“Awesome job! Amazing!” I hold a ten-dollar bill over my head, flashing it to the crowd. “Best I’ve seen all night.”
Striding toward the acrobats, I put the bill in a black hat that holds only coins. I’ve yet to figure out who the mugger and his crew are targeting, but I watch the crowd.
“Who wants more?” I need a better look at those gathered around, specifically who might be worth targeting.
At first, there are a few awkward chuckles, but I make a sweeping bow toward the hat, encouraging them to contribute. That’s all it takes. One person drops a dollar bill. Another drops his loose change. Others come forward, filling the hat with coin and cash.
While the crowd donates, the street performers give me a nod of thanks. Stepping back, I move close to Maria. There’s no way the muggers will come after me, but leave Maria on her own, and she’ll be easy prey.
“We’ve got a situation.” I lean down, keeping my voice pitched for Maria’s ears alone. “How good are your skills?”
“My skills?”
“Your Krav Maga? Were you shitting me, or are you legit trained?”
“I’m trained. Or do you forget what happened in the van?” She grips my bicep. “Why? What’s wrong?”
“Got a team checking out the audience.”
Taking down criminals isn’t normal date night material, but tonight isn’t technically a date. If I was with Lily or Jinx, I wouldn’t think twice about engaging the thieves, but I’m with Maria. I have no idea what her capabilities are or what her liabilities might be. I’m also not willing to let an innocent person get mugged if I can prevent it.
“Where?” Maria scans the crowd, but it’s clear she doesn’t know how to pick out the thieves.
“Check out the guy in the black hoodie kicking up his heel next to that building. He’s the lookout for those who will commit the crime. Over there, the one in the black pants with the long chain looping down to his knees?”
“I see him.”
To Maria’s credit, she doesn’t make it obvious. She scans the crowd, like anyone would, not letting her gaze linger where it would draw attention.
“There’s one more.”
“Where?”
“He’s in the crowd. Moving through.” Headed toward an inebriated couple laughing and clapping with a little too much enthusiasm.
The man makes the mistake of pulling out his money clip and pulling off a bill rather than being discrete about it. From the wad of cash he carries and the Rolex on his wrist, he’s prime for picking.
“What are we going to do?” Her fingers dig into my arm.
“That depends on you.”
“What do you mean?”
“We can leave now, leave them to fate, or …”
“We stop it.” Her voice is pitched low, and I like her attitude. My girl doesn’t hesitate.
“Not if it puts you at risk.”
“You asked if I was lying about my skills, but I assure you, I know how to take care of myself. Defensive mostly. What if they have weapons?”
“I carry.”
“I can disarm a knife, not sure about a gun.”
She can disarm a knife? That rolled smoothly off her tongue, enough for me to believe it’s true.
“You see a weapon and you run.”
“Wouldn’t be much of a partner if I ran.”
“I’m serious, Maria. My job is to keep you out of danger, not put you in the thick of it.”
“But if we do nothing, someone here is going to get mugged. Who’s to say they won’t have a knife or gun pulled on them. We can’t walk away. I feel like we should do something.”
“Let’s see how this plays out. They may move on.” But it’s getting late. The evening crowd is thinning, which means there are fewer victims to target.
“If they don’t … we’re going to do something, right?”
I’ve lost my mind, but I nod. Leaving someone to a fate like that simply isn’t in my makeup. I’m compelled to intervene.
25
LIAM
The acrobats start up again, flipping and flying, impressing us with their skill. The thieves stand off to the side, out of the loose circle the audience forms.
The man with the Rolex, and a few too many drinks, steps away from the protection of the crowd. His wife, girlfriend, or date, stumbles after him, laughing when she trips over her own feet. Diamonds glitter around her wrist, dangle from her ears, and circle her throat.
What the hell are they thinking?
The man reaches out a steadying hand—not a total douchebag—but is too unsteady on his own to offer much support to his date. The two of them head down the deserted street with the glow of the man’s cellphone illuminating his face.
Hopefully, he’s calling for a car to take them to the protection of their hotel. Unfortunately, there’s a block of darkness between them and the street, with far too few streetlamps to light their way.
The thieves wait for the couple to get a bit down the street before disentangling themselves from the crowd surrounding the performers.
Maria’s grip tightens when she catches the kid leaning against the building kick off and amble behind the two other youths.
Yeah, this isn’t their first mugging. They’ve got their system down pat, practiced and perfected just like the Guardians practice and perfect our missions before going live.
“We can walk away?” I give Maria an out, concerned for her safety.
“What’s our play? We follow them and then what?”
“How good are you at playing drunk?”
The muggers took one look at me during their scan of the crowd and moved right on past. They didn’t spare a glance for Maria.
“I can wobble in these shoes, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“That works. You’re two sheets to the wind, drunk off your ass. I’m going to gently escort you home. We’ll hang back. When they make their move, I’ll intervene.”
“What about me?”
“I can take on all three. You’re simply backup in case I need an assist.”
“Backup? I know how to take care of myself in a fight.”
“I’m not questioning your ability. This isn’t male bravado. I asked. You answered. I trust your answer. Still doesn’t mean I want you in the middle of it. You assist only if needed.”
“Okay.” She tugs a loose strand of hair out of her eyes, then gathers her hair together at her nape and secures it with a twist and a flip and a hairband she produced out of nowhere.
“Pretty impressive.” I pull back, intrigued by how she did that. “That’s got to be some female superpower. Where’d you get the hairband?”
I’ve seen women wear one on their wrists so it’s always with them, but I’ve kissed both of Maria’s wrists and there was no hairband.
“I’m not giving away all my secrets.” Her angelic smile carries a hint of an impish grin in it.
I let it go, for the moment, then turn down the street our couple wandered down. The three youths keep to the shadows, walking independently. One veers left. The other holds to the right. Their lookout hangs back, scanning the area ahead.