Page 41 of Rugger: The Huntress

Sex work?I was offended my damn self.

With as much respect I had for the simple trade, it was hardly considered work in comparison to her occupation. Hadn’t I been invested over the last hour, she definitely had my attention now.

Who the fuck are these women?

The endless possibilities plagued me as I reached the parking lot where a heavy police presence was noted. There had been a homicide. They’d discovered it, but to keep from alerting their guests, they were keeping quiet.

To their dismay, the four twenty-one year old boys they were identifying wouldn’t be the only murder they’d need to conceal. There was an accountant upstairs melting into the shower floor. He’d need their assistance too.

Two public exits.

One emergency exit.

Twenty-four windows.

Nin–

“There are three ways to leave, my nigga. You can stop counting,” Killian sounded off.

His extended hand was useless. I fixed my posture and removed my elbows from the table. The dimly lit bar wasn’t my speed, but I hadn’t chosen the location of the meeting. It wasn’t one I wanted to have or one that was easy to acquire with Killian’s unpredictable schedule.

But, it was right here or me showing up at his home unexpectedly to discuss what had been on my mind for the last two hours. Some things couldn’t wait. This was one of them.

“Twenty-seven ways.Nine possible.”

“Twenty-seven, then.”

“Nine possible.”

“Same difference. What’s up? What is bothering you so much you pulled me out of some pussy to talk?” He paused momentarily, “I didn’t even know you talked. I assumed you were mute. So what’s up?”

“Sit down.” I nodded toward the chair in front of me. “And, there’s more where that came from.”

My eyes followed the trail that led to the woman behind the bar who hadn’t stopped watching him since he walked in.

“She’s not for me. She’s for Kofi.”

“Kofi.” I pushed out a short, sharp breath that made my stomach draw in and my chest expand slightly.

Kofi was a wild card and the reason behind a few of my large payouts.

“Kofi,” he confirmed with a nod.

“You’ve never given me an assignment that was already taken.”

My history with the Valentines was smudge-free. This was the first hiccup and I wanted to know how it had happened. However, I was more interested in the woman who’d made it happen.

“And, I haven’t yet.”

“Tonight. Eric.”

“The mark?”

I nodded.

“Someone was already onto him?”

I nodded, removing my phone from my pocket. The small black device I had in my possession allowed me to pull up a pixelated image of the woman in question. With a little finessing, I managed a clearer image that I shoved across the table in Killian’s direction.

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