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“So far, at least. Who knows when I’ll turn on you.”
He laughed and let me go, shaking his head. “You’re not that dumb. No, little diamond, we need each other now. There’s no turning back. Clifton knows your name and your face, which means you’re in the shit now.”
I felt my stomach sink down into my toes.
Oh god. I hadn’t even realized it, but he was right.
Before I was some girl working in the back. They didn’t know who I was or what I looked like, since all the guys that saw me ended up dead so far.
I couldn’t hide from him now. If I left Owain, I’d still have to worry about Clifton.
So on top of all my other problems, now I had that to deal with.
Fucking hell. I was stuck with him, whether I liked it or not.
“Come on,” he said. “At least you’re getting paid.”
“I guess so.” I let out a frustrated breath. “Take me home, asshole. I’m done for the day.”
He laughed, offered me his arm, and led me back the way we came. As we passed by a side door, I caught sight of Viktor with a rifle on his shoulder, smoking a cigarette. He nodded to me and didn’t smile.
I realized I was another one of Owain’s soldiers, whether I liked it or not.15OwainThe meeting with Clifton only pissed me off even more.
So I hired ten guys and finished Leigh’s shop in a week.
She had no clue. She spent that week in the bodega, slinging pills like I wanted. I kept Viktor on her at all times, since I figured the Jackals would try and hit her again sooner or later. It was only a matter of time before Clifton worked up the balls to try something stupid.
Which made me add a few special modifications to the store. They weren’t exactly in her specifications, but fuck it, I knew security was going to be an important part of this whole deal from now on.
I dropped her off after her shift that Thursday and stayed up all night finishing the place. I came back late, got a few hours sleep, then woke her up just after eight the next morning.
She pulled the covers down and glared at me. “I thought I was getting a day off?”
“I got a surprise for you. Get your ass out of bed.”
She glared even harder. I didn’t know that was possible, but she managed.
“What surprise?”
“Won’t be a surprise if I tell you. So get your pretty ass out of bed and come downstairs. I’ll make some coffee.”
She grunted and threw a pillow at me. I laughed, caught it, and tossed it on the ground.
I left her to wake up and followed through on my part of the bargain. I got the coffee going then made myself breakfast. I heard the shower run and she came down ten minutes later wearing jeans and a torn old Star Wars t-shirt she probably got off eBay.
“Why did you wake me up? I was having a great dream.” She poured coffee into the biggest mug I owned and drank it black.
“Yeah? Did it involve you and me on a hammock next to the ocean at sunset?”
“No.” She rolled her eyes. “Not even close.”
“Right. Sorry. More like you locked in my basement sex dungeon getting your body—”
“Not a sex dream.” She sighed and closed her eyes like she was tired of my shit already. And she probably was. Couldn’t blame her. I was relentless. And funny as hell.
“I got something better than a good dream.”
“I don’t know. I was flying in this one.”
“Well I can’t make you fly, but come on, drink your coffee and get in a better mood. We’re leaving in five.”
“Leaving for where?”
“Your surprise. Stop trying to get me to ruin it.” I headed into the other room and gave her a few minutes. She ate a yogurt and grudgingly followed me out to the car.
I didn’t talk on the way over. I let her stew a little bit. She leaned back in the passenger seat and a shaft of sunlight played on her face. I kept glancing at her, at the way the light made her skin glow and reflected off her pink lips. She was beautiful in the sort of way that snuck up on you—anyone could see it, if they went looking, but sooner or later it appeared whether you wanted to find it or not. She was the decoration on top of a wedding cake, the tile backsplash mosaic in a Roman villa. Gorgeous, functional, delicious.
She realized where we were going when I turned onto South Street. She didn’t say anything though, only sat up straight and peered out the window with obvious excitement. I barely managed not to smile.
I pulled the car up out front of her shop. The big steel shutters were pulled down. She frowned a little, head cocked. “I don’t remember those.”
