“Okay, Ash Cutter. I’m done with the games. Give me details or get out.”
“Will you help me?” He looked slightly panicked.
“I can’t see why I should. You’ve done nothing but play games and waste my time. I should charge you for the last ten minutes.” She was tired, getting a headache. He might be good looking, but he was woefully unprepared.
“You want me to pay? Fine, here.” He stood and dug into his pocket. Pulling out a handful of credit chips, he tossed them on the desk, where they clattered and bounced.
One, two, three, four... A dozen credit chips of various sizes lay before her. “You just wander around with a pocket full of credits?”
Not what she expected from a run-of-the-mill corporate drone. Damn him for getting interesting again.
“Yeah. Don’t you?” he challenged.
Taryn smirked. Of course she did, but she ran a bar in Seattle’s seedy underbelly. She wasn’t beholden to a company like most people were. She didn’t casually swipe her company-issued card to buy things.
She swept the credits up with one hand and dropped them in a drawer. “That should cover our conversation tonight.”
It didn’t matter how much they were worth. She didn’t need his money. She’d take it—she wasn’t crazy. The chips could be blank, but he had to know that was a bad idea. She’d never help him rescue his sister if they were worthless.
“So, you’ll help?”
He was persistent. “Oh no. I haven’t agreed yet. You’ve bought yourself another meeting.” She smiled across the desk at him. The one that had made men in his position cry. He stood his ground. “Set something up at the bar on your way out. They’ll let me know. Daryl will show you out.”
“I need an answer now,” he insisted.
Taryn stood and looked at him with a mix of pity and exasperation. “Think very carefully about what you just said. You won’t like my answer if you insist on having it tonight.”
Her office door opened and he didn’t have time to respond before Daryl stepped in. Her guard looked at Ash and sneered.
Ash braced his hands on the desk and leaned over it. Taryn watched him, curious if he would threaten or beg. Despite her initial read, he was just like everyone else.
“I will convince you to help me. I’ll do whatever it takes to get my sister out of Tremaine’s hands.”
“I’ll give you another chance to convince me, Ash,” she drawled his name, enjoying the way it rolled off her tongue, “but you’d best be much better prepared.”
Very few people understood that this truly was a business. She may not run it exactly the way the previous Jack had, but she did run it just as carefully. Sob stories didn’t move her. Cold hard cash did. Stories didn’t protect her or the women she rescued. Money did.
She watched him, saw him struggle not to respond. Ash didn’t move for a long second, long enough that Daryl looked at her, a question in his eyes. She waved him off.
“Fine. I’ll see you later.” Ash turned and left the room.
Taryn admired the view until Daryl closed the door behind both of them.
Ash Cutter was interesting enough to earn another meeting. It didn’t hurt that he was hot. Too bad neither were reason enough to help him. She had her hands full as it was.
Chapter7
That could have gone better.Ash wanted to punch something, anything, but mostly himself. He’d ruined his shot because he’d been too fucking gobsmacked that the hot bartender was the Jack. When had that happened?
He followed his escort back to the bar area. The pretty redhead with the pale skin was still behind the bar, wiping down the bar top and watching the patrons. She’d been there most of the night while he waited—others had helped out, but she seemed to be in charge. The Jack had told him to set the next meeting up at the bar. Ash needed that second appointment. Needed the chance to convince her to help him. He slid onto the same barstool he’d had earlier.
“Whiskey, no water?” the redhead asked.
“Yeah. Same tab too.” All his credits were in the Jack’s desk drawer. The one he’d left to cover his tab should have plenty left.
“Get what you needed?” She slid his drink in front of him.
“Not even close,” he said and laughed cynically. He sipped the whiskey, enjoying the way the alcohol burned on the way down. “The Jack said you could get me in to see her again.”
