“Well aware,” Ash said, letting his frustration with the whole situation color his words.
Mendez stared at him. “Good luck, man,” he said finally and walked away.
If only Ash could do the same.
Chapter37
Taryn leanedover the computer screen. She was finalizing the plan to get Hope out of the Tremaine medical center without raising alarms. The last sticking point had been how to get her from her room to the ambulance, and she’d finally figured that out. She’d called in a series of favors to enact this rescue. Rescuing Ash’s sister was costing favors she didn’t want to spend. But if he upheld his side of the bargain and she was able to stop Giselle’s pimp from showing up here, it would be worth it.
“Another rescue?”
Taryn looked up. Rhonda stood in the doorway.
“Yeah.” She smiled at the other woman, glad she looked less concerned than she had the night Taryn kicked the pimp out.
“Can I help?” She stepped into the room and peered at the desk.
“No, I think I’m good,” Taryn said.
“Seems awfully soon to be planning another one. The new girl, Gazelle, has only been here a couple days.”
“Giselle has been here almost two weeks,” Taryn corrected gently. It was an unusual name, but it wasn’t that hard to pronounce, was it?
Still, Rhonda wasn’t wrong. Taryn usually preferred at least a couple of months between rescues. The time allowed her to identify the woman who needed help and to make a plan that covered any contingency. If only that had been an option with Hope’s rescue.
“It is unusual,” Taryn admitted. “We’ve been asked to find a family member. Someone’s sister.”
“The hacker guy, right? The one you’ve been kissing?”
Taryn’s face flushed. She could kiss whoever she damn well pleased. “Yes.” She bit back a comment about Rhonda’s overstep. While Taryn was friendly with all the girls who stayed here, very few became actual friends. Rhonda wasn’t one of them.
Rhonda sighed. “Why does his sister need to be rescued?”
Taryn’s temper flared, but she held on to it. Rhonda was pushing more than usual. Taryn didn’t like it.
She almost refused to answer. Instead, she offered a tidbit, hoping it would make Rhonda go away. “She’s in a bad spot.”
“But why are we rescuing her? We’ve never done that before.”
Taryn’s jaw clenched, but she held onto her patience. Barely. “Because the Jack provides services to people for money. That’s how this place works.”
Rhonda looked like she wanted to argue further, but Taryn was done. Questions were a good thing, in her opinion, but the questioning? Yeah, not so much. “I need to get back to this, Rhonda. Was there anything you needed?”
Lips pursed, Rhonda glared at Taryn. “I just came by to say hi. You don’t have to be so rude.” She turned and stomped out of the room. She probably would have slammed the door shut, but Dani grabbed it on her way in.
They both watched Rhonda walk away. “You’re right,” Taryn said. “Something’s going on with her.”
“Can I come in?” Dani’s smile was rueful.
Taryn smiled back. “Of course. As long as you promise not to question everything I do.”
“Done.”
There was a bounce in Dani’s step that Taryn hadn’t seen before. “I take it the date went well?”
She beamed, her smile practically blinding Taryn. Dropping into her usual chair, she arranged her skirt daintily around her legs. “I really like him.”
“He seems like a good guy.” She’d only met him briefly, though, and was reserving judgment. Maybe she’d ask Ash to dig into Mason’s background.
