Page 57 of Merciless Heir
The woman who answers the door is beautiful, snotty, and probably knows how to kill with one hand. I just smile.
“Tell Duante the Raven is here.”
Her attitude doesn’t change, but she gestures for me to come in and I’m led down through a beautiful wide hall to a waiting room. It was probably a parlor back in the day, but as lovingly restored as it is, the room is clearly designated for people to wait in.
It doesn’t take long for Duante to appear.
The man is short and trim and only his eyes with their hungry, greedy gaze gives him away for the kind of lowlife he is. “Little Sadie.”
“Let’s cut through the bullshit.” I don’t smile. “I know you’re after the Sinclair tiara.”
Excitement lights his gaze. “I’m listening.”
My heart sinks at the eagerness in his words. He doesn’t have it. That’s what his little party is about, trying to get whoever took it to sell it to him. Shit.
I keep my shell of calm. “I’m looking for it, too.”
“Any leads? To own an actual Sinclair…” He doesn’t finish, just clasps his hands.
It would be so much easier for me if he had it. But of course, that’s not how life works.
“I’m here to make you a deal.”
“Still listening,” Duante says to me, eyeing me with a hard look. “What are you after?”
“Anything you hear, pass along to me. Leave the actual Sinclair family alone, and…” I take a breath, and I smile. “And when I find it, it’s yours. For a finder’s fee.”
“Deal,” he says.
Chapter Fifteen
Kingston
The speed with which Sadie hightailed it out of my place yesterday means she’s up to something. What is anyone’s guess, but I’m not about to have her use her tricky little ways and freeze me out of anything. She works for me, not the other way around. The event is tomorrow night and I’m going.
I don’t give a shit what she says.
Actually, I’m insulted she thinks I can’t take care of myself. Or her.
Fuck, I’d told her I wanted to keep her safe and—
Did I?
Something happening to her isn’t on my agenda. Not at all. But I’d said it like I’d meant it, like I cared and… I don’t trust her.
Right? That’s the real reason I said all that.
I’m also the fucking tooth fairy. Wanting her safe and not trusting her don’t have to cancel each other out. Everything about her says don’t trust, just by nature of what she did for a living, who her father is, but…
She’s smart and fun and tough as nails. Things which don’t mean she can’t get hurt.
I’m at my home office, working on some things, when my phone rings. I’m expecting mother to call me back so I just hit answer.
“And here I thought you’d have someone to answer your phone.”
I smile at the richness of Sadie’s voice. “And here I thought only dinosaurs made calls.”
“Just call me your friendly velociraptor.”