hard not to show surprise. “Why?”
“That’s not an answer.”
“Old enough.”
His jaw flexed as he straightened to his full height. “You’re underage.”
“Hard to be at twenty-one.”
His full lips curved.
The smile made him look too easy-going, too approachable. Not words she should associate with him. She looked at the card now at his side.
You know you can’t pass up this perfect opportunity. This is your chance .
“Name’s Jonas Saven,” he said, and she glanced up. “I run the club Zero. It’s opening tonight. Bring my wallet.” Sirens crooned in the distance. “I have to go.” Two fingers held the card out to her again. His nails were groomed clean and short. “Take it, in case the police need to contact me.”
Right. But she took the card. Cops weren’t likely the first choice of company for a drug dealer.
“Stay out of trouble.”
“What?” she retorted. “You think I go looking for it?”
“There’s no doubt, after you picked my pocket.” He looked at Mouse. “Tell your friend he can keep the cash as long as he returns the wallet. If he doesn’t, I’ll find him.”
His tone cut a nerve. “You know what you can do with your orders—”
He held up a hand and shook his head so casually she knew he was used to dismissing people like her. “Not now. I’ll expect you tonight.”
Who the hell did he think he was?
“Your color’s back.” He ran a finger gently over her cheek before she could evade him. Surely she was only imagining the warmth his finger left behind. “You’ll be okay.”
“No doubt about it.”
He smiled that arrogant smile and left.
Jerk. But then the rich always came off that way in her experience. Ana gave the card one more perusal before tapping it against her cheek. She had to get the wallet back to Saven or Mouse would pay the consequence.
Was it luck she’d gotten an opening to meet Saven again? There was no doubt Saven worked for Brooks—which meant Saven worked on the wrong side of the law. His interest in the dealer only backed up that assumption.
She had a role to play. And luck or not, Saven had just given her the perfect opportunity to fulfill it.
CHAPTER FOUR
4:33 p.m.
Ana dragged herself through the door of SIDE headquarters, absently listening to the creaks of each weak spot on the scarred stairs as she trudged up to the second floor. She’d contacted a few more street sources and received the same answers. Each had said he only carried a few Ecstasy tablets on him and no one had heard any recent rumors. With a sigh, she sniffed the forearm of her sweatshirt.
Damn, she stank like yesterday’s garbage—literally.
Besides that, her wrist ached and the right side of her body felt like one giant bruise. She wiggled her fingers and winced. At least she’d made the bastard bleed.
Mouse would be patched up, released. It wasn’t like the kid had insurance. He’d ditched the wallets in an arcade trash bin, which had been dumped in a pier dumpster—one she’d sifted through to find Saven’s prized possession. When the cops arrived, she’d simply told them Mouse had been mugged, and when she’d come upon them the assaulters had run. Seemed best to leave Saven out altogether.
She pictured his handsome face, and the intent way he’d studied her. An uncontrollable shiver traveled down her back.
What she should be focusing on was why Saven and the X dealer were in the same place at the same time. That was too much of a coincidence to be ignored. How long had he been watching the dealer? How long had he been watching her?
And if Saven and the dealer were associated, why didn’t he ask the dealer about her conversation with him? But then again, he may have. Saven could have given the dealer the heads-up the police were on their way. Tommy had been gone when she went back into the arcade. Not a surprise with the cops close by.
Either way, Saven had helped her and Mouse. She supposed he earned points for stepping in. She
“That’s not an answer.”
“Old enough.”
His jaw flexed as he straightened to his full height. “You’re underage.”
“Hard to be at twenty-one.”
His full lips curved.
The smile made him look too easy-going, too approachable. Not words she should associate with him. She looked at the card now at his side.
You know you can’t pass up this perfect opportunity. This is your chance .
“Name’s Jonas Saven,” he said, and she glanced up. “I run the club Zero. It’s opening tonight. Bring my wallet.” Sirens crooned in the distance. “I have to go.” Two fingers held the card out to her again. His nails were groomed clean and short. “Take it, in case the police need to contact me.”
Right. But she took the card. Cops weren’t likely the first choice of company for a drug dealer.
“Stay out of trouble.”
“What?” she retorted. “You think I go looking for it?”
“There’s no doubt, after you picked my pocket.” He looked at Mouse. “Tell your friend he can keep the cash as long as he returns the wallet. If he doesn’t, I’ll find him.”
His tone cut a nerve. “You know what you can do with your orders—”
He held up a hand and shook his head so casually she knew he was used to dismissing people like her. “Not now. I’ll expect you tonight.”
Who the hell did he think he was?
“Your color’s back.” He ran a finger gently over her cheek before she could evade him. Surely she was only imagining the warmth his finger left behind. “You’ll be okay.”
“No doubt about it.”
He smiled that arrogant smile and left.
Jerk. But then the rich always came off that way in her experience. Ana gave the card one more perusal before tapping it against her cheek. She had to get the wallet back to Saven or Mouse would pay the consequence.
Was it luck she’d gotten an opening to meet Saven again? There was no doubt Saven worked for Brooks—which meant Saven worked on the wrong side of the law. His interest in the dealer only backed up that assumption.
She had a role to play. And luck or not, Saven had just given her the perfect opportunity to fulfill it.
CHAPTER FOUR
4:33 p.m.
Ana dragged herself through the door of SIDE headquarters, absently listening to the creaks of each weak spot on the scarred stairs as she trudged up to the second floor. She’d contacted a few more street sources and received the same answers. Each had said he only carried a few Ecstasy tablets on him and no one had heard any recent rumors. With a sigh, she sniffed the forearm of her sweatshirt.
Damn, she stank like yesterday’s garbage—literally.
Besides that, her wrist ached and the right side of her body felt like one giant bruise. She wiggled her fingers and winced. At least she’d made the bastard bleed.
Mouse would be patched up, released. It wasn’t like the kid had insurance. He’d ditched the wallets in an arcade trash bin, which had been dumped in a pier dumpster—one she’d sifted through to find Saven’s prized possession. When the cops arrived, she’d simply told them Mouse had been mugged, and when she’d come upon them the assaulters had run. Seemed best to leave Saven out altogether.
She pictured his handsome face, and the intent way he’d studied her. An uncontrollable shiver traveled down her back.
What she should be focusing on was why Saven and the X dealer were in the same place at the same time. That was too much of a coincidence to be ignored. How long had he been watching the dealer? How long had he been watching her?
And if Saven and the dealer were associated, why didn’t he ask the dealer about her conversation with him? But then again, he may have. Saven could have given the dealer the heads-up the police were on their way. Tommy had been gone when she went back into the arcade. Not a surprise with the cops close by.
Either way, Saven had helped her and Mouse. She supposed he earned points for stepping in. She
Similar Books
