Wincing, he held his hands up and stepped back from her. “Sorry. Not used to anyone touching me unless they’re attacking.”
“And I attacked when I should have just said thank you. But like you, I’m not used to anyone doing something for me unless they want something in return.”
“Guess we both spend a lot of time around assholes.”
Those words caught her off-guard and made her laugh. “More than you know . . . So, is there a name to go with that whole let-me-kick-your-ass persona or do I just call you Cutie Pie?”
“Pardon?”
She smiled at his shock. “Yeah, guess you’re not used to anyone teasing you, either, are you?”
“No. Not really.”
“You guys do have names, though, right?” Now that she thought about it, she’d never heard of them referred to as anything other than assassins or by their ranks. And none of them she’d ever seen had a name listed on their uniforms. It was as if The League didn’t think they were important enough to have them.
“Jinx.”
She scowled at that.
What a peculiar name. And it seemed rather playful for someone who killed for a living. “Really?”
“Technically Jinxanthus, but most people get bored after the first syllable so . . .” He shrugged.
She laughed again. “You are nothing like I thought an assassin would be.”
“Oh I can go back to being a total dick if you want. That’s really easy for me.”
No doubt. It seemed to be the natural state of being for most people, these days. “That’s okay. Like you said, I get enough of that already. I like the change of pace.”
He inclined his head to her. “Well, it was a pleasure meeting you.”
“You, too.”
And then he headed off, leaving her with a weird pang in her chest that she couldn’t explain.
How weird was that?
She wasn’t the kind of woman who cared about men as a rule. They were nice whenever she had a biological itch to scratch, but that was all she wanted one for.
Men came with baggage and her life was screwed up enough. Last thing she wanted was more drama or more complications.
But something about Jinx . . .
You’re an idiot!
Assassins were forbidden to have any kind of relationship with anyone. Physical or friendly.
To do so was a death sentence for them and for anyone dumb enough to try to befriend them.
But what a shame for a man that fine to be off-limits. Really, that alone should be a crime.
Oh well.
Putting it out of her mind, she headed back to her table to find her second-in-command, Jedidiah Tweedle, sitting down with new drinks for her and one for him. “Where were you just now?”
“Long story.” She sat at the table and knocked back her shot, then took a gulp of her Tondarion Fire to chase it. “Where have you been?”
Jedi took a much more cautious sip of his alcohol. “Scrounging for contracts, but they’re anorexic right now.”
Made sense. The League was cracking down on mercenaries and freelancers. Even the Virgyls like the one she used to work for were feeling the bite of League scrutiny in a way they’d never felt before. In the past, The League had left them alone to oversee the conduct of their members. But lately, The League had been randomly auditing each Virgyl and then shutting them down and executing all members who held permits for bounty hunting and assassination.
For no reason other than the Prime Commander was a paranoid piece of shit convinced that one of the Virgyls was going to send an assassin after him to end his life.
He was far more likely to die at the hands of one of his own than from a hired blaster.
Idiot.
But there was nothing they could do, other than try to survive until nature took its course.
And it always took its course. Paranoid assholes never made it long.
Jedi pulled the tie from his hair and released the mass of unruly dark curls that fell to the middle of his back.
Eve reached for the bottle and poured another drink. “Did you talk to your friend Syn?”
“He was in the middle of something. Said he’d call as soon as he could.”
Damn the timing. “I can’t stand the thought of my sister rotting in prison over our father’s stupidity. I have to get her out of there.”
“I know, hon. Doing everything I can. Syn’s our best shot. He actually escaped prison.”
“Yeah, but you said he had help on the inside.” Jayne didn’t.
Eve winced at the horrors she was sure her sister was facing every waking minute. While they were both hardcore gutter rats who knew how to hold their own, it still wasn’t the same as having to fight for every scrap and breath in such a hell hole.
If anyone touched her baby girl, she’d hand feed them their intestines.
But there was nothing she could do while she was out here and Jayne was locked up.
Frustrated, she slammed her glass down on the table. “This isn’t helping. I need to go and at least make my brain think it’s doing something constructive.” She got up and sighed, wishing she’d not been so quick to send her assassin friend on his way.
Maybe he could have shared some intel about Jayne’s habitat.
Most likely not, but it could have been worth a shot.
Jedi stood up and left his half-finished whiskey to follow after her.
“You don’t have to come with me, you know?”
“In the mood you’re in . . . yeah, I do. There’s no telling what kind of trouble you’ll find on your own.”
She laughed at the truth of that statement. God help whoever came across her tonight. She might gut them just for the distraction.
Contract or not.
Jedi held the door open for her. “I know you don’t like working with the Tavali, but the Septs are looking for Runners.”
She grimaced at the mere thought as they left the bar for the deserted street. Being that Jed had been raised in the Septurnum Tavali Nation, that was always his go-to for anything they needed.
But there was one problem. “They don’t pay contract help enough to make it worth our while.” Especially given the danger. If they were caught blocking League officials from the pirates, they could be executed for it.
If they were caught with Tavali cargo or gear, they’d be tortured and then executed.
Given how little the Tavali paid for that kind of risk . . .
Not worth it.
“I’d rather find a war to fight in.”
Jedi snorted. “We have plenty of those to choose from.”
Sadly true.
Even sadder was that the pay wasn’t much better and you usually had to wait longer for it.
Damn. She had to do something to up her revenue stream. Killing and maiming bad guys didn’t pay what it used to.
Eve paused as she suddenly heard something off in the distance.
Instinctively, her hand went to her blaster.
What the hell was that?
She gently pulled Jedi behind her so that she could stare into the dark.
“What’s going on?” he whispered.
She gestured for him to stay put as she crept toward the alley behind them. It could just be vermin scurrying. A hobo finding a spot for a bed or a drink.
Or something much more lethal.
Since her life hung in the balance, she wanted to assess the threat before she casually dismissed it.