Page 19 of Fury
“Look, Heidi,” I softened my tone, forcing the thumping heat from my brain and my words before I blew any chances completely. “The office here. You’ve no real protection against intruders.”
“We don’t get many.”
“You sure about that?”
She wasn’t. Her teeth raked her lip, just momentarily, and then her mask of control was back.
“I’m an electrician. Let me put you some cameras up. Inside and out. I’ll rig them to an alarm system. We can send any breach alerts straight to your phone and the coppers. You can even watch the cameras from the comfort of your own bed if you want to.”
“So, you want me to pay your company to install cameras and an alarm system?”
“Not pay. I’ll install all of it for free.”
“Why?” She cocked her head to the side slightly, watching me, her hair falling away from her slender neck. A neck I’d love to mark.
“The club can’t afford to pay the usual funeral rates. We only have a limited amount of funds. Dave always helped us out, recognising the good we did for the community.”
It wasn’t an entire lie. We kept businesses safe. For a price. And we raised money for charities, a proportion of our own profits from our home rally going to good causes. It helped our image, kept the police just a little further away.
“And what do you do for the community?”
God, this woman was a challenge.
“We raise money for charities, help where we can. Offer ride outs for disadvantaged kids, that sort of thing.”
“You sound angelic.”
Her tone was icy. Condescending. It boiled my piss and consumed every fucking inch of me. And already the bulge in my jeans was becoming uncomfortable.
“We’re just trying to give our dead president the send-off he deserves. He was well respected in the biker community.” And much more feared. There wasn’t much difference between the two. “If you can help us out with the costs of the funeral. I can install everything you need to keep the office safe. For free.”
Heidi stilled, her face giving nothing away.
“It’s a kind offer,” she said eventually, her tone light, business like.
Fuck. No matter whether she was annoyed, stoic, cool, frightened. Everything about her was driving me mad. She boiled my insides in a way I’d never come across before.
“But I have two offices. And both need proper security.”
I knew where this was headed. And so did she. She’d left the counter offer clear on the table between us. I should say no. Offer to fit out the other office at cost. But something about her was clouding my judgement. Maybe it was the lips, or the hips, or the pert arse I’d watched in those light-grey suit pants as I’d followed her into the office. Or those enchanting blue eyes. Fuck. She had me over a barrel, with my pants round my fucking ankles, and she knew it.
“Ok. If I’ll kit out both offices. For free. If you agree to keep the Northern Kings on a discounted rate for all our funeral needs.”
“Hmmm,” the noise in her throat was even delicious. “You seem to use our services a lot. You expecting more deaths?”
Her eyes pierced mine, holding me. I should be wary of what she was saying. Her words loaded. But all I could concentrate on was that face, with the high cheekbones and those pink lips.
“We do use your services. We’re very loyal customers. And yes, there will always be more. It goes with the territory. An aging population of members and some not so great habits.”
“So, you’ll do the entire two offices for free? Cameras, alarm system, link to the police and remote access?”
“Yes. For 50% off funeral costs.”
“25%”
Fuck me sideways. This woman was a better wheeler dealer than Magnet.
“Nah 50%. This shit should cost you a couple of grand.”