“He isn’t planning to fight, he’s planning something more underhanded,” Sera warned.
Miles paused briefly speaking. “So. You want me to tell Wraith that his top dealer is gunning for his position.”
“Exactly, no need to mention us at all. I…” Sera took a deep breath. “I just want Cole gone.”
“Lady, if you’re telling the truth, Cole will be thefinalsort of gone, if you get me.”
“How Wraith deals with the problem doesn’t concern me,” she said, her tone frigid. As she had said it, she realized she meant it. Let Wraith tear Cole apart.
Miles scratched at his neck. “Okay, I hear you. And I sympathize, I do, but let’s say you’re selling a story so you can take out Cole without getting your hands dirty. While I wouldn’t be filing any complaints if Cole—” Miles drew a line across his throat with a finger, “I’ll be the one delivering the false info. If itgets out that Cole was on the level, it would be bad for my own interests.”
“Do you require more funds?” Kieran said, drawing Mr. Harrow’s attention.
“Is that an option, moneybags?” he asked, earnestly hopeful. “Cause cards on the table, that would be great.”
“I simply want this resolved. Hawthorne is a threat to people I’ve elected to protect. As soon as that threat ends, so does my obligation,” Kieran said.
“Heartwarming, truly. So, you’re really as cold as they say, huh?” Miles asked, though his tone remained jovial in a way that Sera wondered if he took any of this seriously.
“He’s not heartless—” Sera interjected, then she stopped herself and swallowed her next words. All eyes snapped to her and she carefully avoided meeting any. “Regardless, this is a serious matter, Mr. Harrow, will you help or not?”
“Oh, I fully grasp the severity of this whole thing, lady. We’re not just playing with fire, here, but a whole fucking inferno on top of a powder keg.” He set his hands on his hips, his face shifting with unspoken thoughts. “I don’t object on moral grounds, but more like I don’t want this to bite me in the ass."
“Would seven thousand assuage your concerns?” Sera glared and Kieran added drolly, “Provided Mr. Blair is willing, of course.” She was not backing down on taking Kieran’s money. She’d taken enough already.
“Let’s not give him ideas,” Gideon murmured, and guilt needled into Sera’s gut. She had no funds, no means of getting herself out of this. The opportunist inside her, who kept her safe by conniving the charity of others, would normally have slept soundly having survived another day.
The charity of these two particular men, however, did not go down so easily.
“I can do seven,” Gideon continued, but with more of a grumble in his tone, “if it gets this over with.”
Miles’s cheeks puffed out as he slowly released a breath. “It helps, yeah. Then with the 13% taxes and a 25% tip, cause you seem the sort to appreciate a job well done—”
“And you seem the sort who doesn’t pay taxes,” Gideon countered.
“When I’m in the Captain of the Watchmen’s living room I most certainly do. Now, that’s… fifteen percent on seven thousand…” Miles held up his fingers.
“Oh for Divine’s sake, it’s nine-thousand eight hundred and eight-seven. Now can we please just move this along?”
Sera sensed Kieran next to her, the scent of pine and fresh air feathered into her lungs and wormed into her chest. She’d been drifting closer throughout the conversation, almost magnetically, and it was clear from the abrupt turn of his head that he sensed her as well. And he was not pleased about it. He retreated again, but Sera was dimly aware that she had not crossed the entire room on her own. She had not been the only one adrift with their thoughts.
She rubbed her arms like a sudden chill had just come over her.
His profile against the sunset streaming from the window was striking, holding her attention much longer than intended. She forgot where she was for half a heartbeat, until Miles’s jovial baritone called her back to the present.
“Holy shit, did you do that in your head?” Miles said with a chuckle.
“It’s a thing she does, but trust me, she’s right. She’s always right,” Gideon responded.
Miles stared hard at Sera for a moment, rubbing along his jaw before finally saying, “Hell. I can get the information to Wraith for,” he set his jaw as he continued, “For the original five.” Thelast part had been a grumbled whisper, like he had argued with himself and lost.
“Done,” Gideon boomed, his frown gone and his grin returning.
Miles rubbed his hands together. “That’s gonna have to be an advance, by the way.”
“Of course it is. Give me a second.” Gideon started to walk, but then stopped. “Hold on, how do I know you won’t just take the money and run?”
Miles shrugged dramatically, with his entire upper body. “Guess you don’t. But,” his gaze moved to Sera and all his good-humor disappeared, “I do give my word to get your message to Wraith. I can’t promise anything will come of it. Cole’s good for business and, whatever I think about him, he’s owed a certain measure of loyalty. It’s ultimately Teddy’s decision.”
