Page 7 of Built for Mercy

He smirked. “My, my. You’re a mouthy little thing, aren’t you?” The tips of my ears felt warm under his observation, and I suppressed a shiver. I should've been offended by his comment. “I like that. Keeps me on my toes.”

Sighing impatiently, I folded my arms across my chest. I wasn’t sure I wanted to be something he liked—or worse, maybe I did. I mean, fuck, he was hot, and Ifelthot under his gaze. This was not normal and wildly embarrassing. Probably a one-way attraction. He likely had women throwing themselves at him every damn day.

“So, who are you and why do you care where I’m at late at night?” I hoped I sounded nonchalant.

“Who were you meeting so late at night?” he shot back.

“I asked you a question first.”

“Does that really matter when I’m the one with all the power here?”

I paused. He was the one who had his goons trailing behind me for weeks, who knew who I was even though I didn’t know a lick about him. He was the one who could get away with stalking a cop, and even if I tried to take legal action, I’d probably be labeled a paranoid, traumatized detective while he’d disappear temporarily and strike again when my guard was down. Better yet, he probably had some law enforcement in his back pocket.

Not like I could confirm that, what with Mr. Mystery looking smug as shit.

“Victor Chavez.” My admission took me by surprise, and apparently him, too, considering the way his eyes widened ever so slightly.Ay, por Dios,his eyes were pretty. I wriggled in my seat, wishing my brain would stop imagining him staring up at me with his face between my thighs.

“Why?”

“You obviously know my history. Why don’t you put two and two together?”

He stilled and ran a thumb across his lower lip, contemplating his next words. “I can see we aren’t getting anywhere tonight. When you’re ready to talk, try not to assault my men. Just tell them you want to meet with Maverick.”

I busted out laughing, then immediately stopped when he gave me a glare that could cut glass. “I’m sorry. Maverick? Don’t tell me you also got picked to attend Top Gun.”

Maverick clenched his jaw, then slowly rose to his feet. He was tall and intimidating at his full height—well over six feet, with broad shoulders that blocked the light behind him. I gulped nervously. Okay, now I could tell I was really pissing him off, and my conscience finally kicked in and told me not to continue poking.

“You’ll learn, Detective, to not cross me. Just because you’ve got a pretty face and a tragic past doesn’t mean you’re exempt from my wrath. You’ll do good to remember that.”

With that, he turned to leave. My stomach twisted in knots, no longer hungry, as I watched him exit the bar. Even with a name to put to his face, he was still a mystery.

His threat hung over my head for days, as did his compliment.

He thinks I’m pretty.

6

Maverick

Why did I think it was a good idea to goad Sophie into approaching me? I had no real good reason to put myself in her line of sight. She clearly didn’t want to meet with me—that much was made obvious during last phone call.

And honestly, she’d done nothing incriminating thus far, but she was cryptic when it came to answering a simple fucking question.

All I knew was that up close and in better lighting, she was more beautiful than I remembered, more stunning than the photos on my wall. Every bit the raven-haired beauty that she was known for from her father’s days leading the cartel. I couldn’t resist luring her into talking to me, even if she was poking fun.

I didn’t know how I felt about that part.

I loosened my tie and tossed my phone and wallet onto the dresser in my bedroom, pausing in front of the photos of Sophie.I told myself it was solely to find a pattern in her daily activities, or something that proved her gunning for my family’s empire, but in reality she was a woman I liked staring at a little too much.

***

The nightclub was bursting with energy below me. I watched the writhing bodies and smiling faces from above, where I was hidden behind the privacy glass of the security room. Protected from the general public, which I had no desire to interact with right now.

“Thirty thousand was laundered through the club this week,” Paulie said. He was my…treasurer,if you will.

My head whipped to look at him. “Only thirty thousand? What the fuck happened?”

His eyes flared. “With Thames getting busted and the pigs knocking on Chavez’s door, we haven’t been able to do as many money runs.