The Defender

Knows Zac. Interesting. Not nearly as interesting as watching these two size each other up the way idiot males often did in their attempt to establish who’d be the lead gorilla in the room.

“Yeah.” Zac said.

“Uh-oh, Zachary. The FBI knows who you are. Maybe they’re watching you.”

Zac shrugged. “Let ’em watch.”

Russ glanced back at her. “You’re half-right.”

“Excuse me?” she said.

“It’s part of the shooting investigation. We’re looking at motive as to why someone decided to open fire on innocent civilians. Your brother’s job—as well as yours—makes him a possibility.”

Emma straightened from leaning on the doorframe and stepped fully into the room. “Come again?”

Without moving from his spot, Zac nodded. “People threaten ASAs all the time.”

“Correct,” Russ said. “We’re looking at everything. Including the case your father is currently working.”

“Hang on,” Penny said. “You think the shooter was aiming at my father?”

“Didn’t say that.”

“Russell!”

He shifted back, tilted his head and gave her a flat-mouthed look. “Can I answer the question before you start hollering?”

Sufficiently chastised, Penny sat back. “Sorry.”

Zac folded his arms and grinned. “This, I’m enjoying.”

“No kidding,” Emma said.

But Penny had had enough of them. “Knock it off, you two. Go ahead, Russell.”

Russ swung his gaze to Zac and Emma, then came back to Penny. “Anyway, we’re looking at every angle. Everything is a possibility.”

“You’ll keep us updated?”

“Of course. Until we figure this out, though, don’t go having press conferences on the courthouse steps. Lay low and stay safe. Got it?”

And—hello, sexy eyes—the power in that dark-chocolate stare set her body to churning again. Normally, she’d say something snarky about being bossed around, but Russ didn’t look in the mood to play. She didn’t know him well enough to know what he was in the mood for, but if the shadows under his eyes were any indication, sleep might be at the top of his list.

“I’ve got it,” Penny said. “I’ll be careful.”

“Thank you. We’re all set here, then?”

She nodded. “You’ll get back to me about that other matter?”

“As soon as I have something, I’ll call you.”

“Thanks. And thanks for today, too.”

Their eyes connected for a few short seconds, that focused and unmistakable recognition of sexual attraction. If Penny would let it happen, Russell Voight could completely unglue her. Which wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing, because heaven knew it took a lot for a man to work her up. Part of being an aggressive woman meant finding a man willing to do battle when necessary. And even when not necessary. Call her crazy, but Penny hungered for the pull of a heated argument. Most of the men she’d come across didn’t understand her need for debate or came off as arrogant and unbending.

Thus, the shrinking pool of male candidates strong enough to survive her continued to be a challenge. One thing about Penny Hennings, good or bad, she knew how to bring a man down.

Russ smiled at her, just a small quirk of his lips that let her know he knew her mind had gone somewhere other than Elizabeth Brooks. Dirty dog.

“You are very welcome,” he said. “I’ll call you.”

Penny cleared her throat. Gah. Quit acting love struck.

“I’ll walk you out,” Zac said.

The minute the men left the room, Emma swooped in. “Wow.”

Play dumb. Penny motioned Emma to the chair Russ had just vacated and the two of them sat. “Wow, what?”

This earned her a rather obnoxious snort from her dear friend. “Come on. You think I didn’t notice you looking at him like he was a giant pile of white gummy bears?”

Penny scrunched her face. “Hey, now, don’t say that.”

“Why?”

On the list of Penny’s all-time favorite candies, white gummy bears claimed the top spot. She didn’t just love them; she craved them with a ferocious yearning that kept her up at night, dreaming of the quick shot of sweetness hitting her system. No matter how many times she’d sworn them off, they always lured her back, teased her into submitting. When it came to white gummy bears, she was no better than the crack addicts swarming the South Side of Chicago.

“Because they make me feel weak. I don’t want a man making me feel that way.”

Emma tilted her head and puckered.

“Please,” Penny said. “Now you’re psychoanalyzing me? Listen, Freud, it’s nothing deep. I’m just saying I don’t want to feel needy when it comes to men.”

“Yeah, but you said you don’t want to be weak. You’ve never been weak a day in your life.”

“Exactly my point.”

Emma scoffed. “Maybe that’s your problem.”

Problem? She didn’t have any problems. “And what’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means I always knew you were a little nuts, but until now, I didn’t realize how deep your level of nuttiness ran.”

Only Emma could get away with saying that. And worse, rather than being insulted, Penny laughed. What had she ever done without Emma? Truly, it would have been a travesty if this woman hadn’t come into her life.

“You’re lucky I love you, Emma Sinclair.”

“I love you, too, which is why I will risk bodily injury and say this to you. Relationships are about partners. One is vulnerable when the other is strong. Then it switches back. It’s about balance. You think your brother doesn’t feel vulnerable sometimes? That guy worries about his job like no other. Makes me crazy, but I also love that about him. And trust me, he’s far from weak.”