Page 176 of Hidden Ties

“How’d you manage to get here so quickly?”

“I caught a ride with a friend. Who owns a jet.”

“Friend or lover?”

“Friend, so far.”

Creed looked skyward. The light drizzle had stopped.

“Jackal hasn’t found any additional information since I talked to you. What I need from you is for you to watch Sage until I find out who Victoria Ashwood hired.”

“I’ll save yourself the trouble.” Daria flicked a small insect from her arm. “He went by the name of Mirage. His real name was Rodney Weaver.”

“Was?”

“I caught him installing fire detectors on her floor.”

“Fuck, I told you I wanted him alive!”

Daria gave a careless shrug. “He thought he could take me. I couldn’t let him think he could. I have my pride.”

“Did you ask him his blood type?”

“He didn’t know.”

“You could have waited for me.”

“Don’t. Sulking doesn’t become you.”

“I’m not sulking; I’m angry at you.”

“Does it make it better that the Ashwood bitch has already contacted me to take over for Mirage?”

Smiling, he hooked an arm around her shoulders. “How’d you manage that?”

“I texted her from Mirage’s phone; told her he quit and gave her my number.”

Creed stared at her in disbelief. “You’re joking?”

“No.”

“Noobs.”

“Everyone thinks they can be an assassin in real life, yet few live to make the big bucks.”

“What did you tell her?”

“I told her I’d think it over and get back to her tomorrow, but that I don’t come cheap.”

“No, you don’t.” He chuckled. “How much you ask for?”

“One hundred K.”

His eyebrows rose in surprise. “Why’d you give her a discount?”

“I didn’t want her shopping around.” Tossing her long black hair over her shoulder, Daria adjusted the clip that held her hair back. “Does that give you enough time to deal with Victoria? Or do you want to pay for my services to get rid of her permanently? I’ll give you a discount, since you’re going to have to pay me for taking care of Mirage for you.”

“I’ll pay your protection fee, but I’m not paying you for killing Mirage. I wanted the fucker alive,” he argued. “Jackal would have taken him alive.”

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