Chapter 27 Vincent
Owing people is dangerous.
Money, possessions, even just a favor.
I hate it, which is why I’m not in the business of asking for help if I can avoid it.
Unfortunately, I can no longer avoid it.
“So this ‘person’ can help us?” Des does air quotes, and the look on his face tells me he isn’t going to believe a word I say.
That’s fine. He doesn’t have to believe me, but I’ve never had him fail before, so I doubt he will start now.
We sit in the lounge where Alex often hides away. His office is through the doors, and I almost suggest we move in there, but that’s just my own paranoia talking.
There’s nobody in this house I don’t trust.
I click his name and put it on speaker before tossing my phone on the table.
Kat looks at me, her brows scrunched together, and when she looks down at the phone, it’s as if she worried it might jump up and bite her.
Fuck, I hope not.
There’s always a chance with those in the underground, but I’ve never gotten that feeling from him before. Everything I’ve ever heard is that he and his gang do good… or as good as a gang can.
I’m seconds from hanging up and telling them to forget it when the ringing stops. I let out a breath of relief and almost choke on it when, instead of a voicemail message, a woman answers.
“Hello?”
“Oh, um. Hello, Ms. Kane?” I didn’t think he was married. Isn’t that what being in that life means? Never getting close to anyone?
What do I know, though?
Her laughter is loud and sharp, bouncing around the high walls of the room, and if Des was skeptical before, well, that makes two of us now.
I don’t interrupt her, not only because I have no idea what to say, but because something tells me she’s not someone I want to get on the wrong side of. Maybe it’s because she’s answering his phone or the slight manic hitch in her laugh, I can’t be sure, but I’m grateful nobody else does either.
“Ew, fuck no,” she says with a laugh, sounding out of breath. “If I were going to take a last name, it would definitely be a better one. Maybe Blackstone or Hawkins. Oh, maybe even Sharp.”
None of these names means a thing to me, but clearly they do to whoever else is around her because they cause a commotion.
Someone lets out a loud whoop at the mention of Blackstone, and she giggles when she says Hawkins, but Sharp has someone else finally speaking up.
“I think Sharp and Gray are out, Demon. The last thing you need is a tie to the police.”
“Aw, so no Ross?” It’s impossible to miss her pouting even if we can’t see her, and I watch as Kat covers her face in an attempt to hide her giggle, but she fails, and it leaves Des looking at her with that dopey-ass grin she brings out of him.
The moment is broken when the line fills with coughing.
“Fuck, Jake, get it together.” I hear the hits, and I know someone is slamming this Jake guy back, which only seems to make our mystery female dissolve all over again.
“You can’t just say shit like that, Princess.” Another new voice says, and judging by the rasp, I’m going to assume it was our guy who just had a brush with death.
I catch Oliver’s eyes over the table, and he raises a brow as if to ask me what the fuck is going on. I don’t have a good answer, though, so I ignore him and turn my attention back to my phone and the chaos.
“Give me the phone, Demon.”
‘Demon?’ Alex mouths to me, and I shrug.
I guess not all nicknames have to be cutesy.
“Ugh, killjoy.” The line goes quiet for a moment before we hear her again. “Oh, and it’s Kharitonov in case you need to call in the future.”
“They didn’t call you. They called me.”
“Yeah, well, send them my number, and I bet they won’t do that again. Who would want to talk to you?” The sass drips from every word, and it’s easy to see that Des is hardly holding it together.
Who the hell is this girl? She has to be someone if she can talk to him like that. I don’t follow much gang movement, but I know he’s high up.
“Don’t you dare.” A deep voice says, and I’m not the only one caught off guard.
“I’m not going to, for the love of fuck! Get out. I’m working. Maybe you all should try it!” His words sound mad, but there’s no heat.
“Fine, fine, we're going, grumpy.” The smack of lips gives the impression someone got a kiss, but could it be him?
Who knows?
“Sorry about that, Vince. What can I help you with?”
I blink a few times, trying to register the change from the man a moment ago to the man now, who sounds cold and utterly devoid of emotion.
Yeah, whoever Kharitonov is, she’s someone to him. My eyes flick up to see Kat where she sits on Nathan’s lap, and I swallow past the lump in my throat that threatens to choke me.
Being in his debt can’t possibly be as bad as the alternative.
“I need help to find someone who doesn’t want to be found.”
“Oh, that’s my favorite.”