“But why? Why do you care?”
“Because you didn’t even bother to fucking ask me, Nicolas! What would you think if I decided to open an account in your name with a million dollars in it, huh?”
Dumbstruck, I was dying to know what he’d say. But just then the strapping man seemed to notice I was staring at them. He took his eyes off his wife just long enough to give me a nasty look before turning back to her.
“Could you keep your voice down, please? Are you trying to get robbed?”
I stuck my nose back in my book, pretending like I couldn’t hear a thing…
“If somebody comes along and steals that indulgent sum of money from the account you set up in my name, all the better!”
“Oh, God,” he said, picking his son up in his arms and pulling the woman toward him. “That money is yours, whether you like it or not, my love. Don’t waste your time arguing with me about it.” Just when she was about to fire something back, he planted a kiss on her lips.
I watched them out of the corner of my eye. You didn’t have to be a genius to see there was something real there. That’s how it could be with Kam and me. Maybe I’d never be able to open her an account with a million dollars in it, but I knew I could get under her skin like that, and a thousand other ways too.
“Don’t think one kiss is enough to get you out of the doghouse, mister,” the woman said.
“Yeah, mister,” the kid said. He was clearly enjoying all this.
“I’ve got to go see Cortez now. But I promise tonight I’ll make it up to you—you’ll forgive me for giving you a million dollars.”
Noah crossed her arms, and a smile appeared on her gorgeous lips. “You’re unbelievable.”
“You love me, though, don’t you?” the guy said. I didn’t get to hear her response because he’d started kissing her again. I couldn’t take it anymore, so I got up and left. It wasn’t long before I’d need to catch a train back to Brooklyn, so I decided to grab a bite at a sandwich joint and think over what I was going to say to the girl before she literally sent me packing.
I got to Williamsburg twenty minutes before school let out, and I leaned against the building across the street, watching people come and go. When the bell rang and school ended, I had to lookat the photo of Amelia a few times to make sure I’d recognize her as she walked out.
Eventually a thin girl with light-brown hair came out wearing the school uniform. She was chatting and laughing with a group of friends. I knew it was going to be weird if some random man stopped them to talk, so I tried to be as polite as possible, walking up to them in the middle of the street. Amelia had a girl on either side of her, all wearing the same pleated green and navy-blue skirt with matching shirt and jacket.
“Excuse me,” I said to them. “I’m sorry to interrupt.” I tried to smile in a friendly way.
“Can we help you?” Amelia asked as the three of them looked back and forth at each other.Fuck. I didn’t expect such a nice response and such a quick one.
One of her friends whispered something to the other one, and they both blushed. Did they think I was cute or something? Well, that could actually work in my favor.
“Yeah, I was actually looking for you,” I said, pointing at Amelia. She was a typical pretty girl: long straight hair, full lips, and striking green eyes. She was gorgeous…and she knew it. Actually, she reminded me of Kam.
“Me?” she asked, seeming flattered.
“Yeah. It’s about something… Look, I know this is weird, but could I possibly buy you a coffee?”
She hesitated, and one of her friends nudged her with her elbow, trying to be sly about it. I saw it, but I pretended I hadn’t.
“I don’t even know you,” she said. At least now I knew she wasn’t dumb enough to go off with some stranger.
“Just a coffee. At that Starbucks right over there. I’ll buy,” I added using my most seductive smile.
Amelia thought it over a few seconds and then agreed. “Fine,” she said, and turned to her friends. “I’ll see you later. If I don’t textyou in the next two hours, call the police.” She was joking, I knew, but that still put me on edge.
When her friends left, turning back repeatedly to stare at us, I gestured for Amelia to follow me. Inside, she ordered a mocha, and I told her to have a seat. I ordered the same, and five minutes later I was sitting across from her, each of us with our own paper cup.
“So, for starters, my name’s Thiago Di Bianco. Sorry I didn’t mention that before. I flew up from Carsville to talk to you. I need to know anything you can tell me about Jules Murphy. Anything.”
Amelia was just about to take a sip, but she froze. Panic appeared in her green eyes. And I knew I’d been right to make the trip.
Julian Murphy was dangerous.
And I was about to find out why.
