Page 72 of Bourbon & Blood

I glanced at Hex who glanced back my way and nodded.

“Pleasure doin’ business with you, sir.” Hex tipped an imaginary hat.

“As always,” the lawyer said, giving us a half-assed little salute.

We got the fuck out of there with our connections and treasure trove of information.

Now we just had to figure out how to get a hold of a professional assassin. I mean, we’d never needed one. We’d always done our own dirty work.

“One last thing,” Hex said just before we went out the door an’ I swear he was reading my mind. “You know how to get ahold of this Jacob Landry?”

“Now why would I know a thing like that?” the lawyer asked.

“The company you fuckin’ keep,” I rumbled.

He had a good laugh over that one, too.

“Oh, that’s a good one,” he said, wiping a tear from his eye. “Whew! I wish I could help you boys. More out of self-preservation than anything, but I couldn’t tell you. I would if I could, truly, I would.”

I nodded, and Hex nodded, too.

“Have a nice day, now,” Hex declared and we left.

“You believe him?” I asked when we hit the sidewalk.

“Fuck no, not completely,” he said. “I’ll keep Bennie on ‘im and send Axeman out this way. Make sure he don’t go runnin’ to the wrong people.”

“I don’t think he will,” I said, shaking my head.

“How’s that?” he asked.

“I could smell his fear, brother. He’s way more scared of us than he is of some paramilitary boogeyman.”

“You got a nose like a bloodhound for fear, so I’m gonna believe you on that one,” he said and I nodded.

We were gettin’ closer, butgoddamn. By the same token, it was feelin’ like we was paintin’ ourselves into some corners.

CHAPTERTWENTY-SEVEN

Alina…

I was more alive when I got off work than I’d been last night. When I stepped out the front door with Dorian, La Croix was waiting. I smiled. I couldn’t help myself, and I touched Dorian’s arm to let him know we had company.

I’d been able to let him know all about how things had been with La Croix, but he still didn’t like it. He was wary, and I couldn’t blame him, really. I mean, with each passing day, my hope for Maya’s safe return was dwindling. I just didn’t want to admit it out loud. I felt like my waning hope was failing her somehow.

“Hey,” Dorian said when he caught sight of La Croix.

La Croix, to his credit, gave Dorian a nod before reaching his hand out to me.

“Hey, cher,” he said to me and towed me in for a hug.

I was beginning to relish his hugs. They were so warm and tight, and I felt so safe and protected in his arms.

“La Croix, meet Dorian. Dorian, this is La Croix,” I said.

“Been tellin’ stories about me, girl?” La Croix asked, and he didn’t sound entirely happy about it.

“Be glad she did,” Dorian said with a worried smile. “She didn’t, I would be more worried about her than I already am.”

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