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“Let’s just go back to the hotel room and figure out what we’re going to do next.”
“No way. You deserve a little something after that.”
I leaned against the window and watched him. “What do you think I deserve then?”
“Good meal. Nice wine. Whatever you damn well please, really.”
“And if what I want is to go back to the room and take a nice, long, hot bubble bath?”
“Then we’ll stop and get you some nice suds first.”
I shook my head and laughed. “All right. Fine. Take me somewhere nice and chat me up.”
“You got it.”
He turned left and drove for a while as I looked out the window with a smile on my face, unable to help it.15LeonidIt took me twenty minutes to leave the city and another twenty to find the bar. It was tucked in a little suburb northwest of the city limits in a strip mall. The outside looked tame and boring with neon beer signs out front. I parked next to a Subaru with car seats in the back and turned to Robin.
She frowned at me, head tilted. “Where are we right now?”
“Somewhere you probably shouldn’t be.”
“That’s ominous.”
“I know. I’ve gotta admit something to you.”
“Go ahead.” She bit her lip. “This isn’t going to be bad, is it?”
“Nah, not bad.” I leaned against the window and looked at her. “I told you the crew doesn’t get together much, right?”
“Sure.”
“That’s not totally true. We keep apart as much as we can… but we do have a spot.”
She arched an eyebrow, a little smile on her lips. “Leo… you kept something from me.”
“I know, I’m such a bastard, right?”
She laughed. “Okay, so I guess this is the place then?”
“That’s right. I doubt Hedeon will be here, but maybe a few of the other guys will be.”
“Why’s it all the way out here in the middle of nowhere?”
“Safety. It’s not so far that we can’t make a drive out when we need to. But it’s not so close to the city that it could be found easily. We’re hidden out here.”
“Makes sense.” She twirled some of her hair around her finger. “So why are you telling me this now?”
“It was your little speech back in the bakery that made up my mind.”
“You didn’t trust me before?”
I leaned toward her, across the center console, and touched her cheek. She stared into my eyes and didn’t pull away.
“I had to be sure,” I said softly. “If I brought you in, really brought you in, and something went wrong…” I trailed off, shaking my head. “I can’t risk that. I can’t risk all this on that.”
“I understand. But now it makes me wonder what else you’re holding back.”
“Nothing important.” I moved my hand to the back of her neck.
She chewed on her lip. “What are we going to do in there, anyway?”
“Eat something. Meet a few people. Nothing special.”
“Okay.” She took a deep breath. “Sure, okay. This isn’t dangerous, right?”
“It’s not dangerous.”
“Good.”
I leaned forward and kissed her. She seemed surprised, but she returned the kiss. I lingered there, tasting her lips, before pulling away. “Just so we’re clear.”
“I don’t think that clarified anything.”
I got out of the car and started toward the bar. She got out behind me and caught up. We walked together across the parking lot. The place was called Last Boat although it wasn’t nautical themed at all. I always wondered about that name.
I held the door for her then followed her inside. It was just after six and the place wasn’t crowded yet. I recognized a couple guys sitting up at the bar. Several tables and booths had couples at them, but nobody I knew.
The bartender was a guy named Larry Jones. He was older, in his fifties, with broad shoulders and was as hairy as a bear. Tufts of gray chest hair poked out from beneath his Western shirt.
“Well, look at this,” he practically roared.
“What’s up, Larry?” I said.
He laughed and walked over. I shook his hand as the two guys I knew got up to join us. I turned to Robin and gestured.
“This is Robin Volkov,” I said.
Larry whistled. “Damn. I heard about her. Didn’t think I’d ever see the day though.”
Owain and Des sauntered over. Owain was tall, muscular, and liked to smile, although I always wondered just how sane he was. Des was a smaller guy, dark hair and eyes, tan skin, laughed loud, but was smarter than the average mafia asshole.
“Haven’t seen you around in a while,” Owain said.
“Been busy.”
Des laughed. “I see that. Busy with her, huh?”
I gave him a look. “Easy there.”
He held up his hands. “No offense meant. It’s just the boss mentioned you had a girl tagging along with you, but I didn’t realize she was pretty.”
“Thanks, I think,” Robin said.
“They’re assholes,” I said to her. “Don’t mind them.”
“We’re perfect gentlemen.” Owain’s smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. He seemed to show just a bit too many teeth. “Don’t you worry about nothing around us.”
