5. Zane #2
“Nah, let her do her job.” I sip my old fashioned, which is more liquor-forward here than it might be somewhere else.
I don’t mind it.
Jayce downs half his glass. The issue with the upstart really needs that drink, apparently.
“The little shit tried to poach a dealer from me,” Jayce says in a low voice. “Now neither of us has that dealer, but it was better than letting him defect.” He sneers. “I need to find somebody to promote who understands the meaning of loyalty.”
I hum in sympathy.
“I had an unfortunate situation myself today with one of my employees,” I say, though in truth, Fred is barely a blip on the radar in comparison to my exchange with Sin.
Sin.
Why do my thoughts keep returning to him?
“How did the fucker even get permission to build that club?” Jayce continues, as if I hadn’t said anything.
“I bribe the right people. Absinthe and Neon are supposed to be the only real clubs in this part of the city. He can go build it in Westerlen or something. Who names a club The Basement anyway? Especially in New Valence?”
Westerlen is the rich suburb, and there is no scenario in which even extreme bribery would allow a night club to be built there, never mind the fact that it would be business suicide.
I don’t bother to point that out.
“People must think it’s quirky,” I comment. “And ironic.”
I’m increasingly glad I chose not to check it out tonight.
There are so many small clubs in the area, and none of them have ever managed to make a dent in his business.
None of the others are run by a Cuore, though.
It’s no wonder he’s so upset about this new club.
“Don’t tell me you think it’s funny,” Jayce complains.
“Avery Cuore isn’t funny. He’s an obnoxious little shit, and I don’t care if the next time I see him is in the business center, I absolutely will…
” He trails off and shakes his head. “I should hit up the shooting range to make sure my aim is accurate.”
“That might be a little short-sighted,” I reply. “But I admire your commitment.” I take another sip of my drink, swirling the liquid in the glass. “How has business been other than that?”
Jayce shakes his head. “Nope. I know that look in your eye. You didn’t show up here to grill me about business. What’s bothering you?”
“Besides the assassin? Nothing much,” I say dryly.
Jayce stares, then bursts out laughing. “Seriously? How the fuck did you get one of those on your ass? And they sent somebody who didn’t manage to finish the job?”
“I’m not entirely helpless,” I tell him.
I finish my drink, then set the tumbler down on the table.
I probably shouldn’t be out in public when someone is actively gunning for me, but I get the sense that Sin isn’t going to shoot me from a distance.
No, he’s going to want to get up close and personal.
I won’t let him, or anyone, intimidate me into hiding.
“Uh huh.” Jayce sips his drink. “What actually happened? The assassin forgot to take the weather into account and the bullet strayed past you?”
“He’s not the type to use a gun,” I say.
“He got past Stefan? Shit. How’d he do that?” Jayce looks in Stefan’s direction. “He wouldn’t even let me in when I stopped by your place on a whim.”
I grimace. “I thought he was a woman,” I say.
I’ve never told Jayce that I’m bisexual, and I don’t think I want to. He and I have enough secrets to ensure mutual destruction.
Besides, he’d probably try to set me up with one of the male dancers instead.
“Seriously? You let yourself get led by your dick?” Jayce laughs and claps me on the shoulder. “You really, really need to get laid.”
I scowl at him. “I’m not that hard-up,” I grumble. “He was at Genevieve’s.”
Jayce knows what that means. He runs his tongue over his lips. “It’s been a while since I went to one of her parties,” he says. “Well, too bad for your assassin friend. He shouldn’t have underestimated you. I hope the gators made a tasty meal out of him.”
My lips purse. “They’re not snacking yet.” The words practically hurt to say, but there’s no sense lying to my old friend. Not if we’re already talking this frankly. “But they will be soon.”
“Wait.” Jayce’s brow furrows. “You let him get away? What the fuck? Aren’t you the one who’s paranoid about security? How could you let him escape? What was Stefan doing?”
I wish I hadn’t already finished my drink. I flag down the server, gesturing to the empty glass. She nods, and I turn my attention back to Jayce. “I didn’t do it on purpose,” I mutter. “Neither of us did. He had the whole thing planned, including an escape route.”
The second time had been my fault, but I’m not going to tell Jayce that I’d had another chance to kill Sin and had passed on it in favor of kissing him.
I can still taste the blood and rain on his lips.
“Well, fuck.” Jayce shakes his head. “That’s sloppy, Zane. Real sloppy.”
Before I can snap at him that I know it was sloppy, Jayce’s phone buzzes. He taps on the screen, and his eyes widen.
“Motherfucker,” Jayce growls. “Sorry, I have to take care of this.” He gets up, tapping on his phone, and starts a call. “What do you mean, she canceled? She can’t cancel. We’ve got a—”
He walks off, and I’m left to brood alone at the private table with my empty glass.
The server returns with another drink, and I thank her before getting up. Something is restless beneath my skin, threatening to break through my calm, and I need distraction.
Badly.
I glance around, and I see Colt again.
He’s watching me intently, and I return to his side with an idle smile playing on my lips. “Sorry about that,” I tell him, drinking from my glass. “Business, etc.”
“Thought you weren’t here for that,” Colt says. He sips his beer. “I secured other prospects.”
“Un-secure them,” I tell him. “You know I’m better.”
Colt snorts. “That’s fucking arrogant of you.” He sets his beer down. “But yeah. I need something strong tonight.”
I wonder what’s got him in a place where he needs something as strong as what I can give him.