Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 109477 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 547(@200wpm)___ 438(@250wpm)___ 365(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109477 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 547(@200wpm)___ 438(@250wpm)___ 365(@300wpm)
His dark chuckle shimmied down her spine. “Partially. I like to mix business with pleasure. That’s what you were doing earlier, wasn’t it? With your handsome bartender? I wouldn’t meet him in a dark alley, if I were you. He likes to hunt non-magicals—Chesters, like you—and kill them for sport. He probably thinks you’re magical, but you wouldn’t want him to find out otherwise.”
It was like cold water had doused her. She pulled back, trying to judge his truthfulness. His sly grin made her narrow her eyes.
His shrug was ever so slight. “Believe me or don’t, it’s up to you, but I would certainly bring the knife currently hidden in your chic trousers if you meet him for a nightcap. I do recall you being quite good with those. Unless you’d like me to kill him for you? It would be my pleasure. Just say the word.”
She tensed with the need to look back in the bar’s direction. In that moment, the fae took her hand, snapping her focus back to him. He bowed elegantly and ghosted a kiss across her knuckles. The move was graceful and debonair, old-fashioned and oddly sensual. The feel of his cool lips against her flushed skin weakened her knees. She stood frozen in place as her middle erupted with frenzied butterflies.
He stepped back. “Don’t get too comfortable, little dove. I’ll see you soon.”
He gave her a scorching smile and strolled from the room.
She stared after him. So did many others. It wasn’t just his appearance that was arresting, but his charisma. His sophisticated aloofness. He screamed important, from his poise to the way he didn’t deign to notice anyone he passed, as though they were nothing. She’d attempted to affect the same sort of air earlier but realized she had come up woefully short.
The relief of his leaving made her sag. The breath whooshed from her lungs. He hadn’t taken her, and he didn’t stop at Rutherford. Whatever the reason for his presence, it wasn’t her. She had time. Not much of it, but some.
She needed those weapons. Now.
Gathering herself and turning, she re-sighted her target and hoped that diversion hadn’t unraveled all her plans.
One thing curled through her mind…
I’ll see you soon.
8
Zorn was quiet in her ear. He must’ve heard all that, but he wasn’t raising the alarm. It meant he needed more information. That, or he planned to go into action and check out the fae himself. Whatever his plans, his silence meant she should stick with her directive.
Her target was just getting up. She inwardly cursed but headed for him anyway. She could still salvage this. Had to salvage this. She could, of course, find another time to meet this guy, but he traveled a lot and was often busy, and her time was running out.
“Rutherford,” she said, sticking out her hand to stop him.
Rutherford’s gaze caught on her, then skimmed her person eagerly. His eyes sparked, but he tensed. In a moment of indecision, he glanced back at the guys he’d been sitting with as they headed away. He was expected to go with them. Shit.
“Rutherford,” she said again. “Hi.” She turned her hand for a shake while giving him her best demure yet interested smile. She’d practiced it often in the mirror over the years. She hoped it masked the desperation creeping in at that fae having shown up. “I’m Sally. Sally Hawthorn. You’d said to meet you.”
Rutherford had no idea who she really was. Zorn didn’t think Kieran’s and Lexi’s offices should be implicated in case something went wrong.
A pleased smile lit his expression. He took her hand lightly, his palms sweaty.
“Sally,” he said, like savoring the taste of her name. “I’ve never dealt with someone so radiant.”
“Thank you,” she purred, playing into it. “I wondered if now was a good time to chat? I won’t take much of your time. I thought we could get to know each other and see if we might do business in the future.”
His smile turned lewd. That wasn’t a good sign. She needed to pull way back on the charm.
“I have business to attend to, sweetheart, but I’ll tell ya what.” He fished into his jacket and pulled a pen from an inner pocket before drawing 803 on her wrist. “Why don’t you meet me after?”
She frowned down at the numbers. Yuck. That wasn’t at all what she wanted to do.
“I can stay here, if that would be better?” she tried.
His gaze turned predatory. He sensed a little mouse and that he had the upper hand.
“This bar closes, baby doll,” he lied. “I don’t know that I’ll be done in time. Tell you what…” He ran his thumb over her wrist. “Why don’t you decide if you really want to do business, hmm? If you do, come on by.”
He attempted a wink, half squinted instead, and left her standing there.