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Nero’s face remained serious as he considered my question. “Maybe. I don’t know. What I do know is that if someone wants to get to you, they’ll have to go through me, and I promise that’s not going to happen, Lucky.”
The nickname made me smile. “I guess that’s good enough for now.” I pressed my hands to his wide chest and let the heat from his body seep into mine through my palms. “Can we go get my stuff now?”
He grabbed one of my wrists, tracing his thumb over the pulse point. “Let’s go.”
I preceded Nero through the door and felt him at my back, a solid, silent presence as we made our way through the precinct and out into the parking lot.
“My car is over here.” He stepped up to my side and led me to a huge, shiny black SUV. There was a Haida art orca sticker on the back window, the red and white swirls of color the only break in the black. Nero clicked the fob and unlocked the doors, then walked to my side and helped me into the massive vehicle, even though I could have done it myself.
He climbed into the driver’s seat and started the car. “I have to make one stop first. Do you mind?”
I shook my head as Nero pulled out of the lot.
We drove in silence, even though I had a hundred questions now that I was replaying everything McMahon had mentioned before he’d left. Nero had brothers? Where did he live? McMahon had been dodgy on the timeline, but I wondered if he’d given Nero any indication of how long he’d have to keep me safe. Did they even have any leads?
Before I could voice any of my questions, Nero pulled to a stop at the curb in front of a building with a teal awning over a wide front window that had the wordsBail Bondswritten across it in gold script. He patted his pockets, looking for something, and pulled out a folded piece of paper. “I just have to run in and get my money. You need to come with me.”
“I’ll be fine in the car.”
A low rumble sounded from Nero’s chest. “I’m not letting you out of my sight.”
“Fine.” I knew when resistance would be futile, and in truth, I didn’t want to be away from him either. I unbuckled my seat belt and met Nero in front of the car.
A bell tinkled as Nero opened the door and gestured me inside. The interior looked like the set for a 1970s sitcom—dark wood paneling, a long Formica-topped counter with three metal-and-veneered-wood desks behind it, and three orange plastic chairs tucked between dusty fake ficus trees and arranged for visitors. A stout lady rocking an honest-to-God beehive and a matching pink cardigan set waddled out from a back office when the bells on the door handle jingled.
“What can I do for you?” Her voice was pack-a-day rough, and she never took her eyes off the stack of file folders and papers in her pudgy arms.
“Hi, Sylvie. I have a body receipt for Valencia.”
Sylvie’s head snapped up, and her cheeks went pink as she pulled her reading glasses off, leaving them to dangle from the chain around her neck. “Well, hello there, studmuffin.”
Nero smiled, and the woman behind the counter started to swoon, tossing down her burden and gripping the edge of the counter for balance while she reached out and made a gimme motion, her fingers adorned with thick gold rings and ending in fake fuchsia nails.
He passed over the receipt, and Sylvie slid her glasses back on. “You caught this bastard?”
“This morning. Returned to SPD and waiting in lockup.”
“Good work. Jimmy’s been shitting a brick over this one. Most he’s ever shelled out for a bond.” She turned and shuffled over to one of the computers, an ancient boxy machine I would bet was still running Windows XP. Sylvie hummed as she brought up the program she needed and typed in information. A printer started whirring, and she stood, rounding the desk to pluck the printout from the machine and signing it with a flourish. She whistled through her teeth. “Nice little payday for you too.”
Nero shrugged and accepted the check, folding it without looking at the figure and tucking it into his pocket.
Sylvie leaned on the counter, her ample bosom laid out on the top, and toyed with the jeweled chain holding her glasses, batting her eyes at Nero. A little ball of jealousy formed in my gut, and I wanted to say something, to tell her to keep her watery eyes off my man.
But a beat later, she caught sight of the stack of folders she’d set down, straightened, and started going through them. “I have a bunch of skips here. Nothing as big as the Valencia job but also nothing as complicated.” She started to push the folders across the counter, but Nero pushed them back.
“I’m taking a break. Won’t be back for a bit.”
She narrowed her eyes, all good-natured flirting and affability disappearing in a second. “You working for someone else?” She glanced over her shoulder toward the office door, then leaned forward and spoke low. “I know Jimmy’s as cheap as they come, but he can afford to pay you better. Whatever they’re offering, we can match it.”
Nero smiled. “It’s not about the money, and I’m not working for anyone else.”
Sylvie put a hand over her heart. “Oh, thank God. My mouth may have been writing checks Jimmy would refuse to cash. But still. You’re the best, cutie. We’d hate to lose you.”
“It’s just temporary. I’m trying something new.” He shot a quick glance my way, and Sylvie’s eyes followed, noticing me for the first time. I gave her a little finger wave and a smug smile.That’s right, lady. He’s mine.
“Oh. Oooooh.” Her face fell as she clearly assumed Nero’s break meant he was planning on doing me. I kinda hoped she was right. Her eyebrows bounced. “You two have fun. And don’t worry, sugar, there’ll be plenty of skips left when you come up for air.” She shot us a very fake, exaggerated wink, then hefted her papers off the counter and shuffled back to her desk.
When we were back in the car and pulling out of downtown Seattle, heading south toward my neighborhood, I turned in my seat to look at the giant orca who was my new protector. “So you’re a bounty hunter?”
