Page 24 of Grit & Glamour

“No, and that’s the problem,” I answer, making him frown from confusion. “The entire place had been cleared out, other than her desk. I checked it though, and the drawers were completely empty too. It was freaky. I swear I would have heard if they moved offices, all she talks about at dinner is business, but she’s not said a thing about it.”

“That is pretty strange,” One admits, before sighing. “I don’t think you or your friend tried to screw with us.”

“Really? You’ve only just figured that out?” I ask, giving him what I hope is a look that coveys both fury and my complete judgement at his idiocy.

“I had to be sure.” He shrugs, as if his ridiculous actions are all totally justified.

“Now that you’re sure, can I have my brother and leave?” I ask, somehow knowing that I won’t like his answer.

“No. Because you may not be the one that screwed us, but you and your brother are involved in this somehow. Letting you both run off and get caught or killed won’t help me, so I’m not going to do it,” he answers without blinking.

“Well, we don’t care about helping you,” I retort.

“It’s a good thing that I don’t care that you don’t then, isn’t it?” he drawls, before leaning back in his seat a little, as if trying to relax.

“When can me and my brother leave then? How long will it take you to figure this all out?” I demand furiously.

“Keep it down, Scar,” Theo says gently, his eyes sweeping over the place after he says it in a paranoid manner.

“Keep it down?!” I snap. “Are you fucking kidding me? Did you not hear him?” Two looks away as I snap at Theo, and then One rests his hand on my shoulder. “Take. Your. Hand. Off.” I demand instantly.

“Breathe. We will let you and your brother go once this is taken care of,” he says quietly.

“I don’t believe you,” I reply, shrugging his hand off as my heart begins to race in my chest, and my head starts to spin.

“Well, I believe that if I keep your brother safe now, you’ll do the same when we let you go, and you won’t talk. Am I right?” he asks me, in a tone softer than I’d thought him capable of.

“If you kept my brother safe, I’d do anything,” I answer without a moment’s hesitation. He blinks, probably not expecting that level of conviction in my agreement.

“That’s what I thought. Now, why wouldn’t we let you go if we thought you weren’t going to pose a threat? Do you think we want to kill a child for no reason?” he asks me seriously, and I look between him and Two. I shake my head. “We don’t,” he agrees.

“Bad people for money, those are the jobs we take,” Two offers in a low voice. I spare a look at Theo who is looking super uncomfortable next to Two all of a sudden.

“What makes someone bad?” I ask.

“It’s easy to know if someone’s bad, Scarlett. What’s harder is knowing when someone’s good,” Two answers vaguely.

“What kind of things?” I insist. If these killers profess to have morals, I want to know where their lines are drawn. Would they happily shoot Theo because he sells drugs? Or would the fact he does it to provide for his family mean anything?

“Anyone who hurts kids, criminals of various degrees, and there was one guy who killed his eighteen-year-old girlfriend. His parents hired us when he got off after an issue with the evidence not being viable. Her parents knew bad when they saw it,” he answers, casting a look around to make sure nobody is paying us any attention as he speaks.

“What about me?” Theo asks my unasked question.

“Not unless we have to,” One answers directly. “Now, sharing time has been fun and all, but we need to get moving.”

“Why?” I ask, perfectly happy to sit here and drink milkshakes all night if it would irritate One, which for some reason, since meeting him, I’ve had a growing urge to do.

“No,” he deflects.

“No?” I echo.

“You don’t get to ask any more questions. That was it. Now come on,” he demands, already standing. Two follows suit. I share a commiserative look with Theo, before we stand and join them.

“So, where are we going?” I inquire as we walk out, ignoring what One had just said completely. Two laughs loudly as One curses under his breath.

“Are you trying to get yourself killed?” Theo hisses to me quietly, as we follow One and Two out of the fast food restaurant.

“He gets on my nerves, okay?” I brush Theo off, hoping he’ll drop it. He gives me concerned look, before facing ahead again, continuing to follow after the assassins. They lead us out, and towards a familiar, silver Mercedes.

After a moment or two or silence, Theo turns to me again, and I pause, letting One and Two get a little further ahead. He runs his eyes all over me, from head to toe, before meeting my eyes again in a penetrating stare.

“I think I’m definitely the better liar,” he announces, before continuing to walk over to the car, leaving me standing here, staring after him in a mixture of shock and confusion.

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