Jake Long couldn’t be underestimated, even if he was temporarily on their side.
Ian took a few steps forward, and the stench of sweat and urine hit him. “What do you know about us?”
“Eric has done his research,” Jake told him, his eyes never leaving Ian’s face. “He’s got extensive files on all of you, but he’s taken a keen interest in you.”
Ian dug his nails into the insides of his palms. “You’re just saying that to get a reaction out of me.”
“You’re already riled up enough. That wouldn’t take much.”
Ian adopted a neutral expression. “What do you want?”
“I should be askingyouthat. You’re the one who came in here looking for answers.” Jake released the metal bars and took a few steps back. He kept moving backward until he stood directly underneath the window, bathed in the pale glow of the moon.
Ian squared his shoulders and ignored the twinge in the center of his chest. “I want to know why you did it.”
Jake’s lips lifted into a half smile. “I was wondering when you were going to ask me that. Why do you think I did it?”
“Why are you trying to psychoanalyze me?”
“You’rethe one who’s trying to psychoanalyzeme. Why would anyone do something like this? For money. Eric Tayloris a rich and powerful man. All I had to do was get him the information he needed, and I’d be set for life.”
Anger—hot, red, and unpleasant—burned in the center of Ian’s stomach. It rose to his chest and swelled, eager to burst out of him. He needed an outlet, something to keep him from doing something stupid that could cost him his job. Unfortunately, all he could think about was grabbing Jake by the scruff of his neck and shaking him hard enough to make his teeth rattle. Ian was dangerously close to losing it, but he didn’t want to.
He couldn’t afford to.
“And you’re okay with ruining people’s lives for this?”
What kind of man was Jake Long? How was he able to look at himself in the mirror every morning?
Jake shrugged. “They’re not people I know or care about, so why should that bother me?”
“I don’t care about the kind of deal you made with the DA,” Ian told him with a lift of his chin. He looked directly at Jake and refused to break their gaze. “If I find out the intel is wrong or that you’re messing with us, I’ll make it my personal mission to find you.”
Regardless of what the fallout was.
“And do what?”
Ian covered the distance between them, so he stood opposite the metal bars. It took every ounce of self-control he had not to reach out and grab Jake. “I don’t think you want to know.”
“That’s a lot of talk for a small-town boy.” Jake’s expression didn’t change. “You might want to check yourself before you play with the big boys.”
Ian gripped the metal bars, drew his lips back, and glared at Jake. “Don’t underestimate me. You have no idea what I would do to keep the people I love safe.”
And if it meant having to break a few rules to do it, it wasn’t as if Ian hadn’t considered it. A part of him recoiled at thethought of breaking his oath and going after Jake himself, but considering the kind of threat they were up against, he was sure no one would hold it against him.
He’d make time to worry about his conscience later.
Jake offered him a full smile. “Maybe Eric was right to worry about you. You’re not the lackey I thought you were.”
Ian released the bars with a noise of disgust. “I can’t say the same thing about you.”
In the background, a door opened, and the smell of perfume hit him first.
Marissa placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed. “Come on, shift’s almost over.”
“Listen to your partner. She knows what she’s talking about.”
“You self-serving, little rat—”
