“What are you doing here? Dressed like that?” I murmur, and her eyes narrow at me like she’s planning my death.
“Do not suggest that I’m a prostitute. I’m here for a job and as soon as I get paid I’m leaving.”
Fuck.
What can I say to that with the crowd of thugs behind us ready to slit my throat? Fucking nothing, so I nod at her and wait her out. There's no fucking way I'm leaving her out here, wearing tiny scraps of clothes, with the gangsters of the Bay.
She makes that same little huffing noise that she does when she's pissed and I brace myself for whatever excuse she's gonna throw at me when the lights of another car hit us. I move without really thinking it through, stepping in front of her and trying to crowd her back against the car.
She doesn't take it well.
I grunt as she punches me in the back and snaps, “That would be my payment. You guys need to leave.”
Who the fuck is paying her and what could some tiny Mounty orphan do for someone driving a fucking Merc that isn't selling herself?
“We’re not leaving without you,” I say, crossing my arms as she steps around me.
She gives me a look but the doors of the car are opening and it's clear she doesn't want to be arguing with me in front of the three guys who get out. They're dressed in cheap suits, hair slicked back and guns strapped to their belts but in the wrong position. It's an obvious show of power and intimidation, flashy and so fucking 'Mounty-slum-gangster' that I want to shove Lips in the car and leave.
They look around the empty parking lot and then assess us all one by one. Lips takes their eyes on her body without a flinch but the second they turn that scrutiny onto Avery, she steps in front of her until she is completely obscured from their view. There's something we can agree on.
I really don't want them getting a look at my cousin either.
If they don't hurry the fuck up, Ash is going to realize Avery is in danger here and come out fucking swinging. I let my eyes creep over to the Mounty but she's completely blank... nothing on her face at all even as the car door opens again and another man gets out.
With the sleazy smirk on his face, clearly he's the boss. What the fuck is the sleazeball paying her for if it's not sex?
“Hello, puss.”
What.
The.
Fuck.
What the fuck kind of nickname is that? I look him over again and I almost lose my head at the sight of the hard-on he’s so fucking nonchalant about. Inside the car Blaise snarls something, having spotted it too, and Avery snaps back at him, but I keep my attention on what the fuck is happening in front of me because if that piece of shit takes a single fucking step toward the Mounty, I’m going to kill him.
Lips isn’t as concerned as the rest of us. “Wire my money through and I'll give you the package.”
The creep smiles at her and waves a hand. One of his thugs pops the trunk of the car and pulls two bags out.
What the fuck is going on?
“Seriously? I told you I only deal in transfers,” Lips snaps at him and holy fuck, that’s her payment… two giant fucking bags full of cash? What the actual fuck did she do for him? I know she’s a fucking genius but there’s not all that much I can think of that would demand those sorts of prices.
My brain is still struggling to process when he says, “Sorry, puss. I didn't get the chance to pop this into the bank before they closed. You know how it is. How ‘bout you walk that sweet ass of yours over here and get your money?”
The tone he uses with her has my vision going red and my fists clenching with the need to beat the life outta him. “Like fuck.”
The guy takes note of me standing there with her, dragging his eyes over me like I’m a slab of meat for sale. Something stirs in my gut, something bad, because this man is a fucking predator if I ever saw one and I decide here and now that I’m never going to fucking let the Mounty out of my sight in the Bay again.
Whether she likes it or not.
“How about I double the payment and you give me him, puss?” Lips rolls her eyes at him, completely unrepentant as his eyes narrow at her sass.
“How about you get one of your little friends to bring me my money and I'll hand him the package so we can all get out of here, hmm?”
He laughs and waves his guys forward. One of the guys hands me the bags and the stench that comes off of him is fucking putrid. I almost fucking gag and Lips shoves a USB into his hands like she’s also trying to shove him away.
The guy walks back over to his boss and hands him the USB. The creep smirks and salutes her with it. “Pleasure doing business with you, puss.”
We all hold our breaths until the car is out of the parking lot completely. Once it’s out of view, Lips turns and holds her hand out for the bags of cash but I’m not handing them over… not when she’d probably just disappear into the night without us, so instead I head for the trunk of Morrison’s car. I tap it gently and Morrison pops it open for me.
Lips is on my ass in a hot second. “What are you doing?”
Once they’re secure I give her a look. “I told you. I'm not leaving without you.”
She might be a blank slate around the gangsters down here but her emotions are all over her face for me. I try not to crow over that fact, but she gives me so fucking little to work with it’s hard not to gloat.
She huffs and snaps, “Fuck. Fine, leave it open. I have the rest of my stuff here too.”
I nod and walk over to where the rest of her bags are, where the guy who was flirting with her when we first arrived is still standing and watching us both. As I walk up he takes a step forward, over the bags, and crosses his arms.
I’d love nothing more than to take some of my frustration at this fucking night out on him with my fists. To just smash that longing look he keeps throwing at Lips right off of his fucking face.
So I smirk at him and watch him roll his shoulders back, ready to throw down over some bags and the Mounty.
Fucking perfect.
Except then Lips walks over and says, in a voice I’ve never fucking heard outta her with all its teasing and husky tones, “Luca, it's fine. My feet hurt and I need a bath.”
She fucking pouts at him, flirting right back, and he leans down and brushes a kiss against her cheek without breaking eye contact with me.
I’m gonna kill him.
I don’t know the where or the how of it, but I’m gonna fucking kill him.
Lips steps around me to grab her bags and then shoves one into my chest with a look.
Doesn’t matter.
I’ve already marked him for death.
As we walk over to the car, the asshole calls out, “I’m going to miss that ass while you’re gone, princess.”
Lips laughs as I turn back to glare at him, wishing so fucking badly that Avery wasn’t down here and there weren’t a dozen other gangsters here watching because they’re the only things stopping me from taking the asshole down.
“You get more ass than the average Mounty street girl on a Saturday night, Luca. I’m sure you'll survive without mine.”
What the fuck is that supposed to mean?
The asshole grabs his chest with another flirty grin and I get the car door open for Lips, ready to shove her in and leave.
I’m gonna spend the rest of the year convincing Avery to get the Mounty to stay with me next summer, as far away from this place as fucking possible.