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I know that voice all too well.
Hope fills the mayor’s eyes. “Reese, my darling! Call the police!”
Never looking back, I cluck my tongue at the naïve man. “Haven’t you heard, Williams? Ms. Employee of the Decade isn’t going to call the police. Not when she’s been stealing from your customers for the last three months.”
Employers these days… they equate beauty with innocence.
“You should start doing background checks on your employees.” Chuckling, I drop my hands and stand tall, still not bothering to face the woman in the doorway. “You’d be surprised to learn of their many skills.”
Mayor Williams’s lips part, his shocked gaze locked on the woman behind me.
“Isn’t this your day off, stalker boy?” The pain in the ass pushes off the doorway and stands just out of reach. “I thought you haunted someone else on Tuesday nights?”
A genuine smile tugs at the edge of my mouth. “How would you know? You have Tuesdays off.”
Reese, the innocent-looking thief, blows out a frustrated breath. “I forgot my purse.”
I shrug, fully grinning at her lie. “I forgot the mayor. Guess we’re both having an off day.”
If Reese Carmichael fears me, she hides it well. But then again, she’s good at hiding a lot of things.
“I don’t think you can call it an off day when you planned to break into the cigar lounge and torture the owner.” Her laugh rings throughout the bar—a far better sound than the mayor’s gurgling cries.
“I would never torture the mayor of Orange Grove,” I lie, flashing concern at the man tied to the chair and clutching my chest. “Tell her, Mayor. You and I were just chatting in front of a cozy fire.”
Finally, I turn around and face my golden-haired muse. Her emerald-green eyes sparkle under the lamplight, glistening like morning dew on a blade of grass.
Her mouth twitches, fighting a smile. “So, you’re telling me you’re just here to see your friend and are not about to burn down his lounge?”
“Absolutely not! I’m appalled you would insinuate such a thing.”
Even I don’t believe myself—not that I am putting on my best performance here.
Reese Carmichael is much more intelligent than her employer. She knew I was up to no good the first time she saw me watching from the lot across the street.
“You should be appalled by your lack of tact. Any idiot could figure out what you were up to, Van Gogh.”
“There’s no need for name-calling,” I scold, turning back toward the mayor, who has since tuckered out and is indulging in a quick nap. “He’s learned from his mistakes and promises to be more aware of his surroundings in the future.”
I must admit, I will miss this back-and-forth with her. My cock and I rather enjoy beating off to the memory of her calling me by my street name.
If there is one good thing about Mayor Williams, it is that he hires the most exciting and observant staff. Not that I was hiding my presence, but when Reese first spotted me at the lounge, she came outside with a drink and a sandwich, claiming that if I was going to case the place, I should at least tip her for not reporting my sorry ass.
I knew then that Mayor Williams’s punishment would be different—and much longer than the others.
“As much as the mayor deserves it,” Reese finally says with an air of regret, “I can’t let you hurt him.”
“Good thing I wasn’t asking for your permission,” I snap back, allowing the rage to bubble to the surface as I step closer. “Don’t let my fascination with your mouth confuse you, Flower. No one comes between me and justice.” My gaze lowers, taking in the soft curves of her body, covered by a black tank top and ripped jeans. “Not even you.”
I do not make mistakes, but I did with Reese. I watched her for months. I let her consume my time more than my revenge. She amuses me to the point of laughter, but I won’t let her destroy my purpose.
“Hurting someone is different than simply destroying his property,” she argues. “I can’t allow you to harm him. His family would miss him.”
I doubt that, but I no longer feel like arguing with her. “And you would miss your source of income.”
She and I both know I’m not talking about her hourly wage. “You can’t scam his wealthy friends if they no longer have a place to puff their chests and cheat on their wives.”
“That’s not true.” She shakes her head and steps back toward the door as if considering running.
