Page 17 of Greed
What was it she said about that movie?
What makes someone worthy of love?
Just before his palm hit the precinct door, she added: “I wouldn’t touch him now with a ten-foot pole. So, no. It wasn’t true love.”
Chapter Seven
To get inside the busy precinct, Lilo dodged a toothless hobo and squeezed past a woman wearing a purple sequin mini dress who stank like alcohol and things she didn’t want to consider. It seemed the police station was the place to be on a Monday morning. Lilo resisted taking hold of Griffin to avoid losing him in the buzzing crowd, especially since she’d made a big deal of being able to protect herself.
The reception desk was behind a wall at the far end of the lobby. Next to a simple red door, the desk was a hole in the wall where two male police officers processed reports behind a metal grate for protection. Between Lilo and that desk were hordes of people. Criminals in handcuffs lined wooden benches against the walls of the lobby, waiting to be processed. People stood before the reception, eager to complain or report a crime.
A body jostled into Lilo and she went careening into Griffin. He threw out a big hand to steady her and looked over her head to the offender—a small, wiry teenage boy wearing gang colors and a bandanna on his head. The teenager must have seen something in Griffin’s eyes because he lifted his hands in surrender and backed away.
Still with his hand on her shoulder, Griffin directed Lilo to the side in a clear space. To the right, a woman in torn fishnet stockings, and to the left, an old man clutching his cane like a lifeline.
Griffin pulled out his phone and made a call. Two-seconds later, he spoke in a gruff tone laced with impatience. “We’re here. Where are you?”
From the look of his jaw ticking and lips flattening, he wasn’t happy with the response, but shortly after put his phone away. “She’s on her way.”
“Oh. Great.” Lilo pulled out her press ID and pinned it to her denim jacket lapel. “So, normally, if I didn’t have a connection like you with ties to one of the detectives, I’d stick this on and—what? Why are you looking at me like that?”
Griffin’s head cocked. “Why are you telling me all this?”
“Because you’re here to assess my process, right?”
Recognition dawned on his features. “Right.”
“Little brother!” A feminine voice boomed across the din of the room, forcing them to break eye contact and search for the source.
Jaws dropped open in the room. Men drooled, women sighed with envy. Standing at the open red door to the back of the station was a tall brunette who looked like she ate men for breakfast. In fact, Lilo had seen her in action in the field two months ago when the white-robed terrorists attacked in the street. Lilo had tried to interview her, but she’d been too busy recovering from punching a crazy man’s lights out.
This intimidating and stunning Amazonian woman must be Griffin’s sister. Same wide lips, same thick lashes. She wore little makeup. No nail polish. Black army grade boots. Her long wavy hair was tied at her nape. A black gun strapped under her arm contrasted nicely against her white punk-rock T-shirt rolled to the shoulders. Impressive arms. Strong, but still feminine. The woman put her hands on her hips, jutting her curves to the side. Even from this angle, Lilo could tell she had a great butt curving under her dark jeans. The kind that powered strong legs, and if left unchecked, would expand relentlessly from excessive sweet cakes. It was obvious the woman kept herself in tip-top physical shape. Probably never seen the inside of a donut. Or outside for that matter.
Maybe Lilo should start bringing in healthy baked goods instead of donuts.
Griffin placed his palm at the small of Lilo’s back and nudged her through the crowd to the woman everyone gawped at. Or maybe they gawped at Griffin. He was taller and just as impressive.
“Liza,” he grunted, in way of greeting.
“That all you got?” Liza grinned and ruffled her brother’s carefully styled hair, making him wince. “You’re such a tight-ass.” Then she turned to Lilo. “Did he tell you that? How much of a tight-ass he is? Never gives up anything. Never takes anything either. So boring.”
A giggle tried to burst free from Lilo. His ass was tight, all right. Sexy. Perfect. She just wasn’t sure she should say that in front of his sister. Instead something stupid came out. “Your ass is pretty tight, too.”
Both Griffin and Liza stared at Lilo until she felt the heat drain from her face. “Um… That is… Nice. Rounded. Firm. It’s supposed to be a compliment.” Oh God she wanted to shrink. “That’s what you mean by tight, right?”
Liza burst into a loud laugh. “Thanks, babe,” she said, wiping the tears from her glistening eyes. “But I’m not into chicks. At the moment, anyway.”
“Oh, neither am I. I just thought you had a nice butt. Um. His butt is great too, if that makes you feel better. Oh, God, I can’t stop.” Lilo slapped her hands over her mouth.
Griffin’s mouth twitched and Lilo almost believed she’d see his first smile, but he held back, brooding expression holding firm.
“She’s got no tap on her mouth apparently,” Griffin explained to Liza.
Her embarrassment doubled, but he was right. To confirm, Lilo nodded, hand still covering her mouth.
“Fucking excellent. I’m the same,” Liza said, appraising Lilo then back to Griffin with a jab on his arm. “I like her. She can stay.”
Lilo expelled a breath of relief and dropped her hands from her mouth. The last thing she needed was to be blocked from speaking with her cousin.
