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“He still has it. Fucking look at you—I’ve never seen you like this.”
I bet I look like a literal lunatic. My hair has never been my friend in moments like this. It’s the worst tattletale of my mental state, probably frizzy and matted and feral. If I were dumb enough to look in a mirror, I’d see the blood-shot stare of a coked-up cult-leader.
But none of that matters right now.
I need to persuade Ilsa to do me a really big favor. So I need to sound sane and convincing.
“Ilsa … do you have a lot of guns and a flame-thrower?”
“Oh my god,” she groans, thrusting both hands into her hair like she’s gonna pull it out.
“Hear me out! Adrik has something that belongs to me. I need to get it back.”
“What do you think you’re going to do?”
“Not me … us. As partners. Equals. Two people that won’t fuck each other over or lie or get married to some asshole named Simon.”
“We don’t have any muscle or money … no agreements, no alliances …”
“It doesn’t matter. We’ve got the recipe for the goodies everyone wants.”
Ilsa stuffs the rest of her toast in her mouth, not convinced.
“I can’t fall into your black hole again,” she says.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means you’re insane and unreasonable. Nothing’s ever enough for you, you want more more more more more.”
“Okay. But don’t we deserve more? Isn’tmorethe most fun?”
Ilsa lets the tension stretch out, really sticking it to me.
At last she says, “I’ll help you. But I’m not gonna fuck you.”
“Gross! I would never.”
She laughs. “I’m serious.”
“Me too. I learned my lesson mixing business and sex.”
Ilsa shakes her head, like she can’t quite believe she’s agreeing to this.
“What do you need from Adrik?”
“He kept all the money,” I say. “I want my equipment.”
* * *
Bad Girls – M.I.A.
Spotify → geni.us/savage-spotify
Apple Music → geni.us/savage-apple
An hourlater we meet at the front door, both of us showered and dressed, my headache fading to a dull throbbing at the temples.
Ilsa is wearing a black suit and boots, her shirt unbuttoned at the throat, hair loose behind her. I’m in my favorite orange sweatpants.
