I’m not worried, though. The Reapers can find anything if it’s in any way connected to technology. We’ll be out of here by breakfast time.
“Now shut the fuck up. The boss will be here later.” See? Fucking mobsters. So cliché.
“Can we get some Egyptian sheets and a queen-size bed? My back has a hard time sleeping on anything smaller.”
“How about I blow your fuckin’ head off? How’s that for a queen size?”
I frown, taking the couple of steps I need to make it to the cell’s steel bars.
“Your jokes are about as stale as your breath.” I press my head against the bars and grit my teeth. Gone is the fun-loving Grinder. Enter the fucking unhinged motherfucker who rips teeth out for fun. “Just remember this moment when I’m taking a pair of pliers to your molars.”
The guy shakes his head and walks away, not taking my words as the warning they are.
“This is boring.” I turn to Kincaid and sigh. She’s not wrong, I expected blood and bruises.
“I know. Who knew the Irish were so good at self-control? All the movies show them as hot tempered. I’m really disappointed.”
“Yeah. I figured I could take them in a fist fight, but it took me by surprise when he shot his gun in the air.” Which explains the shot earlier and why no one was screaming out in pain.
“Same, little K-bird.” I grin when she growls through her teeth. “Sorry, just trying to amuse myself.”
“You’re bleeding.” Her tone isn’t scared or alarmed, it’s as neutral as Switzerland.
“Par for the course.” With my wrists bound behind my back, I can’t look at my palm, but I don’t feel any glass stuck in there. It’s no big deal, it’ll stop soon enough.
“They could’ve at least taken the handcuffs off.” I nod at our prospect and make a mental note to have her voted in. It’s time, she’s earned it.
“Yeah, Parker’s not gonna be a happy camper. She loves the way these jeans hug my ass.”
Before making it to the hospital and after we not-so-carefully planned out our Operation Get the O’Malleys, I hobbled my way back to my room and changed. Both of my…life partners? Yeah, I’ll go with that. Were asleep, so I quickly got changed into jeans and grabbed my cut. It was the first time I wished I could skip out on club business just so I could slide in between them and sleep.
“This is stupid.” I raise my eyes to Kincaid, who sounds more human than ever.
“No use in wasting our energy, this’ll be over soon.”
The sound of keys in a lock and the opening of a door gets our attention. Kincaid turns and we stand side by side, waiting for whoever is about to visit.
“Mr. Russet.” My last name comes out of this guy’s mouth and it sounds weird, unfamiliar. In part because I never hearit, Diego Russet isn’t how people address me on any normal day, but mostly because this dude is pronouncing with a crisp, monotone accent that rolls theRand places the stress on it like a boot to the neck.
Russian, no question about it.
What the fuck? Since when do the Irish work with the Slavs? Fucking traitors.
“And who the fuck are you?” My humor is gone. Either we start throwing punches and breaking limbs or we call it a night. This whole Spies-R-Us thing is getting old.
“I’m Viktor O’Malley.” That’s it. That’s all he says, as if his name is supposed to give me an ah-ha moment. Although, if he’s here, then who’s at the fucking hospital? Also, why the fuck is he dressed like he belongs on the movie set of theTen Commandments? A long cream colored robe and a brown linen sash draped over his shoulder.
“Didn’t you get your ass carted into an ambulance a few hours ago?”
“Ah, your boyfriend, yes?” I don’t answer him for obvious reasons, namely, fuck him and his motherland. “He’s of no interest to me, Mr. Russet. I want your girlfriend. And for that, I’m willing to trade.” I scoff.
“You can sit on a rusty sword and spin for a decade or two.” Both Spencer and Parker are asleep in my bed, so I’ve got no intentions of playing nice with this asshole. “There’s no fucking way you’re getting anywhere near them.”
“I thought you might say that. It’s disappointing that you’d be so predictable.”
“Fuck right off.” Raising my chin in defiance, I stand my ground with Kincaid showing the same amount ofgo fuck yourselfenergy to this guy.
“Bring her in.” I frown at his command, my mind spinning with all the possibilities. Who the fuck would he try to trade Parker for?