Page 93 of Killer Kiss

I rolled my eyes. “You do realize you hang out in places like this? Worse. You own the joint, and frankly I’m a bit insulted I haven’t been invited to a party here before now. It’s a lot different than the last time I was here.”

Nash was still steadfastly trying not to look at me.

I sighed. “Honestly, you’re as dramatic as my brother.”

“Does he even know you’re here?” Nash asked. “Christ, he’s going to stab me just for being near you in your underwear. He’ll actually put a knife into my intestines and leave me to bleed out. Do you want my shirt?”

I would have laughed at his horror, or perhaps told him I was just as capable as Vincent if I wanted a man gutted, but I had things to do. “No, but I need you to lay off Augie. He’s with me.”

Nash shot Augie a dirty look but softened a little at my request. “Tell him to keep his hands off my customers and I’ll let it slide.”

Augie backed up, his hands in the air in mock surrender. But that didn’t stop him from staring down Zane’s friend, who was rubbing his neck like someone had just tied a noose around it. “Fine. But if I told you what he just said about your sister-in-law…”

Nash’s eyes darkened.

I shoved him away, exasperated. “Okay, that’s enough with the protective bullshit from both of you, thank you very much. I just need a minute with these gentlemen.”

I sat myself next to the man who had grown up a whole lot since I’d last seen him.

“You’re Fawn’s sister, aren’t you?” Zane asked quietly. “We met once, when she was dating…”

“Your piece-of-shit brother. Yeah. We did. How about you tell me where he has her?”

One of his friends, the one with the apparently bruised throat from Augie’s fingers, snorted. “Eddie ain’t been around here for a long time,” he drawled. “Word on the street is he owes big money so he’s gone to ground.”

I raised a questioning eyebrow at Zane, who darted a nervous look at his friends.

I noticed and got in his face. “Don’t look at them. Look at me. I asked you a question. That true? Your brother not been around lately?”

“Eddie does what he pleases. Always has. I don’t know anything.”

Augie was almost vibrating with anger behind me. It was probably a good thing Nash was still hovering, because Augie this tightly wound wasn’t a good thing. He was a loose cannon, likely to explode, and my sister and her whereabouts was definitely one of his triggers.

“See, here’s the thing, Zane,” I mused out loud. “I don’t believe you. You seem nervous.”

He swallowed hard and opened his mouth to answer, but his friend cut him off.

“He just can’t talk to pretty women. It’s you making him stutter.”

Augie’s low growl was a warning that the man was skirting the danger zone, and he turned away quickly. The third friend didn’t seem to care though. He stared openly at me until something changed in his expression.

He pointed a finger at me. “Oh shit, I know you. You’re Riddick’s girl.”

My blood ran cold.

Augie and Nash both turned to me, but it was Augie who asked, “Who the fuck is Riddick?”

Mission. Over.

“No one. I don’t know anyone by that name.” I grabbed Augie’s arm, hauling him backward. “Come on. This is a waste of time. They don’t know anything.”

Nash watched me quietly, a concerned expression on his face when Zane’s friend stood and pointed at me again.

“Yeah, it is you! He’s been flashing around photos of you all over town. Damn. He know you’re out here at a sex club with another man?” He let out a low whistle and shook his head at Augie. “You’re brave, brother.”

Augie’s brows furrowed in confusion. “What is he talking about, Lia?”

But I couldn’t speak. I needed to get Augie out of there before Zane and his friends could memorize his face.

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