avoided her eyes as he wiped down the bar. He was hiding something.
“Yeah, I can see how you’d be upset. Dirty Monty’s has such an upstanding reputation. A hooker would only spoil the ambience.” She cocked her head, letting him know she wasn’t buying any of it. “You mean she never gave you a piece of the action for letting her conduct business out front?”
The guy took in a heavy breath, still having trouble looking her in the eye.
“Look, I don’t begrudge anyone a livin’.” He lowered his voice even though the place was loud enough, staying out of earshot of those at the bar. “And I’m all for free enterprise. She came to me first. All she asked me to do was keep my mouth shut about what she was doin’.”
“For a piece of the action.” Jess pushed him to admit it.
“I never saw it that way. For me, she was only feedin’ the tip jar.” He rattled the nearby glass decanter, filled with dollar bills and coins.
Jess had enough of his smug attitude. She leaned closer, putting her elbows on the bar. “You ever take it out in trade?”
She’d hit another soft spot. Score one for the home team. He shut his eyes tight and shook his head, no doubt regretting having started the conversation.
“Yeah, from time to time, she’d do me for free. What about it? It was consensual. She said she couldn’t get enough of the old kielbasa.” He shrugged with a smirk. “Me? I chalked it up to quality control. The girl doesn’t look like much, but she has a lip-lock that makes your eyes water.”
Thankfully, he shifted gears. “But I started gettin’ complaints from the customers. Crank makes her crazy. Real paranoid. I was afraid someone might call the cops. And I knew if that bitch got hauled in, she’d spill her guts on anybody. And with our history, she’d drag me in out of spite.”
“Yeah, I can see how you’d be concerned, you being completely innocent and all.”
He shrugged again, ignoring her cynicism.
“Anyway, I kicked her ass out, and I hadn’t seen her back. End of story.” He pointed a finger at her. “I never did nothin’ illegal. She did me for free, and it’s her word against mine on anythin’ else. Who’d believe a crank whore?”
The jerk walked away, saying, “I gotta get back to work.”
Good move. Jess had heard all she could stand from the arrogant ass. She questioned a couple more waitresses but came up empty. Time to call it a night.
With her ears ringing and her clothes smelling of smoke, Jess needed a breath of fresh air. She had a lot on her mind as she walked out the front door of Dirty Monty’s. How did Mandy Vincent turn into a pathetic street urchin named Desiree? And what connection did this woman have to Seth Harper? A part of her was scared to know the truth—the part with the nagging voice that questioned who Harper really was. He had too many secrets. And although she’d given him plenty of opportunity to speak up, he refused to share.
She reached for the car keys in her jean jacket, but as she headed for her van, a hulking man blocked her path, his ugly mug mercifully steeped in shadow. And another man, who looked Middle Eastern, leaned against a truck parked on the street, sucking on a cigarette. He tossed his smoke aside and joined the one who stood in her way.
Jess held her ground, assessing her options. She felt the weight of the Colt Python holstered under her jacket. But if she played her cards right, she wouldn’t have to use it. Her backup plan had more potential to bail her out. She slipped a hand into her pocket, taking hold of the M84 stun grenade.
If the guys were the Welcome Wagon for the block, she wanted to make a good first impression.
With a smile, she said, “If you boys hurry, you can still make karaoke hour.”
♥ Uploaded by Coral ♥
CHAPTER 6
“I hear you been looking for Desiree,” the smoker said in accented English. “Who are you? And what’s your interest in her?”
Dark skin with piercing eyes and a
“Yeah, I can see how you’d be upset. Dirty Monty’s has such an upstanding reputation. A hooker would only spoil the ambience.” She cocked her head, letting him know she wasn’t buying any of it. “You mean she never gave you a piece of the action for letting her conduct business out front?”
The guy took in a heavy breath, still having trouble looking her in the eye.
“Look, I don’t begrudge anyone a livin’.” He lowered his voice even though the place was loud enough, staying out of earshot of those at the bar. “And I’m all for free enterprise. She came to me first. All she asked me to do was keep my mouth shut about what she was doin’.”
“For a piece of the action.” Jess pushed him to admit it.
“I never saw it that way. For me, she was only feedin’ the tip jar.” He rattled the nearby glass decanter, filled with dollar bills and coins.
Jess had enough of his smug attitude. She leaned closer, putting her elbows on the bar. “You ever take it out in trade?”
She’d hit another soft spot. Score one for the home team. He shut his eyes tight and shook his head, no doubt regretting having started the conversation.
“Yeah, from time to time, she’d do me for free. What about it? It was consensual. She said she couldn’t get enough of the old kielbasa.” He shrugged with a smirk. “Me? I chalked it up to quality control. The girl doesn’t look like much, but she has a lip-lock that makes your eyes water.”
Thankfully, he shifted gears. “But I started gettin’ complaints from the customers. Crank makes her crazy. Real paranoid. I was afraid someone might call the cops. And I knew if that bitch got hauled in, she’d spill her guts on anybody. And with our history, she’d drag me in out of spite.”
“Yeah, I can see how you’d be concerned, you being completely innocent and all.”
He shrugged again, ignoring her cynicism.
“Anyway, I kicked her ass out, and I hadn’t seen her back. End of story.” He pointed a finger at her. “I never did nothin’ illegal. She did me for free, and it’s her word against mine on anythin’ else. Who’d believe a crank whore?”
The jerk walked away, saying, “I gotta get back to work.”
Good move. Jess had heard all she could stand from the arrogant ass. She questioned a couple more waitresses but came up empty. Time to call it a night.
With her ears ringing and her clothes smelling of smoke, Jess needed a breath of fresh air. She had a lot on her mind as she walked out the front door of Dirty Monty’s. How did Mandy Vincent turn into a pathetic street urchin named Desiree? And what connection did this woman have to Seth Harper? A part of her was scared to know the truth—the part with the nagging voice that questioned who Harper really was. He had too many secrets. And although she’d given him plenty of opportunity to speak up, he refused to share.
She reached for the car keys in her jean jacket, but as she headed for her van, a hulking man blocked her path, his ugly mug mercifully steeped in shadow. And another man, who looked Middle Eastern, leaned against a truck parked on the street, sucking on a cigarette. He tossed his smoke aside and joined the one who stood in her way.
Jess held her ground, assessing her options. She felt the weight of the Colt Python holstered under her jacket. But if she played her cards right, she wouldn’t have to use it. Her backup plan had more potential to bail her out. She slipped a hand into her pocket, taking hold of the M84 stun grenade.
If the guys were the Welcome Wagon for the block, she wanted to make a good first impression.
With a smile, she said, “If you boys hurry, you can still make karaoke hour.”
♥ Uploaded by Coral ♥
CHAPTER 6
“I hear you been looking for Desiree,” the smoker said in accented English. “Who are you? And what’s your interest in her?”
Dark skin with piercing eyes and a
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