Page 13 of Vengeful Lies

Her glare then cuts to me. “What can I get you? I don’t think this establishment has much of what you’re used to. Unless, of course, you like cheap whiskey and beaming hospitality.”

Oh, so we’re playing that game.

I suddenly pretend to be very interested in the menu. “What do you recommend?”

Her plump lips press into a thin line as that frown makes its disapproving appearance.

“Nothing, it’s all shit.”

“Your waitress friend was right; you’re a shit server,” Hawke says, and she turns to him and smiles. The skin over my knuckles turns white as I curl my hands into fists, irritated he’s yet again grabbed her attention.

“Sure am, but your tip is automatically included in the bill. So it works. What can I get you three?”

“How about a side of rat?” Ford says, and her grip on the tray only momentarily tightens. But I give it to her, she’s quick to recover. And I’m so interested in everything about this woman.

“Sorry, all out. But if you give me your address, I can have something personally organized for you,” she deadpans. “You know, exceptional hospitality and all.”

Hawke looks away, trying to hide his smirk. If the fucker wasn’t snorting like an idiot, encouraging her, perhaps she would better be able to read the precarious position she’s in, but I still think she’d be unfazed. Does this woman have a death wish?

Fuck me, even Ford seems mildly amused.

“I have a feeling you already know it,” Ford says, shrugging. “I’d prefer if you start with kittens and puppies. That’s where I started anyway.”

Her jaw drops, and he looks up at her with a flat expression.

“That was a joke,” he clarifies.

She scrunches up her nose, not entirely believing him. His humor is so dry that I’m not even sure if he’s joking.

She sighs and props the tray on her hip casually. “I see Will was able to track me after all.”

I lean in, intrigued by this beautiful and lethal woman. And I should not find anything sexy about a woman who leaves dead rats in my drawers.

“So you’ve done your homework.” She does everything to not look in my direction. She’s smart enough to know the twins work for me, but it doesn’t make them any less evil or intimidating.

“Why do you sound impressed?” Hawke says out loud. He does that a lot—says shit in front of people he shouldn’t.

“Don’t be so flattered. It’s part of the job. Do you think I’m truly dimwitted enough to involve myself in any way with the most powerful family in New York without doing research?” That irks me. She didn’t sayme,but my family. Aren’t I heronly target? If it’s anyone else besides me that she’s after, that changes this entirely, and I won’t let her out alive. As if feeling the lethal tension beneath the surface, she looks me up and down with a frown, as if disapprovingly. “Now, if you would so kindly place an order before my other asshole customers start to complain, that would be great.”

“I want a burger with extra bacon,” Hawke says. We all look at him, and she seems shocked that he actually ordered. We all are.

She shrugs and says, “Okay, anything else?”

“Sit,” I tell her, nodding to the empty seat in front of her.

“No,” she replies with a sickeningly sweet smile. “And anything for you?” she asks Ford.

“Cake,” he says. As I go to speak again, she turns her back on us and walks away, her heels clicking as she goes to the kitchen.

“You ordered fucking cake?” I bark at Ford, unable to unleash this rage within me from her ignorant behavior. “We didn’t come to fucking eat; we came to interrogate her.”

“Hawke ordered a fucking burger,” he says defensively. “And you had the chance to interrogate her two nights ago and let her go free, so unless you plan on gunning down everyone here for more alone time…”

The elderly woman behind us gasps in shock, and I roll my eyes.

“Come on, it’s not that bad, and besides, I’m hungry,” Hawke says, tapping his belly and rubbing it. The man has the appetite of a fucking beast because he lives in the gym and eats everything in sight. “Don’t get your panties in a twist because your woman won’t do as you say.”

The moment my gaze lands on him, he realizes he stepped too far. “I’m sorry, boss.”

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