“Not even better,” I say. I have to say it, I can’t not. “You think Hook’s gonna be okay with that? Finds out you are trying to yank that away from under him. Stupid fucking move.”
Pan just smiles and shakes his head. “Be okay with it?” he laughs. “No, ofcoursehe’s not going to be okay with it.” He leans in again, actually presses his forehead to mine this time. “That’s the whole point,” he says, his words hot against my skin. “Now heknowshe can’t fuck with me.”
And in a heartbeat, he’s gone.
CHAPTER 27
TINK
“Great night,”Pan says. “Greatfucking night.”
Ruby, on the couch next to him, mountain-climbs her fingers up his arm, while on his other side, Pearl nod-nods agreement, her head sleepy on his shoulder.
The rest of the night was a blur, not winding down ’til a little after three, when Blue was finally able to convince Pan that people were too drunk to keep playing and Fox could usher them out. Now Fox is asleep in one lounge chair, Blue and Emerald have taken over the other, and Pan’s occupying the settee with the rest of the Mermaids.
Me, I’m just…hovering. Leaning against the archway. Trying to gather my thoughts.
“Yeah,” I say. “I guess.”
How could you do this?I think.How could you be so…
Fuck. No, of course. Of course he would.Of course you would, because this is what you always do, and I should have known and I should have stopped you. That’s why I’m here in charge of the books. That’s why I’m…
“Goddamn right. Hey, give it up for my man Tink!” Pan lifts his beer in a toast, his grin lopsided and hazy.
In the corner chair, Emerald pulls away from nuzzling Blue in the neck—guess she’s moved on—to give me a polite smile of recognition, while Ruby and Pearl, clinging to either side of Pan, don’t even bother.
“Yeah,” I say, “just doing my job.”Or not, I think.
It could have been worse, I tell myself. It could have. Someone could have tried to knock us over. Knives, guns, even thrown punches. The money is in the cash box, the cash box in the safe. The debts are owed.
But…
My thoughts trail off as I watch Ruby catch Pan’s earlobe in her teeth.
And suddenly it’s too much.
“Can’t you fucking do that upstairs?” I hear myself snap.
Ruby pulls back, startled.
“Just…” I inhale sharply. “Get a fucking room, maybe.”
“Sounds like a great idea,” Blue says, grabbing Emerald by the chin and tilting her head. He licks his lips, she titters, and then climbs off him and pads off, barefoot, toward the stairs. Pan gives Blue a thumbs-up as Blue rises to follow, which Blue returns by flipping him the bird. Pearl and Ruby get up too, scampering toward the stairs, then pausing when Pan doesn’t follow.
“In a sec,” he calls, still on the couch. “Meet you up there?”
They pout, but they leave, leaving Pan alone with me. Testy. Drunk. Disappointed. A mood I know well.
A mood where he only wants to talk to me.
“Tink,” he says finally. “Tink.”
I don’t say anything. Around us, the shop is quiet. Calm and dark like it only ever is this late at night. Or early in the morning.
Like it really is just the two of us.
“Tink.” He pauses. “You’re mad at me.”
