“North, I think.” She returned her attention to the small tattoo while I tip-toed around her question. “I just need to get away for a little while. Self-care. You know?”
“I get that. What will you and Jake do?”
I sighed. “He doesn’t know.”
Jake and I fell hard, and it was the happiest few weeks of my life, but that was all it was.
I closed my eyes and hid my face in my elbow while she worked her needles back and forth and side to side. I flinched, winced, and nearly pulled my hand out of her grasp again.
How did Jake get this done all over his body?
“Did you do his reaper tattoo?”
“Yep. And his friends’ too.”
“They have the same one?”
Janelle pulled away, wiping my finger clean. “Yes.” She put her machine down. “They’re a tight little trio.”
I bet they were.
“Thank you, Janelle. You didn’t have to do that after how I treated you.”
“I told you. All is forgiven.” She wrapped my finger in the same material she did his, then handed me an instructional guide. “You never said where you were going.”
“Somewhere far away from here.”
“He’ll find you, you know.” She braced her hands on her spread thighs covered in faded black jeans with stress tears and chains.
“That’s what he said.” I grabbed my bag and walked away. “Thanks again.”
“Good luck.” She hollered. “You’re gonna need it.”
That was the second time I’d heard that today. Maybe they weren’t wrong. Maybe I needed all the luck I could get.
6
“Therewassomethingoddabout that guy, Tonk.” It was as if the devil sat behind his glazed-over empty eyes.
Typically, I stayed in the back with my computer, but Liz went into labor, forcing us to do this transaction without Alek.
“I agree.”
At least the devil recognized his minions.
Christopher Doyle spoke very little and came alone.
In all the years of acting as a broker for the criminal underworld, we’d never had a single person show up without bodyguards, which unnerved me.
“Be prepared to hear this shit on the news. I’m telling you now.”
“Don’t grow a conscience. It doesn’t suit you.”
I laughed. Ironic since I’m the only one thathadone.
We left the abandoned warehouse as my phone rang in my pocket.
“See ya,” I waved to Tonk as he got in his truck and sped away.