Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 76713 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76713 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
“The thing was… they seemed to be. They don’t seem happy about it. And do shit like deal close to the door to scare off my customers. But they stayed out. And these are real assholes. They beat the shit out of a friend of mine the other day because she confronted them about tossing their supply in her truck.”
“Have they ever threatened you before?”
“No. And I mean… I didn’t see anyone. I can’t say if it was even that crew.”
“You think it was just random guys?” I asked, dubious. “Doing it for, what, the thrill?”
“No. It had to be some sort of organization. Most of what they were saying was just… twisted. But one of them made a comment about shutting me up. Which makes me think I’ve smart-mouthed them before. And I really only do that to the criminals.”
“Present company included,” I said.
“Well, you are a criminal,” she said, rolling her eyes as she took another sip.
“Did you recognize any voices?” I asked, not taking the bait.
“Everything was a little muffled from inside the oven. And I don’t really make an effort to talk to them. No one used any names.”
“Do you have any cameras?”
“Yes. In the alley and the front of the building.”
“If you saw faces…”
“I could definitely figure out what crew it was.”
“Okay. Good. Can you access the camera feeds remotely?”
“Yes.”
“Alright. Well, that’s the next step. But finish your drink first,” I demanded, not sure if seeing the guys again might trigger some panic about the event.
“How bad was the damage?” she asked between sips.
“They did a number on the place,” I told her. She wasn’t the kind of woman who wanted to be handled with kid gloves. I knew I could give it to her straight. “Window is broken, crystals are crushed. Potted plants are all over the floor…”
“I think they busted the windows in my truck too. I heard smashing sounds from the alley.”
“Really going all-out,” I said, ignoring my phone lighting up yet again in my pocket.
Santo.
Or, at this point, probably Massimo or Nino once Santo ratted me out to them.
Or, worst case, Luca. Pissed and ready to chew me out about doing shit without permission.
Whoever it was, they could wait.
“The fuck did you say to these guys to make them want your blood so much? Tell them about all your opinions on the hot-button political issues?”
“Right. That’s what I did. Bring up the benefits of strong social programs to the local drug dealers,” she said, shaking her head at me.
“Saw the new storefronts and apartments…”
“Don’t get me started,” she said, jaw going tight.
“Yeah, that’s the fucking last thing I want.”
“Charming as ever, huh, August?” she asked.
“Hey, beggars can’t be choosers,” I said, watching her ink black eyes flick fire at me.
Objectively, Traveler was hot. If you didn’t factor in her personality.
She was relatively tall, slight, with one of those faces that would always be attractive. Oval, with high cheekbones, almond-shaped eyes, and a slightly cleft chin.
Her hair that had been shoulder-length and light green the last time I’d seen her was now long and deep purple.
She had it pulled back, exposing an array of earrings up her lobes, industrials, and daith piercings. She also had her nose pierced, and some ink was peeking out of the sleeves of her t-shirt.
Yeah, she was gorgeous.
I just wasn’t supposed to think that since her alternative look she had going on wasn’t exactly my thing.
I had to admit, though, that the last time I was in town, and we were snapping at each other, there was no denying that I occasionally felt some sparks.
Not that anything would ever happen.
We could barely stand each other most of the time.
“Should have called Massimo,” she murmured as she took a sip of her drink.
“Why didn’t you call Massimo?” I asked.
There was a second of silence, long enough for me to conclude that whatever came after it was not the full truth, before she finally declared, “‘A’ comes before ‘M.’ I was pressed for time.”
“Sure, sweet cheeks,” I said as I got to my feet, watching as her eyes narrowed at me at the pet name.
Over the course of knowing each other the last time, I’d taken to giving her increasingly obnoxious pet names just to get a rise out of her.
“Want a refill?” I asked.
“Yes,” she said, tossing back the last of her drink, so I could fill it again.
While I was refilling, she got up, walking over toward her purse near the door, and reaching inside, pulling out her phone she’d tucked inside on the elevator ride.
“What is it?” I asked as I walked back, seeing her brows pinch as she scrolled over something.
“Missed calls,” she said. “A lot of them.”
“Someone looking for you after they saw the window?” he asked.
“Ah, no. Um… no. No, this is an unknown number,” she said. “And it started before the window. I was… I’d been cleaning,” she said. “I don’t really get any calls, so I wasn’t watching it.”