Behind him, Lilo stood like a warrior goddess, cattle prod squeezed between her two hands, wind whipping her brown hair stained gold by the sun.
People in the street had stopped and stared, and the police had finally gotten through the glass door to the cell, but in the time it took for Griffin to check on Lilo, the imposter had somehow managed to get up and run.
He should go after him.
“Oh my God, Griffin. Are you okay?” She dropped her cattle prod and crouched to put a hand on his shoulder, blocking out the sense of greed he felt receding with the criminal. “You’re still bleeding. Oh my God.” She repeated the mumbled words then turned back toward the hole in the wall. “We need an ambulance!”
He blinked, light headed from the blood loss, with only one thought: she saved his life.
What would he owe her for that?
Chapter Nine
When Lilo went to hospital, she was grateful Grace had time off her surgical rotation to attend to them personally—although it did little good for Griffin. He claimed the bullet only grazed him, but Lilo could have sworn the stain of blood on his shirt originated in the middle of his shoulder, not at the edge. As it was, Griffin let Grace see him privately, and then he went home.
Lilo couldn’t believe it. He’d been shot. Who went home instead of staying at the hospital after a bullet wound?
By the time Lilo saw Grace, she was a mess. So much had happened in the past hour that she didn’t know what to think. Her father, her cousin… Griffin getting shot, and then fighting… what on earth possessed him to do that? The imposter dressed as one of the Deadly Seven. He shot Nathanial.
“So,” Grace said, snapping Lilo out of her daze. “Are you okay?”
Grace helped Lilo perch at the end of a bed and pulled her arms out to investigate the scratches.
Lilo looked at her friend and some of her nervous tension released.
Grace and Lilo had met two years ago when Lilo reported on the bombing that was falsely blamed on the Deadly Seven. Grace’s parents had died in the tragedy, and Lilo had been tasked with interviewing some of the survivors. Since Grace was one of the few to survive the wreckage, she was Lilo’s first stop. Lilo vividly remembered the day she turned up at the hospital to sneak her way past the doctors to Grace’s room. Lilo had overheard Grace pleading with the police.
Strange things happened that day, and nobody believed Grace, but Lilo did. Why would the woman lie about it? They’d spent the consecutive two years trying to uncover the truth about the bombing but had come up with nothing.
They gave up until a few months ago when Grace had revisited the investigation in one last ditch effort to prove the identity of the bomber for insurance purposes. She seemed hell bent on discovering the truth, but then suddenly told Lilo not to worry about it after the insurance company overturned their claim denial. All the victims and families of victims received compensation so Grace left the rest alone.
“Lilo?” Grace said again as she swabbed Lilo’s forearm and inspected the shallow wounds.
“Sorry, was just thinking about the day we met.”
Grace smiled and tucked an escaped lock of hair from her ponytail. “One of the best days of my life. Apart from meeting Evan.”
Lilo smirked at the swoon in Grace’s eyes. She didn’t blame her. Evan was a babe. A little on the messy side, but most artists were, and to be honest, Grace was super messy too. It was a match made in heaven.
“How’s all that going?” Lilo asked. “I feel like I haven’t seen you since forever. You’re always working, or with him.”
“Yeah. He’s great, isn’t he?” Grace sighed. “But—oh hey. We should be talking about you. How’s it going working with Griffin?”
Lilo almost squeaked. “What do you mean by that?”
“Well, with him doing that consulting at your work. Thanks again for doing me the favor.”
“No problems. Happy to help.”
Grace waited expectantly for the answer to the rest of her question.
“Oh,” Lilo bit her lip. “Um. Okay, I guess. Well, apart from what happened today.”
“Mmm.” Grace squinted at Lilo’s forearm and plucked a tiny stone out with tweezers.
“Ow.”
“Sorry. You want to talk about what happened? It was your cousin, right?”
“How did you know?”
“Griff told me,” Grace added.
“Griff?”
“That’s what the family call him.”
“Huh. I think I like Griffin better. Much more regal and mysterious.”
Grace dropped her tweezers on the metallic tray. “Oh my God. Regal and mysterious? You have the hots for my boyfriend’s brother!”
“No I don’t.” A flush crept up Lilo’s neck.
“Well, why not?”
“What do you mean?”
“He’s a lot better than Donnie.”
“Don’t I know it.”
“So, what’s the problem? I know he can be a bit stand-offish and stiff, and maybe he uses spreadsheets too much, but he’s an impressive man.” Grace picked up a bottle of saline and began irrigating Lilo’s wound. “Very clever, loyal, reliable.”
“Reliable? That’s like saying a ramshackle house has ‘character’ in an attempt to sell it. I’m onto you, lady.”
Grace laughed. “It is not. He’s also assertive… brave, and well, he’s a good man.”
He was brave. He jumped in front of Lilo, knowing full well he could get shot. He also tried to save her cousin, despite the fact he had no conscionable reason to. Nathanial was a criminal stranger, and still Griffin had tried to help him. But…
“He’s too confident. I tried that with Donnie, and look where I ended up.”
“You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for. You won’t let another person walk all over you like he did.”
“Well, Griffin doesn’t want anything to do with me, so it’s a moot point.”
Grace assessed Lilo for a long moment. “I find that hard to believe. You’re a smart, beautiful woman.”
“I also ruined his cashmere sweater by accidentally popping gum on his chest.”
“Naw. C’mon. It can’t be that bad. Maybe it was your blueberry gum. He’s a bit sensitive to strong smells.”
That was an interesting point Lilo filed away for later introspection. Just another clue in the mystery that was Griffin Lazarus. And she didn’t know why she was considering solving his puzzle because he didn’t like her. So, stop it, Lilo. Stop fawning.
“He was so angry that he crushed his metal mug,” she pointed out. No arguing that.
“Serious? That doesn’t sound like Griff. He’s always in control.”
“Yeah, his sister Liza said he needs to loosen up.” Lilo shrugged. “Well, it happened. Whatever. I have more trouble in my life than chasing a man like that, even if he does smell amazing.”
“Smell amazing?”
Lilo waved her down. “Oh, it’s nothing. Just this weird thing.”
“Do tell.”
“Always. I can’t keep secrets. So, every time I’m near him all I can smell is him and it’s like this musky-forest kinda smell and a hit directly to my—you know what? Never mind. You don’t need to know that.” Lilo shut herself down. The last thing she needed was to start mooning over Griffin’s body odor when she knew there’d never be anything between them, especially since he’d been so clear about his intentions.
It was probably just a post trauma sort of fascination.
A slow smile inched up one side of Grace’s face. “Magical body odor. Right. Been there, done that.”
“Forget it. It’s stupid.”
Grace shrugged, but couldn’t stop the smile on her face. “So, are you coming to the grand opening of Hell?”
“The new nightclub next to Heaven? Isn’t that owned by the Lazarus family?”
“Parker I think, but yeah. So?” Grace wiggled her eyebrows.
“Isn’t it invite only?”
> “Do you mean to tell me Griffin hasn’t invited you?”
“No. Why would he? We just met.”
“Why would he indeed,” Grace mumbled to herself as though she knew a secret Lilo wasn’t party to. “You have to come. Maybe bring your Polish friend, what was her name again?”
“Misha.”
“Yes, that’s right. From what you said last time, she was having trouble with her father’s business, and a night out might be good for her too. You can both be my guests.”
“I don’t know…”
“I heard the press have been ignored… this could be an opportunity to get the story no one else can!”
“You’re dangling a carrot in front of my face. You always do this!”
“I know. C’mon, when was the last time we got to hang out together. It’s only one night.”
“When is it?”
“I think it’s this weekend sometime. I’ll have to get the exact time and date.” Grace held her breath and implored Lilo with excited eyes. “Come on. I miss you.”
“Okay, fine.” It wasn’t like Lilo had anything more important to do. May as well give her spare time to her best friend.
“Yes!” Grace fist pumped the air and Lilo laughed because she knocked over an instrument tray.
It was good to see her friend so happy, and Evan was a big part of that. The thought made the little pang in Lilo’s chest grow. It had been a while since she had someone who made her glow like that. Being with Donnie drained her. And before him, there hadn’t been anyone in her life. No one since she left her family.
“Hey,” Lilo said. “Do you happen to have Griffin’s number?”
Grace smirked as she straightened her tray. “Sure.”
“Don’t look at me like that. I need to speak with him about what happened at the precinct. I want to get our story straight before I go into the office and write it up, and he left in such a rush. I should also check that he’s okay. Is he on his own? Maybe he needs help getting around.”
Grace stilled and hesitated. When she spoke, she lowered her voice. “When you say get your story straight, are you speaking about the person who shot your cousin?”
“Griffin told you? What did he say?”
“He said some imposter dressed in a Deadly Seven suit attacked and murdered Nathanial.”
Lilo bit her lip. “I don’t think it was really one of them either, and if I mention what I saw in the write up for the paper, then it could be taken the wrong way. I’m torn. I have to report the truth. You know me. I’m the first person to cry it out. But… it’s only a gut feeling telling me it’s a fake vigilante. I have no proof. You can’t write up gut feelings, that’s not how it works.”
“Hey, it’s okay.” Grace touched Lilo on the arm and gave a gentle squeeze. “It will work out fine, don’t worry.”
Lilo smiled, but the turmoil inside her refused to abate. “I don’t know. I have no leads. Nothing.”
“No leads at all?”
“Well, the fake vigilante wanted Nathanial dead.” Lilo paused and then took a deep breath. She’d been avoiding the subject since she arrived, but if she couldn’t speak about it with one of her best friends, then who could she do it with? “My cousin said my father’s been kidnapped, and there is a ransom involved.”
Grace sat next to Lilo on the bed. “Are you okay?”
“I don’t know.”
Grace put her arm around Lilo’s shoulders. She didn’t say anything, just provided comfort.
“I don’t know what to do,” Lilo admitted.
“What can you do?”
“Before he died, Nathanial said there is enough in my father’s safe to pay the ransom and that I’m the only one coded to the lock. I think I have to do it.”
“You should take Griffin with you.”
Lilo pulled back. “Why would he come with me?”
“Lilo. You put too much of yourself out there for others, and you never expect anything in return. I’m one hundred percent sure that if you ask him, he’ll come with you. Maybe even tell Liza.”
“No police. You know how these things go.”
“And it never works out.”
“As far as I’m concerned, if I do this, I just want to hand the money over, collect my father and go back to ignoring him.”
Grace pulled her phone from her pocket and started typing. “I’m getting Griff’s number. There. Sent. Call him.”
Lilo’s phone pinged with Grace’s message. She’d only just met Griffin, but knowing Grace trusted him made Lilo feel the same. He’d helped her out today on numerous occasions. She knew holding her hand at the precinct had made him uncomfortable, but he never pushed her away. She appreciated that.
Perhaps Grace was right, and asking for help just this once wouldn’t be too bad.
“Thanks, Grace.”
“And if Griff is being obtuse, then Evan will go with you.”
“Really?”
“Absolutely. You’re family to me, Lilo. He’d help you in a heart beat.”
Tears burned the back of Lilo’s eyes. It might take a while, but she knew that if she kept surrounding herself with people who cared, she’d build herself a new family.
Chapter Ten
Donald Doppenger strode into his apartment, shed the Greed leather hoodie and kicked his Chesterfield couch ten times.
“Stupid, stupid, stupid!”
He tugged the mask from his face. Then on second thought, lifted it clear off his head and threw it across the room. It didn’t even fly properly. It floated and flapped until it landed limp on the carpeted floor. He bit his lip until it bled, then stomped on the scarf with his boots.
“Take that you—fucking—I don’t know. Aargh!” He pushed over a lamp on the side table. It crashed to the floor.
The serum he’d been given still coursed through his veins, giving him excessive energy and strength. He needed to let it out, and with nowhere else to do it, he punched a hole in the wall until his fist bled, and the frame holding his university degree fell to the ground, shattering the pane glass within. When his fist couldn’t stand the hard surface of the wall, he punched his leather cushions on the couch until they split, then he threw them in the air.
Done destroying, he sat on the Chesterfield and watched the cushion feathers float to the ground.
Softly, softly.
They whispered on a silent wind, not a care in the world.
He roared at them and punched his thighs.
This was not how it was meant to go. He didn’t give a fuck about shooting that stuck up Lazarus dick, but he was almost found out! If it weren’t for the serum, he’d not have recovered from the stun Lilo gave him in time to escape.
Donald frowned. If Lilo had known it was him, she would never have hurt him. Not his princess.
If he’d been allowed to head to the station to interview the surviving witness as he’d planned—alone—then Lilo wouldn’t have been there, and neither would that jerk-off.
There were too many ifs in this scenario, and Donald was over it. He’d been swimming in if-infested waters his entire life. If he wrote a better piece, he’d have won the Pulitzer instead of Michael Prowler from the Times. If he’d been a little more forceful with Lilo, she wouldn’t have left him. If he had been born first instead of his brother Milo the Senator, he’d have been treated like a champion. Instead, Donald had to always come second. Nominated for the Pulitzer wasn’t enough in his parents eyes… so Donald was going to win it, no matter what cost.
He wanted it.
He needed it.
He would damned well get it, no matter the cost.
The power was fading in his veins, and the sense of greed diminishing. The serum only lasted an hour or two, and the people he received it from would only give more as long as he fulfilled his end of the bargain—make the public hate the Deadly Seven. Fine with him. He could use the situation he orchestrated to write an exposé on what really went on in the minds of the Seven. Despite the public ni
ckname for them, they’d never really been death dealers. Always preferring to wrap criminals up in a neat little bow before handing them over to the authorities. It drove Donald nuts. They had the power to kill, so why not? Why not rid the city of the sinners?
The city was over crowded, stinking, and in chaos. With the population teetering on seven million, getting rid of the gutter trash would do everyone a favor.
A few months ago, Donald had been drinking in the bar on Fitzgerald, drowning his despair in a glass of scotch. Lilo had left him. After their two-year relationship, he couldn’t believe his princess left him. She’d never done anything without his approval, but that friend of hers… the doctor. She’d gotten in Lilo’s ear and poisoned her against Donald. That bitch had turned his girl against him. If Lilo had been home to cook dinner when she’d said she was, instead of parading around during that attack on First, then they would never have gotten into a fight. Donald would have been the reporter to get the story, and he needed it more than her.
Vigilante or Superhero, my ass.
Well, he’d get Lilo back. She wouldn’t survive long without him. Not when he’d commanded everything in her life. She wouldn’t be satisfied without him. She’d come crawling back soon.
Soon he’d have the story, and the wealth to back him up.
That night in the bar was when the white-haired woman had first appeared in his life. At first he thought all his dreams had come true. Who needed Lilo when this beautiful woman was about to give him a pity fuck. He’d get over his princess. Rebound and drown his sorrows.
But the lady offered him something else. An opportunity.
She’d asked him what it would take to give him hope again, and he’d replied to end the Deadly Seven… as long as he was the one to cover the story.
Then he added, to have Lilo back.
And while he was fantasizing, he included fame and fortune.
Why not? If he was being honest with himself, he wanted it all.
She took him back to a warehouse just outside of town. There she changed into an all-white leather costume, the polar opposite of what the Deadly Seven wore. She wore a bird mask on the top half of her face. For a minute, he thought he’d entered some underground kinky scene, but there were others like him there. They called her Falcon behind her back. She made it clear she was an enforcer for someone else, someone important, and if any of them were having second thoughts, they should leave. When a man stepped forward to take her up on the offer to leave, she snapped his neck.
Greed: A Superhero Romance (The Deadly Seven Book 2) Page 7