Page 35

I stare at him for a minute. “I gotta go.” I rotate on my heel.
He is around the desk and in front of me before I reach the door. “You’re mad. Why are you mad?”
“Your brother is a dick.”
“I’m paying you to get close. The closer you are, the more information he’ll reveal. I need to know.” His voice dips low, racing along my spine, leaving goose bumps in its wake. My body warms at his proximity, the heat radiating off his body.
“I get it.” I can’t look at him. For a reason I don’t want to examine, this arrangement bothers me, and it shouldn’t. With my back to him, I grab the door handle.
“You’re armed?” He takes the door from me as I open it.
“Yeah.” My fingertips graze one of the guns attached to my leg. “Do you know where we’re going?”
“No.” His voice is tight. “He wouldn’t say.” He examines me, his gaze sweeping over my face. “When you get back, come see me.”
“Got it.”
“Kim,” Lorcan calls. “Be safe. Be smart.”
“I’m part of the pack today,” I call over my shoulder. His chuckle echoes behind me.
When I get to the front entrance, Finn and five men are halfway out the door. I jog to catch them before the door shuts. He doesn’t acknowledge my presence as we get into the car. He has a take-out container clutched in one of his hands. My stomach rumbles. How did I forget to eat again?
Once we’re settled in the back, he passes the container.
“What’s this?” I ask.
“That’s your breakfast.”
Easing the top off, the smell of eggs hits me. It’s possible my stomach will reach out and grab the food before it hits my lips. There’s an omelet, a set of cutlery, and a smoothie inside. “Oh.” I glance at Finn who is gazing out the window. “You made this?”
“No. Someone else cooked me breakfast this morning. I asked her to make extra for you.” He glances at me before focusing his attention out the window. “She’s not much of a cook, I’m afraid. Her talents lie elsewhere.” He sighs and then stares at me. “Since I’m sure you didn’t get a chance to eat, it’s probably slightly better than nothing.”
His speech strikes me as funny. The idea of him eating a breakfast his one-night stand cooked him that tasted terrible is amusing. With the cutlery, I slice into the omelet and slip it into my mouth. “It’s not bad. Just a bit bland.”
“Sadly, that also describes her.”
I choke and have to cover my mouth for a few minutes while I get myself under control. He’s serious, and I can’t decide if he’s repulsive or humorous.
“Sometimes ready and willing is the best I can do on short notice.” He slouches deeper into his seat.
“Poor woman.” I unscrew the cap to the smoothie. Gulping back a mouthful, I catch Finn’s grimace out of the corner of my eye.
“Poor woman? Poor me, you mean.”
“That’s not what I mean.” I take another bite of the omelet. “Am I allowed to ask where we’re going?”
“You can ask.” He takes one of the berries beside my omelet.
“I think I just did.” I polish off the final piece. It might have been bland, but it certainly did the trick. At least I won’t be in danger of falling over today.
“Chinatown.”
There’s an up-and-coming Asian organization in Chinatown. The file didn’t have them connected, but maybe this is something new. Taking a calculated risk, I play a card. “The Zhangs.”
He raises his eyebrows. “Lorcan knows more than I thought.”
I close the takeout container and place it at my feet. After swallowing the last of my drink, I say, “He doesn’t know much.”Or anything.“Why am I here?”