Page 58 of Business or Pleasure

“No, sweetheart. Don’t run.” The smarmy guy looked me over and what I saw in those dark eyes of his made me want to take a shower in boiling water.

“Leave her alone, Snake.” Franklin’s voice was a little stronger.

“Shut it.” The big guy closest to him backhanded him casually, no different than if he’d been swatting a mosquito.

“Want me to check for cops?” The goon with the dark hair spoke up.

“Len, you make sure she came alone,” Snake said. The blond who hadn’t hit Franklin shuffled toward the door. “Remy, check her for a wire. Or weapons.”

Shit.

“Hands up.” The dark-haired guy, Remy, walked toward me. “You reach for anything, and I’ll break your arm.”

Somehow, I doubted that was an idle threat. They wouldn’t be happy when they found my phone and knife, but if I didn’t give them any reason to think I intended to use either against them, I didn’t think they’d try to hurt me.

Well, for either of those things, anyway. What they’d done to Franklin said they didn’t have a problem hurting people. I hoped that me being a woman who hadn’t actually done anything to screw them over would keep them from resorting to violence right away.

I half-expected the goon to grope me while he patted me down, but he kept it professional. He was either a better guy than I originally thought – even with the threat to break my arm – or he didn’t like women.

“Nice knife.” He shoved it into one of his pockets. Then he found my phone and gave me an unreadable look. “You’re recording?”

“You’re recording us?” A dark flush went up Snake’s neck. “Who’re you working for, you little bitch?”

I put up both of my hands, palms out. “No one! I swear, I’m not working for anyone. I only came here to talk to him.” I pointed at Franklin.

“And record him?” Snake asked, his eyes narrowing. “Why do you want to record him?”

“Because he’s an ass,” I snapped. “Talk to him for five minutes. You’ll agree.”

Remy grunted a laugh. “She’s got a point.”

“She better have more than that.” Snake walked back to Franklin. “She better have what you owe.”

“Leave her out of it,” Franklin said.

I laughed this time. “You’re the one who brought me into it, Franklin. I guess that's why you wanted me to steal from MIRI. It's them you owe money to."

“Our boss,” Remy said, helpfully.

“This girl really your kid?” Snake gave me another one of those looks that made me want to squirm.

And not in a good way.

“I take after my mother.” I lifted my chin and dared my father to contradict what I said next. “I’m not a criminal.”

“I don’t care,” Snake said. “Franklin owes money, and you’re gonna get it.”

Dread crawled up my spine. “I’ve got like thirty bucks in my bank account.”

“Don’t play stupid, bitch,” Snake snarled at me. “Take a close look at your dad cuz he only looks that good because you showed up in time to stop my guys from turning his face into raw hamburger. You don’t do what we say, we go back to beating.”

I wasn’t a complete monster. I didn’t want to see Franklin hurt. But, the alternative…

“I’m not giving you guys shit.” I kept my tone mild, as much to disguise my relief that I’d left the papers in my apartment rather than bringing them in my car. They were exactly the sort of thing lowlife scum like them could sell to the right buyer.

“Oh, I think you will,” Snake said. He stepped into my personal space, and it was all I could do not to step back just to keep him from being that close. “Your father, the money he owes isn’t to me. I have a boss. He sends me to do the…” He paused to search for the next words he wanted.

“Dirty work?” I suggested.

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