skeptical that she had any say. But she did, in fact, have a say. A lot.
    “I’m listening.”
    “I’m team captain.”
    Jack started to shake his head, but she quickly put her hand up in the stop position. “We work out of my house, not yours. Your men report to me as they report to you,
and
take orders from me without asking your permission first.”
    “That’s four conditions.”
    “I’m a woman; it’s my duty to change my mind when it suits me.”
    “I’ll give you
co
-captain status, but understand my word is the final word.”
    Stevie ground her teeth, but kept silent.
    “My house has more advanced technology and a larger support staff.” When she didn’t argue he continued, “My men will report to us both and after we have consulted and agreed on a mutual order of business, feel free to order away.”
    She opened her mouth to counter when he put his hand up in the same stop position she just had. “I have a few conditions of my own, Detective.”
    Stevie exhaled loudly, crossed her arms over her chest, and said, “I’m listening.”
    He smiled and opened his mouth to say something, but thought better of it and clamped it shut for a thoughtful minute before he finally spoke. “No going behind my back.” He leaned into her when she pursed her lips. “For
anything.
We are to be one hundred percent transparent with each other. We’re a team, Detective. It will serve no purpose if we’re counterproductive.” When she didn’t speak, he stepped back.
    Surprised when he didn’t keep going, she asked, “That’s it? No more conditions?”
    “One more.” He looked directly at her. “There are to be no references to our history. It has no relevance to this case.”
    Stevie’s heart slammed high in her throat. His words hurt. She knew he hadn’t given her a second thought when he never once contacted her, not even a text to say, “Hey, you were a great lay, now it’s time for me to move on. Have a nice life.” But for him to say their past had no relevance stung deep.
    The sting galvanized her resolve. More importantly it closed the one door she had kept open in her mind. The one that welcomed another meeting with Jack in the hopes of furthering their relationship the second go around. Now she knew. That door was closed. Had been as far as Jack was concerned. It was past time she accept it. She inhaled deeply, then let the exhale go, long and slow.
    “I have one more condition, Special Agent Thornton.”
    “You have some balls, Detective.”
    “I accept your conditions. All of them. Just so long as you understand that if you so much as lay one finger on me, I’ll take you down so fast your head will spin off your neck.” The faint lines at the creases of his eyes crinkled. He thought it was funny? Grabbing a handful of her breasts, she smirked at his sharp intake of breath. “These are mine. I only share if I want to. I don’t want to share them with you, now, or ever. Look at them or touch them, even by mistake, and I’ll fucking geld you.”
    Jack threw his head back and laughed, the sound deep and mellow. Truly amused. “Oh,