Page 56 of Scarred Souls

Someone had a bee in their bonnet.

“Sit down,” I said.

“I’m busy.”

Goddammit. Why did this woman never do as she was told? I kicked out a chair, and it scraped along the tiles. “Sit your ass down before I make it so you can’t.”

She flinched and blinked a bunch of times. “Did you just threaten to spank me?”

“More of a promise than a threat. Why? Do you think you’d enjoy it?”

She held one hand up. “Whatever you’ve got to say, it can wait until we get home. I have work to do.”

No. This couldn’t wait. Which meant it was time to try something that went against my nature.

I leaned back in my chair and pinched the bridge of my nose. Here went nothing. “Hope, would you please sit at this fucking table so we can have a civilized conversation like two mature adults?”

She tilted her head as though I’d just surprised the shit out of her. “You said please.”

I gritted my teeth. “I did.”

“Which means you must be familiar with other polite terms. Thank you. Sorry. Excuse me. You probably even know the correct context to use them in.”

I gave her a dry look. “Don’t test me, woman.”

“Just making a point.” Perhaps sensing I had something important to say, she sat opposite me and folded her arms. “What’s up?”

I pushed the tacos toward her. “Eat.”

She gave me a confused look.

“The food’s not for me. You’ve barely eaten anything all day, and I don’t want you passing out from low blood sugar.”

She stared at me in silence before saying, “Stop it.”

“Stop what?”

“Being nice. It makes it really hard to stay angry with you.”

“And I keep telling you that I’m never nice. If you faint and hurt yourself, it’ll be inconvenient.”

“Inconvenient.” She snorted. “Right.”

I gestured to the food. “So eat.”

“Yes, sir.” Hope picked up a taco and bit into it.

I sipped the beer. “I followed your boyfriend and his pal to the restroom.”

She wiped her mouth with a napkin and let out an exasperated sigh. “Of course you did. And Enrique’s not my boyfriend.”

“Whatever. They’re working for the cartel.”

“That’s ridiculous.” She scoffed. “Why would you even say that?”

“Because I eavesdropped on their conversation. They spoke about going fishing next week for an extra-big haul that will bring them a lot of money. They’re talking about picking up fentanyl-precursor chemicals offshore and delivering them to the cartel.”

“Oh, Jesus.” She shook her head and laughed.

---