Page 59 of Claiming Veronica

Reed leaned over and asked me, “Want to share some onion rings?”

Eli raised an eyebrow, looking mildly amused. “Share? No, I’m too hungry. I’ll have a double with cheese and bacon, onion rings, and an orange soda.”

“An orange soda?” Hmm. That sounded pretty good. Eli brushed some of my hair back behind an ear, distracting me from the menu, which I honestly didn’t need. The callused pad of his thumb felt delicious against my skin, and I wished we weren’t in the crowded diner with company. “I’ll have what he’s having.” Daisy’s eyebrows raised, but she just nodded and jotted it down.

“No splitting?” Reed frowned at me. “Fine. I’ll have a burger with everything, fries, and a Coke.”

“I’ll give you some onion rings,” I conceded as Eli’s hand drifted to my thigh and rubbed little circles on the muscle, making me shift in my seat.

“I’ll be back with drinks. Tell your family I said hi. I’m so excited for the baby. I can’t wait. Those tiny feet are so cute. Is there going to be a babyshower? We should have a baby shower. We could have it here. Maybe we should have little rubber duckies. Oh. We could have a scavenger hunt.” Daisy spoke as if she couldn’t say the words fast enough, all of them running together, her eyes wide as she came to the idea about the ducks.

“Excuse me.” Maxim stood behind her, scowling, still wearing the three-piece suit he’d worn to check out the venue with Eli. Very few times, I’d seen him in less than the tailored suits he preferred. She scooted to the side, ignoring him as he slid into the seat beside Reed. I was impressed. Most people didn’t just ignore Maxim, especially the women. They took one look at him and simpered or dropped their panties in his pocket, hoping to get a shot with him.

“So? What do you think? A scavenger hunt would be fun, right? With ducks?” Her nose crinkled. “Maybe it is one of those things only I think is funny.”

“I’ll talk to Nat and see if something is in the works for a baby shower. Maybe Hollis is doing a shower?” My cousin Dimitri’s wife was friends with Helena, and she might already have something planned. It was still a ways off, but I could help. “A scavenger hunt sounds fun,” I offered,and Daisy blushed. I wasn’t sure what women did at those things, but I could help — clues and hidden ducks were right up my alley.

Daisy nodded happily and turned pencil poised to Maxim. “Did you want something? Burger?”

“A club sandwich and an unsweetened tea.” He pushed the menu toward the center of the table. Daisy dutifully wrote down the order, but you could tell she disapproved by the way her mouth flattened out.

After she left, Eli gave a little laugh. “Wow, unsweetened tea. Live a little.”

“I don’t need unnecessary calories,” Maxim said flatly.

I rolled my eyes at him and said, “You sound like a snob, Max. One of these days, you will have to eat your words.”

“I doubt that very much,” he sniffed, and I was reminded how far apart our worlds were. Maxim looked out of place in his suit in this tiny diner in small-town America, but he didn’t look uncomfortable. The rest of us were all casually dressed, and the other diners looked our way occasionally, but Maxim didn’t even acknowledge them. He’d always had that air about him, the ‘I’m in charge’ aura.

“So you haven’t said why you’re in town for thismeeting. You must have a reason,” I teased after our food was set in front of us. The burgers were towering masterpieces of greasy deliciousness, and I couldn’t wait to dive in. I’d been wondering why Maxim was after Spato. He hadn’t told us why he’d found it necessary to come in person to make the kill when Eli or even Dimitri would have done it for him. Maxim frowned at his plate and then glared at me for putting him on the spot in front of mixed company. He wouldn’t give details away in front of Reed.

“The person I’mmeetingowed a debt to a friend. I’m collecting.”

My eyebrows shot up, but I nodded and took a bite of the burger, wondering who the friend was that had Maxim killing someone for them.

“Huh,” I mumbled around my burger noncommittally.

We’d been eating only a few minutes when Reed went ramrod straight and ghost white. She was staring out the window at something, but I couldn’t see anything that would cause that kind of reaction. Eli and Maxim had gone still.

“What is it?” Eli asked. “Do you see something?”

“Doug is right there. Green jacket and blackbaseball hat. He’s standing on the opposite side of the street.”

“I see him,” Maxim said, sliding out of the booth. “Ronnie, call Dimitri and tell him I need a pick up at the curb outside the diner. Make sure you say that we will need a closed transport.” He looked over at Eli. “Eli.”

“Yep. Reed, be sure not to stare. Keep chatting as if nothing is wrong.”

They slid from the booth and went to the back of the diner, speaking to Daisy for a moment before continuing through the kitchen.

“Oh my God, where are they going?” Reed asked, her words breathless as she leaned over the table. “He came early.” Her eyes were wide and frightened, and sweat had broken out on her forehead. “How did he find me here?” Her hands clasped the edge of the table, shaking.

“He did come early, but that’s fine.” I raised my phone to my ear.

“Ronnie, what’s up?” Dimitri asked, his voice tense. I never called him, so he knew immediately that something was wrong. “Are you alright?”

“I’m good, but Maxim told me to call. He needs a pickup at the curb outside the diner. Closedtransport. Immediately.” There was a pregnant pause.

“I’ll be right there. Three minutes. Who am I looking for?”

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