Don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten you.
I crumpled the paper and stared at the flat tires.
That bastard. Jarvis did this. Nobody else would be so bold or so stupid, not on a crowded Friday evening in downtown. No doubt multiple people saw him do it and nobody stopped it—or if they had tried, Jarvis scared them off.
“We’ll call a car.”
“Reid? What did that say?”
I gave her a flat look. “You’re coming out with me tomorrow.”
She blinked and took a step back. “What do you mean, out?”
“You know what I mean.” I looked down at my phone and ordered a car. “Be ready by ten.”
“Wait. Reid.”
I gave her a hard look. “Be ready by ten.”
She opened her mouth then clamped her jaw shut. Anger fell across her expression like a hood and I felt the distance between us open up again, deeper and wider than ever.
10
Cora
I stepped out of the shower with a towel wrapped around my middle and stared at the Christmas lights hanging from the ceiling. I knew I shouldn’t have used them—but they were the only thing I had that really felt like mine, and it made me happy to see them there, so screw it. I didn’t care if they were one of a kind.
My eyes drifted to the clock. Just after nine in the morning. I felt a strange stab of panic that I pushed back. I couldn’t lose it, not right now, not when things were starting to look up—at least a little bit. Last night was a lot of fun, even though I hated to admit it, and I actually enjoyed being around Reid for a little while. I almost forgot he was a gangster, almost forgot that I was supposed to hate his guts and let myself be present in the moment for a little while. We were a good team, and I loved the attention he gave me, loved the way his eyes slipped down my body. I knew what he was thinking, and I wanted it just as bad as he did, even if admitting that to myself made me sick.
I pulled on jeans, a sweatshirt, and a pair of boots. I thought about putting on makeup, but skipped it, and tied my hair back to keep it out of my eyes. I found Reid downstairs drinking coffee and he looked up with a glimmer of surprise as I poured myself a mug.
“You’re early.”
“Figured I didn’t want to piss off the boss.”
He gave me a wary look. Smart man.
“All right. We’re leaving soon, so eat if you want.”
I shrugged, drank coffee. “I’m ready now if you are.”
He looked at his empty plate then downed his coffee and stood. “I’ll get my shit.”
I watched him go and let out a breath. My stomach was a bundle of nerves and I didn’t know what to expect from today, but I didn’t want to distract him at all if possible, and so I was going out of my way to be nice. It wasn’t easy, since all I really wanted to do was call him an asshole and be done with it—but I figured it was safer for me if his head was in the game.
He came down a minute later and led me out to the car. I got in and buckled my seatbelt as he pulled out into traffic.
“Same as the last time?” I asked.
He shook his head. “We’re doing it a little different now.”
“Because of—” I didn’t want to say his name, so I let it hang in the air.
He grunted. “That’s right. Can’t make it too easy on him.”
“Have you, uh, you know, found him yet?”
“Not yet. Sighting, rumors, but not the man himself.” His jaw tightened. “Last night’s the closest I’ve been to him.”
Last night. The slashed tires. I flashed back to the look on his face as he stared at the car, the pure, intense rage that radiated trough his body. It scared the hell out of me at the time, but now it felt oddly comforting.
We drifted into silence and I could feel the tension rolling off him in waves.
“I know what you’re thinking,” he said suddenly, hands gripping the steering wheel.
“What’s that?” I asked, genuinely not sure.
“You think I can’t protect you. You’re thinking about the last time, and you’re wondering—maybe it’s safer if you didn’t come.”
“That’s not what I’m thinking,” I said, but he didn’t seem to hear me.
“Last time was a mistake. I take responsibility for that. But there won’t be a next time, not from some two-bit thug like Jarvis. I can promise you that.”
I reached out suddenly, not thinking about it. I put my hand on his shoulder and looked at him, not sure what I was thinking and not sure why I cared—it wasn’t like it mattered to me if he was angry with himself.
“I know that,” I said, voice soft.
He grunted and glanced at me, then tilted his head and gave me his gorgeous smirk, the one that pissed me off and drove me wild.
“Don’t worry, little dove. You’re in good hands.”
I pulled away and rolled my eyes. We lapsed into silence again, but this time the tension seemed to break, which felt like a win at least.
He stopped a few minutes later in front of a boring row home. Enrico and Aldrik came out moments later and hopped into the back. I turned back to give them a pleasant smile, and Enrico frowned in my face.
“Glad you’re tagging along,” Enrico said, although he didn’t look anywhere near glad. “Boss, we still on schedule?”
“We are indeed.” Reid put the car back into gear and began to drive.
I tried to ignore Reid’s two guys but they were impossible to miss. Aldrik kept shifting from side to side like he couldn’t get comfortable and Enrico’s scowl looked like it might melt the side of the car in half—and I wondered if they were angry about my presence, or if they were pissed off about the job we had to do. I wasn’t sure which was better though, since on the one hand they disliked me personally, and on the other we were going out on some bad mission that even Reid’s own guys didn’t want to do.
“Job’s simple,” Reid said, his voice soft, breaking the dense silence. “We’re picking up a package and dropping it off somewhere else, just like last time.”
“Minus the ambush,” I said.
“Hopefully.” Reid smiled a little. “Although I brought these two along just in case. They’re more than up for a fight.”
“Up for a fight?” Aldrik snorted. “I live for a damn fight. It’s in my blood.”
“Only thing in your blood is cocaine and STDs,” Enrico said.
“Asshole.” Aldrik glared at him. “The fuck you talking about?”
“Now, now,” Reid said like this was a regular occurrence. “We don’t need you two bitching at each other the whole ride.”
Aldrik fell into a sullen silence—while Enrico seemed strangely happier than he had been before.
Reid pulled out front of a nondescript house in the middle of Locust. It was a main street with lots of traffic, and the car was pulled over to the side, the hazards on, double parking by some poor Mini Cooper. Reid craned his neck, squinting up at a house with a black door, then looked at Enrico. “Get up there and knock.”
“What, you’re not doing it?”