Read Online SHANK (A Wilde Crime Series) by j.a. kazimer - Free Book Online
Authors: j.a. kazimer
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welts. “No.” I pictured her at Sal’s mercy and felt sick. “Stay away from him.”
“I’m not going to let you or Mickey die. Not when I can save you.”
“By sacrificing yourself?” I wanted to shake some sense into her. “Do you think either of us would allow that?”
“It’s time for you to stop protecting me. I’m not a child.”
“Then stop acting like one.” My tone was cruel, but fear overrode kindness. “I’ve got enough on my plate. I don’t have the time or energy for games. Promise me you’re not going to do anything stupid.”
She glared , tossing fiery red curls. “You win, Ian.”
“What does that mean?”
“Just what I said. You win. I won’t go to Sal.” She grabbed a blanket and my pillow from the bed and started out of the room.
“Come on, Frankie,” I said. “Where are you going?”
“The couch,” she called over her shoulder. “Don’t worry. I can manage to get there without your help.”
“Come on, Frankie, be reason —”
She slammed the door on my words. The edge of her blanket caught in the doorframe. I smiled at her muffled cursing as she tugged, trying to release it. The door flew open. She ripped the blanket free and slammed it again. Redheads.
Chapter 14
I woke up starving with the kind of hunger that wouldn’t be satisfied with a simple snack. I rubbed my eyes, replaying last night’s argument. What did Frankie expect? There was no way in hell I’d let her put herself in danger. No fucking way. Blowing out a frustrated breath, I glanced toward the empty couch and shook my head. She certainly made life interesting.
I heard her in the shower singing, Dicey Riley, slightly off-key. Damn if her husky purr didn’t send shivers across my body. It was too early to deal with this shit. I needed coffee and I needed it now. Picking up the house phone, I dialed room service. At least I could fulfill one craving.
Room service arrived as shower turned off. Drew had yet to make an appearance, but his companion from last night had a few minutes ago. Her red leather dress and eight-inch heels suggested hooker, but the five hundred dollars clutched in her fist was what really convinced me.
I ushered the room service waiter in to the hotel suite. He stood by the door juggling food-laden trays while the hooker reapplied a thick coating of lipstick in the hallway mirror. “Put it over there,” I said to him, gesturing to the coffee table. The waiter’s eyes stayed fixed on the Amazon blonde in red leather, but he did as I asked.
“Tell Drew to give me a call sometime,” the hooker said with a wink. She blew me a kiss, and left the suite. I shook my head and lifted a silver lid from a plate of scrambled eggs. “Smells good,” I said, as Frankie came out of the bathroom in a knee length kimono. The server’s eyes widened, and I swear I could see drool form at the corners of his mouth. “Thanks.” I slipped him a few bucks and shoved him out the door.
Frankie combed her fingers through a veil of her hair. “Was that room service?”
I nodded, pouring her a cup of coffee. I added a pink packet of sugar substitute and a dab of milk to the mug. “Drink up.” I handed her the hot beverage and filled my own cup, adding nothing but undiluted caffeine. “We’ve only got a couple of hours before we have to hit the road,” I said. Last night we cleared twenty grand. We were still about ten short.
“What’s the rush?” She yawned. “Drew’s not even awake.”
“ I don’t think Drew’s in any condition to help.” I knocked his door, waiting for an answer. Nothing. I knocked again, louder. I opened it and went in to make sure he was still breathing. Luckily, he was, unfortunately that was all I could say. The room reeked of booze and vomit. Lying naked across the bed with an empty pill bottle inches from his head, Drew slept like the dead. Disgusted, I slammed the door satisfied when he groaned.
Frankie laughed as I opened and closed the door
“I’m not going to let you or Mickey die. Not when I can save you.”
“By sacrificing yourself?” I wanted to shake some sense into her. “Do you think either of us would allow that?”
“It’s time for you to stop protecting me. I’m not a child.”
“Then stop acting like one.” My tone was cruel, but fear overrode kindness. “I’ve got enough on my plate. I don’t have the time or energy for games. Promise me you’re not going to do anything stupid.”
She glared , tossing fiery red curls. “You win, Ian.”
“What does that mean?”
“Just what I said. You win. I won’t go to Sal.” She grabbed a blanket and my pillow from the bed and started out of the room.
“Come on, Frankie,” I said. “Where are you going?”
“The couch,” she called over her shoulder. “Don’t worry. I can manage to get there without your help.”
“Come on, Frankie, be reason —”
She slammed the door on my words. The edge of her blanket caught in the doorframe. I smiled at her muffled cursing as she tugged, trying to release it. The door flew open. She ripped the blanket free and slammed it again. Redheads.
Chapter 14
I woke up starving with the kind of hunger that wouldn’t be satisfied with a simple snack. I rubbed my eyes, replaying last night’s argument. What did Frankie expect? There was no way in hell I’d let her put herself in danger. No fucking way. Blowing out a frustrated breath, I glanced toward the empty couch and shook my head. She certainly made life interesting.
I heard her in the shower singing, Dicey Riley, slightly off-key. Damn if her husky purr didn’t send shivers across my body. It was too early to deal with this shit. I needed coffee and I needed it now. Picking up the house phone, I dialed room service. At least I could fulfill one craving.
Room service arrived as shower turned off. Drew had yet to make an appearance, but his companion from last night had a few minutes ago. Her red leather dress and eight-inch heels suggested hooker, but the five hundred dollars clutched in her fist was what really convinced me.
I ushered the room service waiter in to the hotel suite. He stood by the door juggling food-laden trays while the hooker reapplied a thick coating of lipstick in the hallway mirror. “Put it over there,” I said to him, gesturing to the coffee table. The waiter’s eyes stayed fixed on the Amazon blonde in red leather, but he did as I asked.
“Tell Drew to give me a call sometime,” the hooker said with a wink. She blew me a kiss, and left the suite. I shook my head and lifted a silver lid from a plate of scrambled eggs. “Smells good,” I said, as Frankie came out of the bathroom in a knee length kimono. The server’s eyes widened, and I swear I could see drool form at the corners of his mouth. “Thanks.” I slipped him a few bucks and shoved him out the door.
Frankie combed her fingers through a veil of her hair. “Was that room service?”
I nodded, pouring her a cup of coffee. I added a pink packet of sugar substitute and a dab of milk to the mug. “Drink up.” I handed her the hot beverage and filled my own cup, adding nothing but undiluted caffeine. “We’ve only got a couple of hours before we have to hit the road,” I said. Last night we cleared twenty grand. We were still about ten short.
“What’s the rush?” She yawned. “Drew’s not even awake.”
“ I don’t think Drew’s in any condition to help.” I knocked his door, waiting for an answer. Nothing. I knocked again, louder. I opened it and went in to make sure he was still breathing. Luckily, he was, unfortunately that was all I could say. The room reeked of booze and vomit. Lying naked across the bed with an empty pill bottle inches from his head, Drew slept like the dead. Disgusted, I slammed the door satisfied when he groaned.
Frankie laughed as I opened and closed the door
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