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Something familiar.
Like she was someone I was supposed to know.
For one fuckin’ second, she looked like she was contemplating it.
“Go,” I grunted through the greed, and she blinked a bunch of times before she hurried to toss her jacket over her forearm like she’d just realized the treacherous path she’d been toeing, then she turned and headed for the doorway.
Only she paused, looking back with that stunning face that could convince a wicked man to do good things. “Thank you,” she whispered. “For taking care of me. I’ll forever be grateful.”
Then she ducked out, leaving me inside my station, my hands curled into fists as I forced myself to remain standing and not go after her to see where this night might take us.
I listened to her light footsteps as she moved through the lobby, before I heard the scrape of metal as she unlocked the door, then the beep when she pulled it open.
She took that energy with her when she left, leaving me stunned.
“What the fuck was that?” I mumbled once she was gone. I scrubbed the heels of my hands in my eyes like it could break up the need she’d evoked in me.
Emitting a long sigh, I focused on cleaning up my station, doing my best to put the girl out of my mind, stamp it out, and do it permanently.
Once I was satisfied my tools and the room were clean and sterilized, I grabbed my things and headed for the door, though I slowed when I was passing by the display case and saw the stack of hundred-dollar bills sitting on top. I picked it up, seeing there were five of them.
I rumbled, “Shit,” under my breath as the smallest smile hitched the edge of my mouth.
Sweet little thing wanted to do me in. Drive me out of my mind.
But I didn’t mess with women like that. I saw what was in her eyes, the same as I understood what I’d inked on her flesh.
Grief.
This girl? She wanted to live.
And a monster like me would only destroy that.
FOUR
RIVER
I steppedout into the cool of the night. The summer day had been close to hot, though with the darkness, the air had ebbed close to a chill. I locked the door to River of Ink behind me, giving it a tug to make sure it was secure before I stuffed my hands into my pockets and strode down the wood-plank walkway that ran along the buildings that lined Culberry Street, the main drag that cut through the middle of Moonlit Ridge.
The small town was situated around an expansive lake, and on the far side of the lake was a vast mountain range. People came here in droves to experience the awe-inspiring beauty and peace.
We’d come here a little over four years ago, setting up shop, purchasing legitimate businesses and sliding into normal positions.
Right up front and center without giving anyone a reason to look any deeper.
It was close to midnight, and a frisson of anxiety billowed through me since I still hadn’t heard a word from Otto. He was always late. Asshole was going to send me to an early grave, though one of those had been coming at me for a long, long time.
There was next to no one out, the only sounds the faint strainof music coming from Kane’s, the bar one of my crew owned and ran about a mile from here.
I was halfway to where my bike was sitting at the side of the building when my phone vibrated in my back pocket.
I hurried to pull it out, scanning the text that had just blipped through.
Otto
It’s done.
I was quick to tap out a reply.
