to Humboldt Park and found a small car lot there. Bought an older Audi with a bit under a hundred thousand on the odometer from a Mexican man named Cesar. Dropped thirty-four k on it and felt fine. Should have come this way in the first place. Showed what he knew about this shit.
He ran it over in his mind as he drove back to the apartment. How close a call had that been at Moonlight? It was ridiculously lucky that thug hadn’t seen through the disguise Kristina had done up. Lucky Kristina could do a good disguise.
The salesman had called him Roy. He had to remember that. Let Kristina know, just so they could have it on record in case it popped up later. This could end up being an opportunity.
It had to be coincidence that he'd had shown up at the lot. Right? If his comm or something was being followed, he would have gotten picked up by now. Only way he could have gotten out of that was dumb luck.
Unless . . .
He looked in the rearview mirror, suddenly paranoid. Took the next turn he could, parallel parked. Waited for the passing cars. Several went, but Roy was driving none of them. He could have an accomplice, but it seemed unlikely.
After a few more minutes, he drove on.
Passed a billboard for Tranqueel as he drove. Had to suppress a smile, then grimaced. Yes, he could use some of that right now. Wasn't normally into tranqs but he was losing it.
Fifteen minutes later, he parked the Audi outside of the apartment. He stepped out of the car, walked to the front door, and unlocked it. Went to the apartment, unlocked that, and walked in.
Kristina was sitting on the couch, hunched over her tablet on the coffee table. She wore her dress slacks and what appeared to be a new, crisp white undershirt that hugged her chest. Her wet hair had been dyed the color of wet plaster, and she had done her makeup differently. Very differently.
It was casual, unpretentious, and somehow erotic as hell.
He took a deep breath. Steady now .
If she noticed the effect she'd had, she didn't let on. “Any problems?” she asked.
He threw his keys on the counter. “You’re looking different,” he said.
She cocked a thin brow up. “Is that a 'no' on problems?”
He smiled and approached the couch. “I did have a problem, actually. I think your disguise may have saved my life.”
She shut the screen of her tablet off and sat up, her dark blue eyes wide. That had her attention. “What happened?”
“Guy I saw at The Velvet. Came into the auto dealer while I was negotiating for the car. His name is Roy. Have you heard of him?”
“No. You think this guy is dangerous?”
“He’s the reason I decided to disappear after leaving The Velvet.”
She held her finger up. “Put a pin in that. You said the disguise saved you."
“Yeah, he didn't recognize me. Or else he would have made a move.”
"Didn't bug you or anything?"
"Don't think so. Didn't even touch me."
She looked at him skeptically, then stood up and walked over to him. She reached up and brushed her hands through his hair.
He bent his knees slightly when he realized what she was doing. With easier access, she dug her fingers in under his shirt collar, down his shoulders and arms. His skin felt warm everywhere she touched, and it took all the control he had not to grab her and kiss her right then and there.
"Check your pockets," she said quickly. If she was affected by their proximity, she wasn't showing it, though she stepped back as she said it.
He checked his pockets and around the waist of his pants. "Nothing," he said.
She nodded, though her lips were still pressed together. He thought she might sit back down, but she stayed planted where she was. “What the hell was he doing there?” she asked.
He took a deep breath and brought his focus back to the task at hand. “I don’t know. Seems kind of impossible he could track me.”
She stood there, long-lashed eyes glazed while she was deep in thought. After a few seconds, she heaved a sigh and shook her head.
He ran it over in his mind as he drove back to the apartment. How close a call had that been at Moonlight? It was ridiculously lucky that thug hadn’t seen through the disguise Kristina had done up. Lucky Kristina could do a good disguise.
The salesman had called him Roy. He had to remember that. Let Kristina know, just so they could have it on record in case it popped up later. This could end up being an opportunity.
It had to be coincidence that he'd had shown up at the lot. Right? If his comm or something was being followed, he would have gotten picked up by now. Only way he could have gotten out of that was dumb luck.
Unless . . .
He looked in the rearview mirror, suddenly paranoid. Took the next turn he could, parallel parked. Waited for the passing cars. Several went, but Roy was driving none of them. He could have an accomplice, but it seemed unlikely.
After a few more minutes, he drove on.
Passed a billboard for Tranqueel as he drove. Had to suppress a smile, then grimaced. Yes, he could use some of that right now. Wasn't normally into tranqs but he was losing it.
Fifteen minutes later, he parked the Audi outside of the apartment. He stepped out of the car, walked to the front door, and unlocked it. Went to the apartment, unlocked that, and walked in.
Kristina was sitting on the couch, hunched over her tablet on the coffee table. She wore her dress slacks and what appeared to be a new, crisp white undershirt that hugged her chest. Her wet hair had been dyed the color of wet plaster, and she had done her makeup differently. Very differently.
It was casual, unpretentious, and somehow erotic as hell.
He took a deep breath. Steady now .
If she noticed the effect she'd had, she didn't let on. “Any problems?” she asked.
He threw his keys on the counter. “You’re looking different,” he said.
She cocked a thin brow up. “Is that a 'no' on problems?”
He smiled and approached the couch. “I did have a problem, actually. I think your disguise may have saved my life.”
She shut the screen of her tablet off and sat up, her dark blue eyes wide. That had her attention. “What happened?”
“Guy I saw at The Velvet. Came into the auto dealer while I was negotiating for the car. His name is Roy. Have you heard of him?”
“No. You think this guy is dangerous?”
“He’s the reason I decided to disappear after leaving The Velvet.”
She held her finger up. “Put a pin in that. You said the disguise saved you."
“Yeah, he didn't recognize me. Or else he would have made a move.”
"Didn't bug you or anything?"
"Don't think so. Didn't even touch me."
She looked at him skeptically, then stood up and walked over to him. She reached up and brushed her hands through his hair.
He bent his knees slightly when he realized what she was doing. With easier access, she dug her fingers in under his shirt collar, down his shoulders and arms. His skin felt warm everywhere she touched, and it took all the control he had not to grab her and kiss her right then and there.
"Check your pockets," she said quickly. If she was affected by their proximity, she wasn't showing it, though she stepped back as she said it.
He checked his pockets and around the waist of his pants. "Nothing," he said.
She nodded, though her lips were still pressed together. He thought she might sit back down, but she stayed planted where she was. “What the hell was he doing there?” she asked.
He took a deep breath and brought his focus back to the task at hand. “I don’t know. Seems kind of impossible he could track me.”
She stood there, long-lashed eyes glazed while she was deep in thought. After a few seconds, she heaved a sigh and shook her head.
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