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“I know.” I fucking know. “I’m going to call him.” I have no other choice. “I’ll get in touch later with specifics for tomorrow.”
“Yeah. I’ll be waiting.”
I shove from my chair and walk from the bar, not acknowledging Brent, who tracks my steps with his gaze. As I get outside, I glance up at her window, unable to break the habit.
She’s there. I can feel her staring down at me, watching my movements with the same dedication I’ve shown watching hers.
I reach the end of the building, turn down the side street to my car, and start dialing Torian’s number.
The call co
“You got time to talk?” I ask.
“I’m at Devoured.”
The call disco
Fucking great.
I climb into my car and drive across town to his father’s restaurant. I slow as I pass the front windows and see Torian inside, standing amongst a crowd of his family while he holds a young girl on one arm. His mother is there, his sisters, too, while a million other kids run around with balloons and streamers.
A private family function.
Fucking perfect.
I park my car and stalk inside, ignoring Carlos at the door, who quickly glances at Torian for approval to let me in.
The man of the moment inclines his head and grins at me as I approach. The slimy fucker is dressed in his typical designer suit, his brown hair immaculately styled, his face clean-shaven. The guy is young. Too fucking young to have the amount of power he carries under his belt. But he owns it, taking the authority in his stride.
I bypass his attractive younger sister, his mother, the small army of children who have made his father’s restaurant their bitch, and stop in front of Torian and the girl.
“Hunt.” His smile remains in place, charismatic yet undeniably fake. I can see the anger hidden beneath the calm facade. I can sense the frustration, too. “I expected to see you sooner. You don’t usually make me wait.”
I ignore the little girl staring up at me and return his grin. His intimidation techniques don’t work on me. They never have. Threats are only successful if you have something to lose, and Torian is well aware I’ve deliberately cut ties with anyone of value. “I told you I’d get in contact once the job was done.”
“Why does it sound like you’re about to tell me something I don’t want to hear? Do you have what I need or not?”
“I’m still working on it.”
His smile increases. Ignorant women would fall to their knees for that playboy charm, but I know the meaning of his expression. I know, and I refuse to give a shit. He leans down, placing his niece on her feet. “Go play with your friends, Stella.”
“Okay, Unkie Cole.” The girl skips away, her skirt swishing with every bounce.
He watches her, always smiling, always smug. “How are you still working on it when Dan is dead?”
“There was someone with him. A woman. I think she could be a lead to—”
“I didn’t ask for a fucking lead. I asked for a name. One name. It wasn’t a hard task.”
I clench my teeth and look away in an attempt to control my temper. I’m not a failure. I won’t accept being treated as one. “She beat him.” I lower my voice. “Aren’t you interested to find out why?”
“I’m only interested in the name. Why would I care about the whore who was with him before he died?”
“She’s no whore.”
“That’s not what the detective tells me.”
My pulse spikes, but I can understand where he’s coming from. I’d assumed the same thing to begin with. “With a body like hers, she’d be stupid to work in a neighborhood well beneath her physical appeal. There has to be more to it than that.”
She doesn’t need to slum it for money. One look inside her apartment and I could tell she had cash. If she wanted to sell her body, she could easily do it with deep-pocketed men.
“Why are you wasting my time with assumptions, Hunt? Admit you’ve failed, and we can deal with the consequences.”
“It’s not an assumption, and I haven’t fucking failed. She tortured him. And she’s on the road tomorrow to meet someone in Seattle. I think she has contacts there.” I drag my gaze back to meet his unfaltering stare. “If she was trying to keep him quiet, don’t you want to know why? Don’t you want to know if there are more players in this?”
Torian’s eyes narrow. His lips flatten. He stares at me for long moments, scrutinizing, obviously strategizing. “Why do you care?”
“Money.” That is the only acceptable answer. For me and him. “I’ll get you more valuable information, and you can pay me for the extra work.”
He laughs, long and hearty, as if I’m a fucking comedian. “Now that makes more sense. You’ve always been a money-hungry bastard.” He inches forward to place his hand on my shoulder and guide me toward the front door. “And I appreciate you thinking outside the box. But do I need to reiterate how tired I am of waiting for a resolution on this?”
“It won’t be much longer.” I have no foundation for my promise. I’ll just have to make it work. I’ll have to move faster.
“Maybe you need help.”
“No.” I plant my feet and glare. “You gave this job to me, and I work alone.”
“Really?” He taunts me with a smirk. “Does Decker know that?”
Decker is different. He helps from the outside. I never rely on him; I only ever lean. “Speaking of,” I growl, “he’s off-limits. You call him again, and we’ll have a problem.”
He laughs, but this time the facade cracks. The sound is sinister. Angered. “I wanted answers, and you wouldn’t return my calls.”
“Well, you have your answers now, so back off.”
He squeezes my shoulder, the touch another threat. “I have nothing but your assurances, which mean little to me. In fact, I think I need to insist on someone else assisting you. I’ll send Carlos to tag along.”
I snap my gaze to those kids laughing and playing. I stare. I glare. I make sure they’re at the front of my mind so I don’t lose my shit. “You put a tail on me, and whoever it is will wind up face down in a dumpster.”
A threat for a threat.
Torian chuckles and releases his hold, raising his hands in an act of surrender no sane person would believe. “Okay. Okay. I get it. You’re invested in seeing this through. I can appreciate that.”
“Thanks,” I snarl.
We have worked together for years. We have been through more than most family members endure. But I have no doubt this man would cut ties in the blink of an eye. He also knows I’ll do the same if pushed.
“I’ll call you when I’m done.” I stride ahead, a cautious throb tickling the back of my neck. I need to be finished with this job. I need to be done with it. With her.
“Hunt,” Torian calls over the sound of celebrating children.
I stall, the cautious throb now taking over my limbs as I turn. “Yeah?”
“You’ve got forty-eight hours.”