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The other man’s lips pursed and his green eyes jerked away, then back again. He exhaled noisily. “Fine. You want to help her? Well, I don’t trust you. Guys like you don’t do anything without an ulterior motive. Scout needs . . . stability. She’ll do anything to get it. Problem is, she associates stability with money.”
“She’s right.”
“Says you. Judge me all you want, but I want to see you fail. However, if you fail so does she, and that’s not what I want. I want her to have the life she’s after. I want to see her keep a good job, have her own home, and never have to worry when she’ll eat next.”
“I can do all that for her. That’s the plan.”
“Ah, but I won’t see it.” Parker stood and Lucian noticed him limp slightly. No matter how strong he pretended to be, it was obvious his circumstances left him quite weak. “You’re an audacious fellow. I have a proposition for you. I’ll take you to her, but I want to be there when she gets everything she wants. I want to see all those dreams of hers come true. I want a job. You give me a job and I get back on my feet. At that point, you give me a fair shot at her. I’m not saying right away. I’ll need some time. But when I’m ready, I say the word and you back off and give me a fair shot. One month where you don’t interfere.”
Not a chance.
Lucian learned a long time ago how to act unaffected during the negotiations stages of a deal. “She may have a problem with that, you realize. Evelyn doesn’t like being maneuvered without her feelings being considered.”
“Then I suppose we both lose.”
Lucian’s eyes narrowed. Patient Parker had a very shrewd side to him. Something told Lucian the other man had no problem letting him walk away and never telling Evelyn he was here. Every hour of cold made a difference. This wasn’t a situation where one could wait out the other.
It would backfire on Parker, of course. Lucian never broke his word once given, but Parker would somehow break the deal on his own. There was something about the kid that didn’t stem from growing up on the streets. Something . . . informed, innate. Careful not to underestimate him, Lucian would do some research of his own and make sure he never got what he was after without cheapening the value of his word.
“Okay, Hughes. You’ve got yourself a deal, but let me give you some free advice. One, she’ll eventually find out you only agreed to help her after securing your own chance at gaining something, and I give you my word I won’t be the one to tell her this. Two, she won’t like it when she does find out. Three, I haven’t gotten where I am today by giving in easily. A challenge is just that to me. And four, I always get what I want.”
“Keep your fucking advice, Patras. All I’m interested in is a job and your word.”
“You have it.” Lucian extended his leather-clad hand.
Parker eyed it and then grudgingly shook it with his own. “Let’s go.”
Chapter 31
Hanging
Unprotected and exposed
Adrenaline coursed through Lucian’s veins at the twin snap of the doors on the town car slamming out the cold. “Clint, this is Parker Hughes. Hughes, this is Clint. Mr. Hughes is going to be your copilot. Talk.”
The car kicked into drive, as did his heart.
Parker leaned forward. “Take Wisely two blocks and keep going. Don’t turn left until you hit the tracks.”
Clint drove for several minutes as Parker navigated through a winding labyrinth of neglected roads surrounded by dilapidated buildings, until they parked in front of a condemned old mill. Boards concealed the windows that weren’t shot through, and graffiti was scribbled over everything that was reachable from the ground.
“She’s here? You’re sure of it?”
Parker pointed to a banged-up, rusted garage door at one of the raised bays. “See that door there? She slides under it. It’s dark and there’s worse things than glass to cut yourself on if you aren’t careful. She’ll be in the last room at the last corridor on the other end. Ready?”
Parker leaned forward and Lucian pushed him back with his palm. “Wait.”
Parker sat back and scowled.
“Clint, call Dugan and tell him to meet me here. Take Mr. Hughes back to St. Christopher’s. He’s no longer necessary.”
“We had a deal!”
“And I gave you my word. Be at Patras tomorrow at six a.m. Someone will meet you there to orient you with your new position. I’m giving it to you, Hughes, but mess up, show up late, do anything that’s unacceptable and, like any other employee of mine, you lose it. Keeping the job’s on you.”
“And what about the other half of my deal?”
