Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 70320 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 352(@200wpm)___ 281(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70320 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 352(@200wpm)___ 281(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
“I have to admit, I’m impressed,” Peter says. “Now I see why Le Milieu values you.”
“They value results. That is all they value.” Reina glances at me with an unreadable expression. “Our mother got results.”
I don’t know what to say to that.
We keep going, down well-lit halls, and encounter only a few people. Nobody stops us. Nobody seems particularly surprised to see three ragged folks walking fast through the halls. Reina exudes a calm, confident competence that turns people away like a barrier. We take another stairwell, this time down, and end up in a ground floor atrium. She cuts across, down a side hall, and pauses beside an emergency exit.
She pushes the door open and we step outside.
We’re at the far side of the structure. There’s a crossing up ahead, and beyond that is a tangled warren of neighborhoods. Reina walks toward it quickly, keeping her head down. We follow at a slight distance. Peter’s hand slips into mine and when I look up at him, he winks.
“Camouflage. Now we’re just a nice young couple out for a walk.”
I grin at him and tighten my grip in his hand.
We reach the buildings. Reina takes us deeper and deeper into the city until finally, once we’re in a dense and crumbling section that looks like it hasn’t been rebuilt in at least fifty years, she leads us into a residential building and to a second-floor apartment.
It’s cluttered with books and ashtrays and smells like smoke, but there’s an extra bed, a big couch, and food in the kitchen.
“Welcome home,” Reina says as she kicks off her shoes and sits at the kitchen table to smoke. “You can stay a night and no more. I’ll have to burn this place when you go.” She sighs and looks out the window. “What a shame. I liked it here.”
In the extra bedroom, I give Peter the pilot’s business card. He slips it into his pocket and kisses my cheek. “I think your sister is starting to like you.”
“It’s hard not to.”
“Let’s get in touch with that pilot and figure out where we’re going next before she kicks us out.”
Chapter 17
Peter
Adrienne throws my training gloves in my face and stands with her hands on her hips, fists already wrapped, wearing tight shorts and a sports bra. “Come on. I want to beat the crap out of someone and you’re all I’ve got.”
I try not to smile as I pick the gloves up off the ground. “We almost got killed yesterday and now you want to train? Maybe you should take it easy.”
“Sounds like you’re afraid to get your ass kicked by a girl.”
I laugh softly and let my gaze roam over her body. God, she’s beautiful, toned and strong and yet still soft in all the right places. I want to take her back into the extra bedroom and pin her down against the sheets and kiss her until she screams, but instead she’d rather try to punch me in the face.
Not that I can blame her.
She’s in this shit because of me.
And it helps that I like when she tries to hurt me.
“Do you think your sister would approve of us fighting in her building’s courtyard?”
“I doubt Reina cares about what her neighbors think.” She leans against the kitchen counter. “Speaking of which, where is she?”
I shrug and glance at the door. “Left early and hasn’t been back. Maybe she’s out getting us bagels.”
“Yeah, right, she’s going to return with full-on breakfast sandwiches and coffee. Then we’ll cuddle on the couch and watch The Goonies on TV all afternoon.” She sighs looks longingly at the ratty couch. I note that there is no TV in the apartment at all. So exceedingly French.
“Seriously, agapi mou. We need to rest and make plans.”
“No, you need to make plans. I need to take my frustration out on someone.” She jabs a finger at me. “You woke this up in me, remember? You got me all into fighting and stuff. This is your fault.”
“Okay, that’s true.”
“Face the consequences of your actions, take some responsibility, and let me punch you in the face.”
I laugh and want to keep arguing. There are a dozen reasons why we shouldn’t do any training today, chief among them the fact that we’re wanted by my father and a major crime lord’s mafia family, and there’s always the slim-but-there chance they might spot us outside. It’s a small risk, but still, risk isn’t worth taking right now when the downsides are so steep.
But I can’t say no to her. I’ve done horrible things in my life, hurt people, stolen from people, burned down buildings and killed without remorse—and saying no to this girl feels like the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.
When did this happen? When did Adrienne go from a burden to something more?