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Gate nodded, “That’s good, isn’t it?”
Anna’s laugh was rough, “I’m not sure. She wasn’t very forthcoming.”
“Okay,” Gate went on, “what aren’t you telling me?”
Anna dropped her head back on her shoulders, “This is the hard part.”
“I imagine walking in the front door was hard,” Gate said.
“You have no idea,” Anna muttered. Straightening, she went on, “Sandy’s condition of cooperating with me is contingent on you. Or more specifically, Deuce.”
“I need him up here?” Gate asked, brows raised.
“Not yet,” Anna said, starting to pace again.
And that’s when Gate crossed his arms and pinned her with his eyes, “Who are you, Anna? Really.”
**************************
Anna
Tell him the truth.
The judge’s words echoed through my mind, and I choked on my liquor.
Holding the glass out toward Gate, I covered my mouth with the other hand and proceeded to cough up a lung.
Shit.
Gate relieved the glass and took a step in my direction, which I could only assume meant he was about to touch me, patting me on the back or some other medical intervention for someone about to expire, so we did a quick two step in which I avoided him and reached the door.
I glanced back through blurry eyes, “Thanks for the drink, Gate. I’ll let you know what I find out.”
I hit the steps at a steady jog and blinked hard, trying to focus on my feet before I embarrassed myself even further and busted my ass.
I pictured myself sprawling across the floor, swallowed, and made my best effort at looking through everyone down in the common room, desperate not to recognize anyone I’d seen hanging off Gate in recent years.
This was a mistake, the judge was a lunatic, and Deuce could well and truly hang.
Then I remembered Jeff and Sandy and figured that I could handle dealing with Deuce and maybe never see Gate again while I was above ground and breathing.
When I reached the stained concrete floor of the common room, a heel skidded, and if Talon hadn’t been on his way up, I probably would have scored a perfect ten on a face plant.
But Talon was, and he reached out to catch me at the same time that I grabbed his muscular arm like a life preserver.
“Yo, Anna,” Talon said, setting me to rights.
“Hey, Talon, just on my way out,” I muttered, wriggling out of his grip.
“DoNOTlet her leave!” Gate thundered from above.
And the grip on my waist tightened.
“Damnit, Talon, let mego,” I said, putting some effort into the struggle.
“No can do,” Talon said, his voice a quiet rumble.
“I’m about to flip your ass over my shoulder in front of all these people,” I griped.
