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I hadn’t even thought about getting paid or what my rate would be. Now seems the wrong time to ask about it.

I can feel her eyeing me though I keep watching the road ahead. “I told you; I don’t like cops. I don’t have any moles.”

My heart sinks. Of course, she could be playing me, seen through my questioning and is now trying to throw me off. But that little niggle in the back of my mind, the one that has been trying to tell me that this mission won’t go according to plan in the slightest, says that she’s telling the truth. Still, I decide to play it cool. Shrugging, I say, “It’s common knowledge that the syndicates all have cops in their pockets, just assumed that includes you.”

“I wouldn’t suggest you assume anything about me, nor should you group me in with the others.” She stretches her neck on both sides and rolls her shoulders. It’s my turn to nod.

“I’m beginning to see that.”

Annika walks with purpose, her strides are long and fast paced, even I feel unnatural trying to keep up. Her hand is on the knob to her office when Diamond’s voice whooshes through the hall.

“Oh honey!”

I instinctively turn round because it’s hard to think of anyone calling Annika honey, but she isn’t looking at me. Annika heads into her assistant’s small office and stops in front of her desk, placing her hands in her pockets.

“Diamond, what can I do for you?”

“You have messages,” she says, handing off a small pile of memos. “And I need to remind you of the benefit tomorrow night.”

Annika sighs under her breath. “I’m not going.”

“Oh yes you are,” Diamond argues, and I have to contain my surprise that someone has the balls to disagree with the boss. “You specifically told me six months ago when you accepted the invitation that if you try to get out of it, I need to make you go.”

This time, Annika sighs overly loud. “When was the last time I fired you?”

Diamond chuckles. “Oh honey, you haven’t fired me in well over a month.”

“Hm, well then you’re due.”

Diamond laughs again.

“Any news from Stuart?”

Losing all humour, Diamond looks up at her boss with worried eyes. “Lorraine’s in the hospital, it’s all I know.”

I witness the brief look of sadness on Annika’s face before she swallows it away and nods, flipping through the messages. “Do you have a tux?”

I don’t register that she’s talking to me, probably because she doesn’t look at me. When I don’t answer, she looks at me pointedly.

“Do you have a tuxedo?” she repeats slowly, over enunciating each syllable as though I don’t understand English.

“Uh…no. I have a suit?” I offer.

She rolls her eyes like I’ve said something stupid and turns her attention back to Diamond. “Take his measurements and send them to Leslie, he’ll have to wear off the rack. Something classic, black and shoes,” she says, looking at my boots.

“Sure thing, honey,” Diamond says like she’d just been asked nicely and not barked orders at. Annika turns to leave but Diamond calls after her. “Can you tell that son of mine to call me?”

Annika sighs again and doesn’t turn back when she calls from the hallway, “I’m not your messaging service, Diamond.”

“No, but you’ll do it anyway.” Diamond laughs when Annika’s office door shuts and she rummages in her drawer before pulling a tape measure out. “Stand straight for me, gorgeous.” She totters over to me in giant heels and starts measuring my chest.

“What’s happening?” I ask.

“Boss has an event to attend tomorrow night. That means you have an event to attend tomorrow night and a black t-shirt just isn’t going to cut it. No matter how well you fill it out.” She winks at me with an amused smirk, and I smile back at her. “She doesn’t like her guys to look like bodyguards at these types of events, so you wear a tux.”

I nod as she moves to my waist. “Who’s your son?”

Her smile is bright. “Lee, you might have seen him at the house.”