and when?”
This was the type of negotiation Catori liked. In and out, fast and easy. She quickly recited the same spiel as she had with the other two men, following it up by stating a letter of intent was waiting for him in his email. She also gave her forty-eight hour time limit on her proposition and that should he accept, the day and time he should report to their home base.
“You don’t need to wait two days, Starr.” Daegan slid out of the booth and held out his hand, for which Catori returned the gesture. “My answer is yes. I’ll meet you in San Diego on the first of August.”
“Welcome to the team, Daegan.” Catori walked toward the bar, seeing that Callum hadn’t warmed up during her visit. After hearing what Daegan was going to say, she doubted that she would be Callum’s favorite person. That was between the brothers. It was time that she got on the road, and glancing at her watch she was pleased to see she was thirty minutes ahead of schedule. “If you need me beforehand you’ll find my number in that email.”
“I have no doubt you have mine.”
Catori left Daegan at the bar to sort out his family affairs and exited through the door of the bar. Humidity hit her in the face as she continued to walk to her car. She hadn’t bothered to roll up the top, seeing as there wasn’t rain in the forecast. She wasn’t a foot away when she caught sight of something moving in her peripheral vision.
“You’re not from around this area.” A man in a black ripped T-shirt and a pair of cargo shorts was leaning back against his truck with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. She wasn’t sure if it was to look cool or if it was simply a bad habit. He was one of the good old boys who had been playing pool, and from the empty bottles she’d seen along the rail, he’d started his night early. From his license plate she could say for certain that his name was Lloyd. Catori knew being ahead of schedule was just a fluke. “Want me to show you around?”
“No, thank you.” Catori casually looked around, seeing if this guy’s friend had decided to join them. It appeared that it was only she and the drunk, so that should make what she had to do relatively easier. She estimated more time to exit civilly. “You have a good evening.”
Catori took a step toward her car the same moment that Lloyd moved away from his truck and placed himself between the two vehicles. She gave a half smile at his attempt to intimidate her and then immediately threw a punch to his throat while using the other hand to grab his balls. While he struggled to breathe, she grabbed his shoulder, and using both arms for leverage pulled him close so he heard every word she said.
“You don’t want to fuck with me, Lloyd.” Catori tightened her grip on his less than average manhood, causing his face to become a darker shade of red and his eyes to widen. “When I let go of you, you’re going to move out of my way and allow me passage to my car. If you don’t, I’ll have to pull out my weapon and your balls really don’t want that. Do I make myself clear?”
Lloyd tried to nod, and although the action was more stuttered Catori figured it was a good enough answer. She slowly released him, waiting for any indication that he would be dumber than she assumed he was and actually try something more. He stumbled back a few steps and then turned, quickly making his way around the front of his truck.
Catori pulled on the handle and then slid into the driver’s seat. Looking into her rearview mirror, she saw that Daegan was just inside the doorway of the bar, a look of amusement on his face. Although he was closing in on thirty years old, there was something youthful in his appearance that made her feel older than her years. She might actually hole up in a hotel at the first exit she found. Tomorrow would come soon enough.
Chapter Eight
‡
“O pen those beautiful brown eyes of yours, Cat.”
Catori struggled to fulfill the request,
This was the type of negotiation Catori liked. In and out, fast and easy. She quickly recited the same spiel as she had with the other two men, following it up by stating a letter of intent was waiting for him in his email. She also gave her forty-eight hour time limit on her proposition and that should he accept, the day and time he should report to their home base.
“You don’t need to wait two days, Starr.” Daegan slid out of the booth and held out his hand, for which Catori returned the gesture. “My answer is yes. I’ll meet you in San Diego on the first of August.”
“Welcome to the team, Daegan.” Catori walked toward the bar, seeing that Callum hadn’t warmed up during her visit. After hearing what Daegan was going to say, she doubted that she would be Callum’s favorite person. That was between the brothers. It was time that she got on the road, and glancing at her watch she was pleased to see she was thirty minutes ahead of schedule. “If you need me beforehand you’ll find my number in that email.”
“I have no doubt you have mine.”
Catori left Daegan at the bar to sort out his family affairs and exited through the door of the bar. Humidity hit her in the face as she continued to walk to her car. She hadn’t bothered to roll up the top, seeing as there wasn’t rain in the forecast. She wasn’t a foot away when she caught sight of something moving in her peripheral vision.
“You’re not from around this area.” A man in a black ripped T-shirt and a pair of cargo shorts was leaning back against his truck with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. She wasn’t sure if it was to look cool or if it was simply a bad habit. He was one of the good old boys who had been playing pool, and from the empty bottles she’d seen along the rail, he’d started his night early. From his license plate she could say for certain that his name was Lloyd. Catori knew being ahead of schedule was just a fluke. “Want me to show you around?”
“No, thank you.” Catori casually looked around, seeing if this guy’s friend had decided to join them. It appeared that it was only she and the drunk, so that should make what she had to do relatively easier. She estimated more time to exit civilly. “You have a good evening.”
Catori took a step toward her car the same moment that Lloyd moved away from his truck and placed himself between the two vehicles. She gave a half smile at his attempt to intimidate her and then immediately threw a punch to his throat while using the other hand to grab his balls. While he struggled to breathe, she grabbed his shoulder, and using both arms for leverage pulled him close so he heard every word she said.
“You don’t want to fuck with me, Lloyd.” Catori tightened her grip on his less than average manhood, causing his face to become a darker shade of red and his eyes to widen. “When I let go of you, you’re going to move out of my way and allow me passage to my car. If you don’t, I’ll have to pull out my weapon and your balls really don’t want that. Do I make myself clear?”
Lloyd tried to nod, and although the action was more stuttered Catori figured it was a good enough answer. She slowly released him, waiting for any indication that he would be dumber than she assumed he was and actually try something more. He stumbled back a few steps and then turned, quickly making his way around the front of his truck.
Catori pulled on the handle and then slid into the driver’s seat. Looking into her rearview mirror, she saw that Daegan was just inside the doorway of the bar, a look of amusement on his face. Although he was closing in on thirty years old, there was something youthful in his appearance that made her feel older than her years. She might actually hole up in a hotel at the first exit she found. Tomorrow would come soon enough.
Chapter Eight
‡
“O pen those beautiful brown eyes of yours, Cat.”
Catori struggled to fulfill the request,
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