I swirled the liquid in the glass, “Good,” I looked at her, “Cash, I can do it.”
She nodded once, “What do you need?”
“Besides your gracious hospitality,” I tilted my head; she never broke my eye contact, she must be used to b.itches, and I could respect that, “I’m looking for some help dealing with someone.”
“Dealing with them, how?”
“Let’s just say they’re too.. Alive at the moment,” I frowned into my glass, my gaze far away before I took a sip of this burning liquid. Holy s.hit, what was I thinking?
“Hm,” My gaze raked back to hers, “I haven’t seen you here before.” She said.
“Do you remember everyone that comes?”
“Yes,” She raised an eyebrow slightly and crossed her arms, jutting a hip out. It was a motion that felt so young, like a petulant teenager. It was a jarring scene.
I must have looked confused because she straightened herself and snapped once at me, “You’re new,” It wasn’t a question, “How did you find out about us?”
Us, so she was part of this operation.
“You hear things,” I swirled my glass again, running my finger along the rim for something to calm my nerves and make me look impassive.
“Not these things.”
“Yes, you do,” I shrugged. I remembered Willa saying she had heard of this guy but thought he was a myth.
“So, can you help me?” I asked after a too long moment.
“Yes,” She tapped her chin, “Cash up front.”
I smiled, shaking my head once. Caspien said to only do half up front, at most.
“A quarter,” I said, putting the glass down.
“You don’t know the price.”
“From what I was told to expect to pay, a quarter would buy the club this place is hanging off of,” I took another sip; it wasn’t as bad anymore. I think it was because my throat was burned off.
“I want to know who I’m working with,” I said, setting down the now-empty glass.
“Another?” She asked. I shook my head once.
“I want to know who I’m working with,” I repeated, firmer this time.
“You might be able to meet who is contracted for your job, but you will never be able to reach him,” She laughed once. It sounded young and wicked and dry.
“I’ve been told no before,” I shrugged, not moving my gaze from hers, “But it always ends up being a yes in the end,” I pulled my lips back slightly.
“Oh honey, he never shows himself, except to his highest clients, and you, you aren’t that.” She sneered, looking down at me somehow, even though I was taller.
I stood up straighter, peeling myself from the bar.
Was this woman jealous? Protective? Maybe a mother figure of sorts. Or maybe she was just really loyal to her job. Gross.
I bet they have amazing pizza parties once a month. That would be enough to buy her loyalty.
How do you know about pizza?
I’m not feral, I am literally a part of you. How many times do I have to say that?
At least twenty more
“No mindlinking,” The woman cut me off.
“I was talking to myself.”
“Your wolf?” She asked, narrowing her eyes. Yes, I guess that was the right term, s.tupid newborn werewolf.
“What other kind of payment does he take?” I batted my eyes, resuming that fake smile. “I heard he was a force.” Don’t know what that even meant, and don’t know why I said it, but I would stick to it. “Cash only,” Was all she said.
“I can do that. Let’s call this a test, shall we?” I leaned closer to her, crossing my arms on the bar, ignoring the stickiness that made me want to recoil, “If he can pull this off, I can guarantee contracts worth more than what all his top clients pay together,” “You’re not the first person who has claimed that.” She laughed once, a dry laugh this time.
“I might be the first one that has actually backed up that claim.” I looked down at my nails; they were perfect, so I looked back up at her.
“What do you want with him?” She asked, her voice devoid of all emotion.
“What does it matter to you? Let him meet me, and he can decide if he wants to go forward with anything that he wants with me,” I took part of my bottom lip in my mouth, biting it slightly, her eyes narrowed in on my lips. I swore she was jealous. Was it because I was young? “He won’t take you up on that.”
I shrugged, pushing off the bar, “I can tell you I will not be meeting him in,” I looked around. It wasn’t hard to fake my disgust, “Whatever this medieval tavern is,” I winced, “I get that there’s a way things are done. I respect it; really I do. But I will not be playing any more games. If he’s serious, he knows how to contact me,” I slid a business card with a number on it, “If not, he’s not the only assassin here.”
“But he’s the best.”
“I know. That’s why I came here first.” I raised an eyebrow and pulled out a thick wad of cash. I felt nauseous at the sight of throwing all this fresh money away. It was for a good cause; he would die in the end, and I could probably rob him then.
I laid it on the bar, and the woman’s eyes widened slightly before narrowing into slits. It didn’t stop her from wrapping a slender hand around it and pulling it into her jacket. I really hoped she was someone with connections because if not, I just wasted gods knew how much money on tipping this witch.
“I’ll see what I can do, but he-‘
“He won’t want to meet me,” I repeated, sighing. I flipped my hair over my shoulder, “Give him the option.”
I turned on my heel and started to walk towards the door. My heart started to race for the first time since I got here.
What if I did that wrong? What if I said something incriminating? I should have stayed, watched, waited.
“Wait,” a deep gravelly voice called out from behind me.
(Cali)
I turned on my heel slowly. Nerves coursed through me, I couldn’t suppress them fully.
Did someone recognize me? See through me?
A man walked toward me on silent feet. The air around him fell silent, but it wasn’t the same as when Caspien entered a room. He didn’t emit an almost oppressive air that screamed authority, it wasn’t cold or ancient or powerful. I actually felt nothing, but there was a shift.
I crossed my arms, raising an eyebrow, “If you’re going to ask to buy me a drink, no, thank you, I already overpaid for that fire water.” I gestured to the bar, I saw the old woman gaping at us, but she closed her mouth when she met my eye. The man was hooded, and one side of his lips tugged up, meeting a scar across his face. He looked like the main character of a video game.
I still couldn’t believe this was real life, my reality now. I pushed that thought away; the show must go on.
“I wouldn’t insult you by insinuating you needed someone to buy you anything,” His voice was low, smokey even.
I tilted my head and pushed my hair behind my shoulder, running a hand through my long curls. I made a show of studying him, but I couldn’t see anything with his hood besides his full lips and faint pale scars that stood out against his tanned skin.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.