Page 61 of Midnights
He's barely winded, the bastard.
“Getting soft on me?” He taunts, wiping the blood from his lip.
I shake my head, smiling despite myself. “No, just don’t feel like walking around looking like I got the shit beat out of me.”
Cam chuckles, tossing his towel down. “Unless you think Raven will nurse you back to health?”
My grip tightens around the ropes.That little fucker.
Cam spits out more blood, shaking his head with a grin as he heads toward the fridge. He knows exactly what he’s doing.
I shoot him a glare but can’t hide the smirk tugging at my lips. “You’re really trying to die today, aren’t you?”
Cam raises his water bottle in a toast. “Just keeping you honest, man.”
“Yeah, keep talking,” I mutter, grabbing a towel. I toss my water bottle at him, then drop on the bench, rubbing the towel over my face.
He takes a long swig before saying anything. “So how do you want me to handle the job?” His tone shifts, no more taunting, no more games. Just all business.
I sigh. “What’s the latest?”
He leans against the wall, arms crossed. “Client’s still panicking. They want an update. Says they can add more money if they need to. Looks like they're getting desperate.”
I exhale through my nose. “Still no confirmation?”
He shakes his head. “No body, no proof. But they’re certain something’s off.”
That’s the problem with these types of jobs; there’s never a clear answer until it's too late.
I lean forward, resting my elbow on my knees. “We need more intel before we commit. I’m not walking into this blind.”
Cam nods. “Already on it. We should have something soon.”
I tilt my head, studying him. “And you? What’s your take?”
He drags a hand through his hair, his expression stays unreadable. “Something’s not right. Feels like we’re only getting half the story.”
That’s what I was afraid of.
Silence stretches between us, both of us lost in our own thoughts. Cam and I have been doing this long enough to know when something doesn’t add up. And this smells like a set up.
He exhales, shaking his head as he tips his water over his face. “What are we going to do?” His voice is edged with frustration, but there’s something darker.
I let the question hang between us for a beat while my mind moves ten steps ahead.
“Invite the boys over.” I stand, tossing the towel. “Time to get some answers.”
Chapter 10
Deranged
Raven
“Okay, spill. You’ve got that look. What is it?”
I peek at her from under my arm, playing dumb. “What look?”
Her eyebrows lift and she looks thoroughly unimpressed. “The one that screams, ‘I’m spiraling and overthinking.’”
