gypsy should you end up a slab of meat at the morgue.”
“I’m thirsty. I need a beer. You? What’s your poison, amant? ”
“Call the gypsy and warn him off. Tell him—”
“His name is Saber Lazie, and Cookie will be fine as long as she doesn’t do anything stupid. It takes a lot to piss Lazie off.”
Mama would be too afraid to do something stupid, Casmir thought. Still…
“He better not lay a finger on her or he’ll be wearing another piercing. Only this hole will be bigger. Straight through his chest.”
“Somehow I believe you would do it.”
“The first intelligent thought you’ve had all day. You don’t have to fight Parnel. We could leave now, and—”
“We? You’ve changed your mind about calling Polax and bailing?”
She hadn’t, but he didn’t need to know that. “Maybe. It all depends on you and how quickly we can get out of here. Shall we go?”
“What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn’t fight for my amant? If I ran like a tcheue? ”
“No one here would think you’re a chicken, Fourtier. You look more like a snake. And you’re not my boyfriend. I only said that to get Parnel to back off.”
“And did he…get off your back?”
“Not right away. He needed a bit more persuasion. But in the end—”
“So you shoved your gun up his nose and told him to eat it, didn’t you?”
“Stomach, and only after he insulted me. I wouldn’t have had to get nasty if he’d known when to walk away. Why does every man think that a woman is just supposed to roll over and drool when he snaps his fingers?”
“Not every man. I like my women moaning, not drooling. Not as messy, and better for the ego.”
“A bodyguard with a sense of humor. Who would have thought a snake would have a funny side? They’re so one-dimensional.”
“This snake is a barrel of fun once you get to know me.”
“No, thanks.”
Grinning, he headed for the bar. Over his shoulder, he said, “Coming?”
Scowling at him, Casmir followed and slid onto a bar stool. She had expected him to do the same, but he stepped behind the bar and slapped the man tending customers on the back.
“How’s it going, Lute?”
“I never expected to see you back here, Pierce. You come to visit Lazie?”
“Something like that. I’ll wait on the lady.”
The bartender nodded. “Sure, mon ami. You know your way around. Nuttin’s changed.”
“Sometimes that’s a good thing.”
“ Oui. Like a steady paycheck and sex twice a week with my old lady. Always look forward to Tuesdays and Fridays. A man’s routine is his best friend.”
The man named Lute gave Casmir a sweet grin before he moved to the end of the bar to wait on another thirsty customer. She dismissed the short little man with shaggy brown hair, and focused on Pierce Fourtier.
“Now then, tite chatte, you want a real drink, or something pretty?”
“I don’t think I should be drinking.”
“Does that mean you can’t handle your liquor?”
“I can handle whatever you throw my way. I could drink you under the table if necessary.”
His reaction to her boast was another healthy chuckle. She noticed straight white teeth, and mentally listed them under fit body, nice nose and clear complexion. Okay, so she’d noticed his nice skin, along with a pair of soul-deep brown eyes.
“We’ll have to settle that one of these nights. See who can outlast who.”
“Then you plan on taking me to Le Mystère?”
“ Oui. There was never any doubt.”
Okay, this was the way it was going to work. She’d go with him, get Mama and leave two minutes later.
Casmir started to stand. “Let’s go.”
“After I meet Parnel downstairs.”
She sat back down. “What if you don’t win? I don’t think we should jeopardize Mama’s safety for ego’s sake, do you?”
“Lazie won’t let anything happen to Ruza.” He reached for a bottle of vodka and began to mix her a drink. At least she suspected it was hers. He’d said he needed a beer.
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“I’m thirsty. I need a beer. You? What’s your poison, amant? ”
“Call the gypsy and warn him off. Tell him—”
“His name is Saber Lazie, and Cookie will be fine as long as she doesn’t do anything stupid. It takes a lot to piss Lazie off.”
Mama would be too afraid to do something stupid, Casmir thought. Still…
“He better not lay a finger on her or he’ll be wearing another piercing. Only this hole will be bigger. Straight through his chest.”
“Somehow I believe you would do it.”
“The first intelligent thought you’ve had all day. You don’t have to fight Parnel. We could leave now, and—”
“We? You’ve changed your mind about calling Polax and bailing?”
She hadn’t, but he didn’t need to know that. “Maybe. It all depends on you and how quickly we can get out of here. Shall we go?”
“What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn’t fight for my amant? If I ran like a tcheue? ”
“No one here would think you’re a chicken, Fourtier. You look more like a snake. And you’re not my boyfriend. I only said that to get Parnel to back off.”
“And did he…get off your back?”
“Not right away. He needed a bit more persuasion. But in the end—”
“So you shoved your gun up his nose and told him to eat it, didn’t you?”
“Stomach, and only after he insulted me. I wouldn’t have had to get nasty if he’d known when to walk away. Why does every man think that a woman is just supposed to roll over and drool when he snaps his fingers?”
“Not every man. I like my women moaning, not drooling. Not as messy, and better for the ego.”
“A bodyguard with a sense of humor. Who would have thought a snake would have a funny side? They’re so one-dimensional.”
“This snake is a barrel of fun once you get to know me.”
“No, thanks.”
Grinning, he headed for the bar. Over his shoulder, he said, “Coming?”
Scowling at him, Casmir followed and slid onto a bar stool. She had expected him to do the same, but he stepped behind the bar and slapped the man tending customers on the back.
“How’s it going, Lute?”
“I never expected to see you back here, Pierce. You come to visit Lazie?”
“Something like that. I’ll wait on the lady.”
The bartender nodded. “Sure, mon ami. You know your way around. Nuttin’s changed.”
“Sometimes that’s a good thing.”
“ Oui. Like a steady paycheck and sex twice a week with my old lady. Always look forward to Tuesdays and Fridays. A man’s routine is his best friend.”
The man named Lute gave Casmir a sweet grin before he moved to the end of the bar to wait on another thirsty customer. She dismissed the short little man with shaggy brown hair, and focused on Pierce Fourtier.
“Now then, tite chatte, you want a real drink, or something pretty?”
“I don’t think I should be drinking.”
“Does that mean you can’t handle your liquor?”
“I can handle whatever you throw my way. I could drink you under the table if necessary.”
His reaction to her boast was another healthy chuckle. She noticed straight white teeth, and mentally listed them under fit body, nice nose and clear complexion. Okay, so she’d noticed his nice skin, along with a pair of soul-deep brown eyes.
“We’ll have to settle that one of these nights. See who can outlast who.”
“Then you plan on taking me to Le Mystère?”
“ Oui. There was never any doubt.”
Okay, this was the way it was going to work. She’d go with him, get Mama and leave two minutes later.
Casmir started to stand. “Let’s go.”
“After I meet Parnel downstairs.”
She sat back down. “What if you don’t win? I don’t think we should jeopardize Mama’s safety for ego’s sake, do you?”
“Lazie won’t let anything happen to Ruza.” He reached for a bottle of vodka and began to mix her a drink. At least she suspected it was hers. He’d said he needed a beer.
Using all
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