While I waited for it to be filled, I popped into the local big box store, grabbing some more supplies to treat my wound since I was running low at home. Don’t ask me why, but I walked my ass casually down the book section. And when I saw Les Miserables and the first Wheel of Time book—that was now a TV series, according to the sticker on the front—I grabbed them and tossed them into my basket. I tried not to think too much into that as I checked myself out, then grabbed my food, and headed home. Then, about a foot into my place, I forgot I even had books in my bag. Because I realized almost instantly that I wasn’t alone… Naomi I’d never been so grateful for a plastic bag ban as I was right then. Because as I set my canvas totes down on the floor, so my hands were free to reach for my expandable baton and knife, they didn’t make a single sound. My apartment had a weird setup. It wasn’t in a complex like most people had, but on top of a store that, judging by the fact that it w
Hey, I need a place to crash for a few days. You don’t mind, right? Then: Where the hell are you? I’ve been here two days already and haven’t seen you yet… “Right,” I said, shrugging as I went across the apartment to tuck away the gun, and plug in my phone. The texts could wait until the morning. If there was something serious up, Violet would know about“How long are you crashing?” I asked, looking over at her. “Probably just another couple of days. Work has been surprisingly light lately. If you want privacy, I could go crash with…” she paused then, going through the list of cousins, mentally checking off the ones who’d recently gotten shacked up and were spouting out babies. “I know. The list is getting shorter,” I said, nodding. “You’ll always have me. I don’t plan on shacking up with anyone,” I told her as I went to grab the bags. “I know, right? Who the hell has the time?” Vi agreed, following her nose into the kitchen with me because, if there was one thing you could coun
That skip had originally been pulled in for a particularly horrific case of domestic abuse before getting let out on bail. Because, well, our justice system didn’t seem to give a fuck about the victims of domestic abuse. Violet had wanted him to know what it was like to be made to be a victim by someone with more power than he had. She didn’t often bend the rules. But she had her moments. When it seemed appropriate. “Why would he come to your place instead of one of the other ones?” Vi asked. “I mean, I’m not trying to be insulting or anything.” “No, that’s fair,” I agreed. It was no secret that there were bigger and, arguably, better private investigation offices he could have gone to. “I guess maybe he didn’t think they would take on his case, given who he is. And maybe what they know will happen to said snake once he’s found out.” Vi nodded at that, her attention turning to the TV. And I thought that was maybe it. Until she spoke. “I think it’s because of you.” “What?” I as
“What?” I asked, my pulse hammering in my wrist and throat, not used to being caught so off-guard. My hand was still holding the knife I’d pulled out of my cup holder. A’s gaze cut there for a brief second, unbothered, before it was looking back out of the windshield. “See… I got this strange feelin’,” he started again. “That you’ve been lying to me.” Shit. You don’t get as far as I got in life by being blind to the shit that was going on around you. Especially when that shit involved your work. So, yeah, I’d clocked the guys from the private investigator place. Sitting in their cars. Watching shit. Following people. I had to give them some credit. They were decent at their jobs. If I wasn’t looking for them, and I didn’t know who they were, I probably wouldn’t have noticed them. Different cars. Different clothes. The thing was, it was the men. Didn’t see Hope not once. It didn’t take a genius to realize what was going on. They’d gotten her to agree to the job, then took it
“What’d you mean then?” “That you’re going to fire us.” “Fire them, not you.” “They’re not going to go for that.” “Don’t see how they have much of a choice here. I’m the one with the money, ain’t I?” “Look, you’re trying to be rational. They’re not rational. All they’re thinking is that they don’t want me doing this job.” “Too fucking bad.” Her head hit the rest, her eyes closing. Frustrated. Looking for some patience. Something like that. To that, I let out a sigh. “Aight. What about a compromise?” “What kind of compromise?” “I go to your boys, we have a little chat.” “A chat? About what?” “About how when I say I want someone on my case, I expect that person working my case.” “I am on the case.” “Yeah, well, you need to be getting paid for it.” “What do you care? I’m here. I’m working on it.” Honestly, it was a good question. The problem was, I had no fucking answer to it. At least not one that made any solid sense. If she was working the case—and, clearly, she was—the
I didn’t sleep. I rarely did. But I was up and across town at five to nine, making my way through the office doors, finding the guys of Hope’s crew all standing around having coffee that smelled burnt. “Mr. King!” Peter, the boss, greeted, eyes wide. “We weren’t expecting you.” “Nah, didn’t think you would be,” I said, looking ‘em up and down. “‘Cause you wouldn’t want me dropping in when you’ve been lying to me, now would you?” Honestly, the panicked fucking look they all shared was worth dragging my ass over to their office. I guess you didn’t want to get caught screwing over a client in general. But even more so when said client is the head of a fucking cartel. One known for snuffing out anyone who fucked with them. But, fuck, they looked like they expected me to pull out a gun and drop them all right there. It’d been a while since I’d seen something quite so fucking funny. So I was going to go ahead and have a little fun. “See, I don’t know who the fuck you think you’re
“Fuck,” I hissed, dropping into my car, slamming my head back on the rest. That was just wishful thinkin’ on my part. ‘Cause no matter how much I wanted to say that all I saw in Hope was a dogged kind of determination, there was no denying I liked looking at her. And I liked all that sass too. I figured, given a chance, there would be a way for that spark of anger to get fanned into a different sort of flame. It couldn’t happen, of course. But that didn’t stop my mind from wanderin’. And other parts of me from getting ideas too. It was fine, though. ‘Cause we were going to be keeping a professional sort of distance. Or, at least, that was the plan… Naomi I didn’t know whether to admire him, or want to wring his neck. Because the man’s operation was fucking perfect. And I didn’t say that easily. I was able to see even the flaws in the organizations my family ran or were in. But after a week on his case, not only was I hitting brick wall after brick wall, but so were the ot
“Looks like you’re never here.” “I’m not,” I said, shrugging. “Vi has been here more this week than I have.” “Workin’ on my case?” he asked. To that, I sighed as I leaned against the wall. I damn sure wasn’t going to sit next to him. Or think about why I didn’t want to do so, either. “Trying to,” I admitted. “Problem?” “Yeah. You run a really tight ship.” “Not tight enough,” he said, shaking his head. “Has there been a new development?” I asked. “Another link got broken,” he said. “Am I supposed to know what that means?” “Means a reliable system I’ve had in place suddenly ain’t so reliable anymore. And the only way that’s happening is if my snake is slithering around some more.” “You’re going to be cryptic about this, huh?” “Yeah.” “Can I at least know if this broken link was broken stateside, or somewhere else?” “Somewhere else,” he told me. “Could your snake be… somewhere else? Is that why it’s so hard to find him?” “Nah,” A said, shaking his head. “I don’t do busin