Chasing Silver

by Jamie Craig

  “I’ll figure something out. I mean, do I look like the sort of girl who doesn’t know how to take care of herself?”

  “I don’t know. Last night you looked like a girl who was scared, confused and bleeding all over herself. Honestly, you don’t look that much better this morning.” Nathan lifted one shoulder in a half shrug. “I’m sure you can take care of yourself. Or you’ll die trying.”

  “Way to stroke a girl’s ego, big guy.” But the front she’d been putting on crumbled right before his eyes, her smile fading. “Under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t even be sitting here right now. I don’t damsel, okay? I’ve spent too many years having to be the strong one, having to take care of everybody around me. But…” She looked down at her coffee cup, turning it in her hands. “…these aren’t normal circumstances. And what you did for me last night…well, I know you didn’t have to. I’m just…not used to anybody giving a damn.”

  Nathan wasn’t accustomed to giving a damn. That particular urge had been beaten out of him over time. And now he was feeling sorry again, though not for her. Just sorry life had to be the way it was. Sorry, and a little baffled.

  He sat on the opposite edge of the couch, resting his cup on the arm and looking at the floor instead of her. “I don’t know why, but I don’t want to see this Kirsten person, whoever she is, finish what she started. I think you should talk to a friend of mine. He might be able to help.”

  Before he finished, she was shaking her head. “No. Nobody else. I’m sick of people getting killed because they were in Kirsten’s way.” Setting aside her coffee, she scooped up her pants and rose to her feet. She fished out the coins he’d seen the previous night and proceeded to dump them onto the couch cushion next to him. “I know you’re used to getting settled. I don’t even know if these are worth anything. But let me hire you, Nate. Just for a few days to watch my back while I let all this heal up. This friend of yours…you might trust him, but I don’t. I trust what I see. What I know.”

  When she sat back down, her weight tilted the couch so that some of the coins slipped between her leg and the cushions. Her eyes were solemn when they met his. “I trust you. But if you don’t want to do this, I’ll disappear. You won’t have to worry about me anymore.”

  Nathan picked up the largest silver coin, surprised by the weight against his palm. He held it up to the light to better study the engravings. Something about them sparked his memory, but the details eluded him, disappearing completely when he attempted to grab onto them. Though the gold coin produced the same effect, it dawned on him they could actually be worth a great deal. He knew a few traders and collectors who might pay top dollar. It would almost make up for the money he lost last night.

  Are you really going to take this girl’s money?

  Nathan silenced the small voice. They could both agree to a job. Services rendered in return for payment. Nothing personal. Nothing but business. It put a wall between them, a shield he would need if he were going to help her.

  Scooping up the rest of the coins, he nodded. “You have a deal.”

  Her reaction was instantaneous. Beaming, Remy launched herself at Nathan, looping her arms around his neck to knock him off-balance and against the back of the couch. He didn’t even have time to push her off before her mouth found his, her tongue pushing past his feeble defenses to sweep inside and remind him of all the dreams that had plagued his sleep. But just as quickly as it started, it stopped, and she pulled away to gaze down at him with that wicked smile he was learning to recognize.

  “Deal.”

  He couldn’t resist sweeping her hair away from her face. Both paused. From the dark depths of her eyes, his reflection stared back at him, and Nathan couldn’t look away. Remy might have trapped him like that forever, but she shifted against him, grinding against his growing erection, and it snapped him out of his trance.

  His mind told him to push her away, but his body had other plans. He buried his fingers in her hair and smashed his lips to hers. He plundered her mouth, allowing his self-control to slip for a moment, long enough to kiss her the way he had wanted to kiss her the night before. Long enough to explore every bit of her mouth, and taste the bitter coffee against her tongue. Long enough to hold her against him, long enough to hear her moan.

  “God, Nate…” Her nails scratched at his nape, sending shivers down his spine. Somehow, she wormed her legs around his hips, half burying them in the back of the cushions, until all he felt was the heat of her pussy seeping into his cock. “Tell me I’m not the only one who dreamt of this. Tell me you couldn’t get thoughts of me out of your head, too.”

  “You’re not the only one.” His hands slid under her shirt. “I was hard for you all night.” The words were hurried, distracted, as he pulled the T-shirt over her head. A piece of cloth had never been so maddening. As soon as she was free of its confines, he pulled away from her mouth and slid his lips down her neck.

  Nathan cupped one full breast, moving his palm over her nipple in a slow circle. Remy gasped, arching toward him, grinding against his erection. All he had to do was unzip his pants, and he’d be inside her.

  The pounding on the door came from a great distance, but it was enough to penetrate the thick layer of fog surrounding his mind. “I am going to kill him.”

  “Leave it.” Her hand slipped between their bodies, nails catching on his bare stomach, and grasped his straining cock through his pants. As she squeezed, it was his turn to gasp, and his head swam as her hot mouth descended to catch his ear lobe between her teeth.

  Nathan moaned, taking her wrist to pull her hand away. “I would. But I have to…” Remy kissed him, cutting off his explanation. Isaac pounded on the door again. Obviously, whatever the other man wanted, it was urgent. Urgent enough he’d break the door down next. Nathan twisted to lower Remy to the couch, though tearing his mouth away wasn’t quite as easy. “It might be important.”

  She let him go without further protest, but she didn’t look happy about it. “I’m coming,” he shouted as he crossed the apartment. Except now I’m not. So, this better be good.

  The pounding continued all the way to the door. Nathan had barely opened it when a far-too-chipper Isaac pushed his way inside, a folder in one hand, a bulging bag of warm bagels in the other.

  “You are never going to believe the break we got. One of my sources tipped me on a meeting that’s supposed to go down tonight between Tian and one of the other gangs. So far, it’s holding water, so I’ve got food, I’ve got maps, and you and me are going to—whoa.”

  Nathan followed his friend’s widening gaze to see Remy leaning against the corner of the wall. Though she had at least put the T-shirt back on, the mess of her hair and her swollen mouth made it all too obvious what they had had been doing.

  “Who’s your friend?” she asked.

  Isaac’s announcement had cooled Nathan’s ardor, but he was the only one in the room interested in Tian. Remy and Isaac continued regarding each other. Isaac appeared to be awestruck. Not that Nathan blamed him.

  “Remy, this is Isaac McGuire. Isaac, this is Remy. Now that we have the introductions out of the way,” Nathan took the bag of bagels and gestured toward the kitchen, “let’s talk about this tip.”

  “You don’t need me then.” She jerked her head toward the bathroom. “Mind if I use the shower? I’m feeling a little—” her lashes ducked to glance at his crotch, “—sticky.”

  “Feel free. There should be a clean towel in the closet.” They both watched her saunter out of the room without speaking. When she disappeared down the hall, he shifted his focus back to find Isaac scowling at him. “What? Like you would have been able to resist her?”

  “That’s not the point. That…” He jabbed a finger at the space Remy had just filled, like a specter of her still lingered. Nathan wasn’t so sure one didn’t. “…is begging for trouble. You’re the smart one, remember? Or you were until…” His gaze slid back to where she had disappeared, leaning to the side as if to cat
ch a last fleeting glance. “No wonder you didn’t want me to come over last night. I’m surprised your knees are still working enough for you to get up and answer the door.”

  “Nothing happened last night. Well, not what you’re thinking. We can discuss it after we talk about Tian. When and where’s the meeting?” Nathan didn’t think Isaac even heard his question. He was still looking down the hall. Water roared through the old pipes behind the thin walls. “She’ll be back in a few minutes. You can gawk at her then. Now, Tian?”

  Though Isaac followed him into the kitchen, it took another mention of his original purpose for him to focus enough and answer Nathan’s question. “I ran with your info on the grenades. Turns out Tian’s courting a new supplier, a group from down by the border. We don’t know anything about them except they started in South America. Argentina, actually, near Buenos Aires. They’re trying to expand into the American market, and Tian’s looking to be their primary distributor.”

  Nathan nodded. It made sense. It wouldn’t be enough for Tian to dance just out of the reach of the police; he’d want to build his power. “So we break up their little tête-à-tête, I get my bounty, and you get the new name in town. Works for me. When?”

  Isaac pulled apart an onion bagel, stuffing a piece into his mouth. “Ten o’clock. But there’s a little problem.”

  Nathan sighed. “Of course there is.”

  “You’re on your own. I’m on strict orders to keep my nose clean with this one, so I can’t back you up.”

  “Well, I appreciate the information anyway. Did your source know how many people would be there? Are we looking at just Tian and his supplier? Or will there be more?”

  “So far as we know, it’s four guys. Tian, the new supplier, and one muscle apiece. Neither one of them wants a big scene, so the meeting is supposed to go down at Rojo. The club’s neutral territory.”

  Nathan was familiar with Rojo. The small alcoves along the balcony would be the perfect place to bargain over drinks. He could slip in through the back and up the service stairs. “I think I can handle it on my own.”

  “You sure? It’ll be crowded. The other reason they picked Rojo is because there’s some fancy shindig going on there tonight. Lots of people around. Lots of people with money. There can’t be a scene or this will explode into an even bigger mess.” He picked up the folder he’d brought. “That’s why I thought we’d go over the maps. You follow Tian out and snag him someplace else.”

  “If there are as many people as you claim, I might lose him in the crowd.” Nathan didn’t want to admit Tian could outsmart him, but judging from their last four encounters, it seemed like a real possibility. “Give Tian the chance to run, even a small opening, and he’ll take it. Plus, Cesar is never far. He may not be part of the meeting, but he’ll be nearby.”

  “Even more reason not to try and take Tian when you can’t see who’s there,” Isaac argued. “You’re good, but let’s face it. He’s learning your tricks. He’s going to anticipate that you might make a play for him at the club, and he’ll be prepared. Get him out, get him alone, get him down. That’s how this is going to work.”

  “If Nate says he can handle it,” Remy said from the doorway, “maybe you should give him the benefit of the doubt.”

  Isaac’s eyebrow shot up. “Nate?”

  Remy folded her arms and leaned against the doorframe. She wore a clean shirt from his closet, a white button-down falling to her knees, the sleeves rolled to her elbows. Despite her near nudity and the fact she was barely a guest, she stared back at Isaac with unwavering eyes, daring him to say something.

  “It’s okay, Remy. He’s right. I do need to get Tian alone, somehow.”

  After a long moment, her gaze shifted to Nathan. While it was just as bold, something softened in the set of her mouth. “Is this the guy you lost last night because of me?” At his nod, she shrugged. “Then it’s royal. Let me get to him. I can have him anywhere you want.”

  “Hold up.” Isaac stepped between them, his head swiveling back and forth before settling on Nathan. “She’s your partner now? What the hell happened here last night, Nate?”

  Nathan held up his hands. “She’s not my partner. Nothing happened last night. And no, Remy, I’m not letting you be bait. It’s far too dangerous. Tian isn’t the only one learning about tricks, and I don’t want you anywhere near him.”

  She snorted. “If you think I can’t hold my own, think again.”

  Chin held high, she marched past both men to the counter and picked up the knife Nathan had used to cut his bagel. Her eyes held his, a hint of a smile curving her mouth, while her arm whipped behind her, releasing the blade.

  Both men flinched as it sailed past them and embedded itself in the wooden jamb.

  Remy plucked the half-eaten bagel out of Nathan’s hands and took a deep bite, chewing while they looked from her to the knife. “Don’t worry about me,” she said after swallowing. “I’ve got my own bag of tricks.”

  “Okay, maybe she can be my partner,” Nathan murmured, looking to Isaac. He knew his friend was impressed with Remy, but not convinced she wasn’t bad news. His gaze slipped from Isaac’s face to her extremely nice legs. “You’ll have to find some different clothes, though.”

  “And here I thought you liked me better out of them.” She sauntered past, heading back out of the room. Nathan was sure the sway of her hips was deliberate. “Guess I better make myself presentable for a shopping trip then. Be right back.”

  Just as before, they were left staring at an empty doorway.

  “You are so fucked.”

  “Yes, and broke.” He looked at Isaac pointedly. “The woman’s got to have some clothes. You know I’m good for it.” Nathan sobered, folding his arms across his chest and leaning against the sink. “I think it’ll work, though. Tian would follow her anywhere. Who wouldn’t? She won’t have to be alone with him for more than a few seconds. We can end this tonight.”

  “And you trust her with this?” In spite of the query, he was going for his wallet, thumbing through worn bills before extracting all but two. He passed them over. “Does that mean you got some decent answers out of her about what she was doing at the warehouse?”

  “I’m working on it.”

  “And her fake ID?

  “That, too.”

  Isaac shook his head. Nathan wasn’t sure if he’d believe him, either. “Last night you weren’t even sure she wasn’t crazy. I mean, yeah, okay, the knife trick was kind of cool, and yeah, you’re probably right about her and Tian. The man’s crooked, not blind. But now she’s wearing your shirts and calling you Nate? You hate being called Nate.”

  Nathan folded the bills and tucked them into his pocket. “I know. I’m still not sure she isn’t crazy. But either way, I’m going to be stuck with her for a few days.” He held the kitchen door open and pointed to the coins littering the couch and the floor. “She’s hired me to help her. If she wants to, and she can take care of herself, why shouldn’t I let her help me?”

  Isaac brushed past and walked over to the couch, bending over to pick up something from the floor. When he straightened, Remy’s little black bra dangled from his fingers. “Is that what we’re calling it these days? Helping?”

  Nathan snatched the bra away and tossed it to the couch. “Is that all you think about?”

  He held up his hands in mock surrender. “Fine, she’s Mother Teresa and you have not let her get under your skin.” He paused, lips twitching from a smile he was having trouble containing. “Nate.”

  “Yeah, remember that time I broke your nose?”

  “Popcorn still doesn’t smell right. But my ears are working fine, and yet, I can’t for the life of me decide if your new favorite saint really did say something was royal or if I’m just hearing things. What does ‘royal’ even mean?”

  “You noticed that, too, huh? Earlier she said she had the sauce to tell somebody off. I figured it was an East Coast thing.”

  Isaac grimaced. “I’ve be
en to the East Coast. It’s definitely not a thing.”

  “Hell, if she can help me get Tian, I don’t care how odd her slang is.”

  “And here I thought you were more interested in what came out of her shirt than what came out of her mouth.” Isaac shook his head. “Maybe you’re the one who’s crazy. It would explain a lot.”

  Nathan sighed. “Isaac, you have no idea how right you are.”

  “Yes, I do, but it doesn’t mean I always like it.”

  “Please, you love it. My craziness is a constant source of entertainment. If I told you what really happened last night, you’d be laughing for days.”

  Isaac held up his hands in surrender as he retreated for the exit. “Let’s let me keep the delusions I harbor where you’re actually getting some, okay? It means I worry less.”

  “This is you worrying less?” Nathan shrugged as he opened the front door. “Have it your way. I certainly don’t want to share the humiliating details.” With a smile he added, “Thanks for the tip and the food. And the money. You’ll hear from me tonight.”

  Chapter Five

  Swiping the lipstick one last time, Remy leaned away from the mirror in order to examine her handiwork. For being as out of practice with make-up as she was, it hadn’t turned out half-bad. Smoky liner deepened her dark eyes, and the slash of scarlet across her mouth made her lips seem fuller than normal. Even her hair had behaved, falling into loose waves around her bare shoulders that gleamed under the lights. Subtle without being slutty. Just enough to catch Tian’s attention in case the outfit didn’t do it for her.

  The clothes were another matter. After she realized shopping wasn’t nearly as fun as it sounded when you had no idea what the current fashions were, Remy had kicked Nathan out of the one shop she thought she could afford and gotten help from one of the clerks. Everything had felt so heavy when she’d tried it on, buttons too big and fabrics too stiff to make wearing them comfortable. She’d also quickly vetoed most of the skirts the salesgirl had suggested. They made Remy feel like a little girl playing dress-up with clothes found in her grandmother’s attic instead of an attractive young woman supposedly on the prowl. Everything was too loose, and in her world where anyone and anything was looking for a way to grab you, loose was never good.