Page 26 of Blood Money

Some of the most important cases the NYPD solved were not done so by receiving information volunteered by good, law-abiding citizens. Those people were not normally in a position to have information valuable enough to convict the bad guys.

Informants were.

And they got paid for it.

From what she’d heard today, the NYPD, FBI, and HSI all thought her information on the Pyramid and what she could do for them was valuable. Maybe she was more important to them than she realized.

She eased back down into the water. It was time to wise up and get a backbone. Time to stop acting like a helpless victim and do something proactive. It was a risk, since most cooperators looking at jail time didn’t get paid. Their reward was either a lesser sentence or a stay-out-of-jail card. But the Pyramid was big league, and if the authorities wanted her help that badly, then she wanted something in return. They could say no, but it was worth a shot.

A knock sounded at the front door. Alex bolted upright, sending water flying onto the floor.

No one came calling this late. Something was wrong. Given the events of the day, her heart rate kicked up.

She stepped out of the tub and donned the only garment nearby, a short lavender silk robe hanging on a hook. The smooth silk clung to her damp skin as she padded silently to the front door. When she looked through the peephole, her heart slammed even harder against the inside of her ribs. There was a man standing in the hallway—a very large man. With half the hallway lights broken or missing, his face was obscured by shadow.

The knock at the door sounded again, louder this time. Alex’s pulse raced. Another look through the peephole and she still couldn’t identify the man.

Oh my God. It can’t be.

She clutched the lapels of her robe tightly to her throat and backed away from the door. Her pulse skyrocketed, and she could barely breathe.

The Pyramid. They’re here. They know I talked to the police and…

…they’re here to kill me.

…

Gray pounded again on the flimsy door. “Alex, it’s Gray. I need to talk to you.”

He knew she was standing just inside the door. He’d seen a shadow move across the threshold. Though he wasn’t certain, he thought he heard Alex say, Thank God.

Clicking echoed in the hallway as the interior lock turned, then the deadbolt. The door cracked open a few inches, the security chain still in place.

What security? If I pounded any harder, the damned door would probably fall off its hinges.

Alex’s face appeared in the opening, her eyes fearful and wary.

“I need to talk to you,” he repeated. “It’s important.”

Alex stared at him, and for a moment, Gray thought she’d slam the door in his face. The door partly closed as she slid the security chain away then opened the door. He couldn’t move. Alex clutched a thin, purple robe to her throat. The fabric was damp in places, as if she’d just stepped out of the bath. The sound of the building’s outer door slamming shut echoed in the hallway, sending a breeze past him into the apartment. Gray’s gaze was drawn to Alex’s chest as her nipples tightened beneath the thin robe.

“Are you coming in?” She shivered, her nipples pressing even more against the sexy garment. “I’m cold.”

I know.

Gray cleared his throat and stepped inside. Alex shut the door behind him and reengaged the locks. “If I didn’t tell you before, your building’s security sucks.” Understatement. “The front door lock is a joke, and half the lights in the hallway are out.”

Alex exhaled a tight breath. “Is that why you came here tonight? To criticize me for not being able to afford a swanky Upper East Side apartment?”

“No.” He shook his head.

“Or did you come here to arrest me?” As Alex planted her fists at her hips, her robe gaped open, revealing the soft curves of her breasts.

Gray nearly choked on his tongue at how much of her smooth, creamy skin was exposed. In an attempt to regain composure, he lowered his gaze to her feet. Bad idea. Her calves and thighs were long and slender. Even her toes were perfect, painted in shimmery purple. When he looked up, she’d crossed her arms.

“I need to put on some clothes.” She walked down the hallway and through an open doorway, leaving the scent of something flowery in her wake.

“Holy shit,” Gray muttered, loosening his tie and unbuttoning the top button of his shirt. Alex opening the door wearing next to nothing was so not part of the plan tonight.