Page 71 of Dick

TWENTY

Dick

I scanned the supper club for familiar faces and saw none. We’d just finished our last dance, and it was about time for me to depart. “You’re meeting them in an hour, it’s about time for me to go to the car.”

We stood at the edge of the dancefloor. I was wearing a black tuxedo. Her hair was in a chignon with tendrils and she was dressed in a black dress, heels, and as much diamond jewelry as I could get her to wear. She defined elegance. Not the type of elegance than makes a man say damn, she looks elegant, but the type that sucks the breath from your lungs and causes you to stop dead in your tracks and take notice.

Together, we looked like we were on our honeymoon.

She locked eyes with me, gazed into my eyes for some time, and eventually sighed lightly. “I swear, if this deal works, this is the best day ever to replace my other best day ever.”

“What happened on your other best day ever?”

She fanned her face with her hand and took a moment to catch her breath. “I got fucked before breakfast, after breakfast, and then got in a car chase with the cops. After that, I won $600 in a slot machine, and then got asked out on another date with the best criminal ever.”

“Wow. And this will top that?”

She did her best to open her eyes wider than the slits she was looking at me through. “Yeah. I love dancing, and we just danced for two hours. I feel like I’m going to barf, though.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t have had all that wine. And the margaritas.”

She shrugged and offered a grin. “I’ll be fine. Is this rain going to stop before this is over?”

“I don’t know,” I said. “I can’t believe I left the umbrella in the car. It makes me sick to think about ruining your hair.”

“I wasn’t talking about my hair. A high speed getaway in the rain might be dangerous. Or impossible.”

“Either way, I’ll be faster than whoever’s behind me.”

She nodded. “True.”

“Slow down on the drinking, maybe eat something. But I’ve got to get out of here. I don’t want anyone to see me with you.”

“Okay, just go, I’ll be fine.”

“You sure you’re okay with everything?”

Her eyes thinned to slits. “I’m fine. We’re in this together, Asshole. When are you going to believe me?”

“I believe you. And you’ve got that Glock in your purse. Don’t forget that.”

She waved her hand toward me, lost her balance, and about fell on the floor. “I know. Just go, before one of those snitches comes in here.”

I reached for her face, steadied her jaw between my hands, and kissed her. The kiss was passionate, deep, and thought provoking. It made me want to stay, forget the diamond, and dance until we collapsed.

Our lips parted, and I released her. She stood, her mouth slightly agape, and stared blankly at me for a moment before it seemed that her eyes went into focus.

“Just go,” she said. “If you stay for another minute we’ll be arrested, and it won’t be for theft. I’m gonna rape your sexy ass.”

I glanced at my watch. I had fifty minutes. Reluctantly, I turned and walked away.

A quick scan of the dining area produced nothing out of the ordinary, and I recognized no one. I sauntered to the door, walked out into the rain, and inhaled a deep breath of the humid night air.

The supper club sat on a corner in a swanky district in Austin, with a main street that ran along the front of the building with valet parking, and a brick street at each side that was roughly two and a half lanes wide.

I planned on parking the Ferrari in along the brick street, hugging the side of the road, and waiting. I wouldn’t look any different than any other asshole who drove a $300,000 Ferrari and parked in three parking spaces to keep his car from getting door dings.

I got the Ferrari from the parking garage and parked a block away. With the car running, and the windshield wipers dancing back and forth, I watched the entrance like a hawk.