“No,” he said seriously. “There’s nothing ordinary about you, Kalina.”
Below the city, through tunnels that used to belong to an old outdated line of the subway, the two of them walked.
“They’ve had him for hours now. What do you think they’re going to do with him?”
“Kill him,” Darel said without another thought.
“Shit. So what are we going to do about that?”
“Nothing to do.”
“You’re kidding, right? He’s our partner. We can’t just let him go down like this.”
“He shouldn’t have strayed from the plan. I told him how we were going to get her. He knows what Sabar’s orders were.”
“So? He was trying to get the job done. You’re saying we should just let him die,” Chi argued.
“I’m saying we don’t have a choice,” Darel told Chi seriously. “Look, you don’t know what screwing Sabar over will get you. Those shadows are probably going to be a lot more merciful with him than Sabar would have been. So count his stupid ass as being lucky.”
“Dying’s not lucky. And leaving your partner down is just foul.”
“I’m not discussing this,” Darel said finally. “We’ve got other shit to do. Sabar’s not pleased with our botched attempts to get that bitch. We need to tread lightly with him right now or we’ll be just as dead as Chavez.”
She’d risen in status from trick to bitch, only because he’d watched her shower again this morning. Darel hadn’t seen her naked in weeks, and only on the days that Sabar allowed him to keep watch. Usually it was the head Rogue who liked to watch her, got his rocks off in his car by doing so.
This morning it had been Darel, in his car all alone. The bugs and cameras were now in place inside her apartment, giving Sabar some info to use when he finally captured her. Even though Darel had no idea how that info was going to help in what Sabar had planned.
At any rate he’d watched her lather up a sponge and drag it over every crevice of her body. His beast had roared for release until he’d had no choice but to free his own burgeoning erection, rubbing and stroking to the sight of her. The release had been powerful and painful, an urge he’d slaked just because it was there. One he didn’t want to have, but would act on regardless. He wasn’t happy about Chavez being caught and he was even less happy that it was this bitch who’d put him in that position to start with. So no, he shouldn’t want to fuck her senseless, but he did. He wanted to pound inside her until he hurt her, until she bled and cried out for help.
Just like those two the night before.
That had been delicious, the drum of arousal in his ears, the feel of their hot flesh beneath his hands, the scent of their horrific fear in his nostrils. They’d all been aroused and angry and feasted on the two hookers without qualm. The killing may have gone over the top, but even that had felt good. To each of them.
Now it was just two of them, but they would have a chance at a feast like that again. Soon. And when he and Chi took Kalina Harper, they’d make her sorry that her worthless lover and his goons had killed their friend.
“Where are we going now?”
“To collect Sabar’s money.”
“We’re in the freakin’ sewers, man. Who collects like this? We aren’t dime store dealers.”
“No, we’re not,” Darel answered. “But those shadows are looking for us. We’d be fools to go walking right out in front of them. We need to get in here and get out.”
“What if he doesn’t have the money?” Chi asked as they came upon a rickety stairwell he knew led to another manhole that opened into an alley right beside a parking garage in downtown DC.
“Then we take it from him and shut his dumb lying-ass mouth for good. Just like we did the good senator,” he said.
Chi smiled, climbing the stairs behind him. “Yeah, that was sweet the way you ripped that guy’s throat out.”
Lifting up a hand to reach the manhole, Darel looked back. “He’s not threatening to talk anymore, now is he?”
He pushed the manhole open and streams of sunlight filled the dark shaft as Chi laughed.
Hell no, Senator Baines wasn’t talking anymore, and neither was his daughter who’d made the mistake of calling Chi an animal as he’d fucked her. They’d both grown quiet as they choked on their own blood. A sound Chi would never grow tired of hearing.
Chapter 22
This time Kalina was helped out of the truck by another man. He was as tall as Rome with an even bigger build. His skin was dark and his eyes even darker as he reached for her hand while she stepped down. The minute she was on the ground Rome was beside her and the other man dropped her hand like a hot coal. Rome nodded and the other man moved around to the back of the truck—getting her bags, she presumed. Rome’s hand slid to her elbow as he guided her toward the front doors.
She felt like royalty, but not. Every man around her seemed to cater to her but didn’t say a word, as if these commands were simply known. It wasn’t a world she understood and didn’t know if she really wanted to. What was absolutely clear to her was that Rome was no ordinary lawyer or citizen, and neither were the people around him.
It was a massive estate and looked even more palatial than it had when she was here before. Kalina hadn’t taken a good look last night, but today she absorbed every detail. From the plump shrubs crowding the five steps she walked up, to the large, glossy double doors that opened slowly as they approached.
Another man, tall with leathery skin and keen eyes, looked at her this time.
“Ms. Harper, what a pleasure to finally meet you,” he said, extending his hand to her. For a minute she thought he’d looked to Rome for permission, but instead it was Rome’s hand that fell from her side. She reached out and shook the older man’s hand, muttering a timid “Hello.”
He knew who she was, that was obvious, but she had no idea what Rome had told the man about her. Or why he’d talk about her in the first place. This all seemed surreal, her here with her prime suspect, on his personal turf. The DEA couldn’t have planned a better sting.
“Call me Baxter,” the older man said as he escorted her through the foyer. “Whatever you need I will take care of. You will be most comfortable here.”
“Thank you, Baxter,” she said, but she wasn’t sure how long he thought she’d be staying.
“Take her bags to my room,” she heard Rome say from behind.
“I don’t get a choice of where I sleep?” she asked. She was treated to all three men staring at her in response.
No one answered. Rome simply nodded again and the man moved on with the bags. What was it with him and the nodding commands? And why did they all obey him so easily?
“Are you hungry?” Baxter asked, interrupting her thoughts.
“No, thank you,” she responded.
“Then I’ll get you a drink. Mr. Roman, she looks tired. She should rest.” Baxter spoke and then he was gone.
Just like that, she thought. The feel of this place was one of quiet authority, which she figured she’d be subject to for as long as she was here.
“He didn’t even ask what kind of drink I liked,” she said when it appeared she and Rome were alone.
They were still in the foyer with its glossy dark marbled floors and cranberry-painted walls. There were no pictures or paintings on these walls but every couple of feet along the one wall were podiums with marble statues on top. She walked closer to one, touching the rounded head of a black cat.
“He already knows what you would like to drink,” she heard Rome’s deep voice say from behind.
Her fingers trailed over the cool object, along the line of its back, around the muzzle of its face. “He doesn’t know me.”
