Page 40 of The Eleventh Hour

“No!” I snarl.

River bares his teeth. “Then I’m calling Dad and telling him you are falling apart at the seams and you need rescuing.”

“Fuck you, River.”

“That’s illegal. What’s the decision going to be?” He folds his arms over his chest and arches his eyebrow.

With a deep glower, I stand up from the couch and head for the bathroom. I slam the door for good measure. I take the longest possible shower, and then come out dressed in my jeans, a t-shirt, and my leather jacket.

River looks up from leaning on the front door and rolls his eyes. “I thought you might actually be dressing up for me.”

“You wish, princess.”

“Come on, hobo. I’ll shout us to lunch. This place is fucking gross, I think I have lice.”

I let him lead me down to his black sedan. We drive for ten minutes, and then get out. He takes my arm and drags me into a diner, and when I slide into the booth, he slides in next to me like he’s actively stopping me from running. I turn to him with a probing glare.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

River grins that cocky smile. That means he’s been up to something I’m not going to like.

That’s when they come in.

I glare at them, and then transfer my glare to the table.

“River, what the fuck?” I say under my breath.

“You need a job. They are going to pay you to do research. Take it.”

“You don’t know what you’re messing with,” I hiss.

“Money is money, Jax.”

I whirl on him. “Money is never just money. It matters where it came from and where it goes. It matters what you have to do to get it. Don’t be so childish.”

River’s eyes are wide. “It’s a research job, isn’t it?”

I sit back. Guilt gnawing at me. “Yes, but it’s beside the point. It’s my life and my decisions to make,” I snap.

His cocky grin returns just as Rafael slides into the booth.

“Miss Shade, I’m so glad you’ve reconsidered working with us.”

I close my eyes for a moment to block out Rafe’s earnest eyes. The damn guy would give a puppy a run for his money.

I flick a look at Dane, but he just looks bored. There are lines around his mouth as if he’s holding his lips pressed flat firmly.

“Yes. It was taken out of my hands,” I say sharply, looking again at River. He simply lifts an arm and puts it on the booth behind me and winks.

I jab him hard in the ribs.

“You two are close,” Dane comments.

I carefully avoid looking at River.

“We are close. She’s my best girlfriend.” River snorts a laugh.

I watch the confused look Dane casts Rafael and feel a little spark of vindictive pleasure. I lean into Rivers’ side and snuggle up to him.