Sal looked around the store skeptically and then lowered his voice. “He also added these to theorder.”
Sal slid across a black duffel bag and Nox retrieved it, opening the zipper only a few inches. I leaned forward on my toes and tried not to squeal.Holy shit.Striker 9000 phaser guns. Their laser beams could burn off the arm or head of a ghoul in ten seconds. They were active military only and super expensive. My monthly salary couldn’t get one of these. Damien couldn’t even get these from his own factory. The government was very strict with weapons distribution. The poor people like Santiago got the shitty guns like glocks and shotguns, and the rich like us got the good stuff, but the active military got the best. Damien must have gotten these off the black market, something I’d heard Sal dabbledin.
“Marry him,” Ronnie crooned as she stroked the steel shaft of theweapon.
Brisk was watching her fingers lustily. “You’re very good at that, Ronniedear.”
She reached out to smack his collarbone, but he caught her hand in midair. He blew her a kiss and then released herhand.
“They haven’t slept together yet?” Sal pointed to Brisk andRonnie.
A grin transformed my face. “Notyet.”
Ronnie groaned, and that was our cue to leave. My temperamental bestie could go from perfect model citizen to bitchfest in ananosecond.
“The rest of Mr. Striker’s order was delivered to your loft a few minutes ago.” Sal called to us, as we were walking out. “I had the boys put it in thegarage.”
What the flying fuck! The rest of whatstuff?
I just waved to him. I didn’t want to bring him into ourdrama.
I pulled out my cell phone as we walked to our car. Normally I would send a voice command text, but that wasn’t very private, so I went old-school and typed out a message to Damien’scell.
Kit:Stop buying meshit!
I knew what he was doing. He was trying to sway me to come back tomorrownight.
His reply wasimmediate.
Damien:Nope.
Ugh!I threw my phone into my purse and stalked after Nox. Everything about Damien Striker lit my nerves on fire while simultaneously making mepurr.
* * *
Several hours later,Maxine showed up after her date. Her dress was slightly askew, her hair rumpled. Nox was watching her with an emotion I’d never seen before…jealousy.
Interesting.
“Hey, guys!” she said, in a chipper voice. “Holy shit, a drillbot!”
She tossed her black heels onto the floor and ran over to the shiny, brand-new, quarter-million-dollar training robot that Damien had bought me. Meanwhile, I was on my second tequila shot. I wouldn’t get hammered—that could lead to sleep and a whole host of problems—just enough to chill my frayednerves.
“I’m glad you’re here, Maxine. We need to have a meeting before Santiago gets here with the tamales.” The alcohol left a slow burn on its way down my throat to mybelly.
Nox set down a piece of wood he’d been whittling and pulled out a chair, gesturing toward it. “Maxine.”
She gave him her megawatt beauty queen smile and ran her fingers along Nox’s chest. “You’re too good to me,” shepurred.
What she did was harmless, her normal flirting self, but I saw the change in Nox’s face. He was into her, no doubt aboutit.
Now that everyone was gathered around the large kitchen island in my loft, I took a deepbreath.
“Let’s vote once at the beginning and once at the end. First, a gut-feeling vote; do we go back and continue to work for the Strikers, knowing they’re the most dangerous clients we’ve ever had?” I said it all in a nervous rush, and three hands shot up: Ronnie, Brisk, and Maxine. Nox kept his arms crossed and his gazecold.
I nodded to him in understanding. Our instincts said no. Run, flee, don’t goback.
“I’m torn,” I admitted to my team. “On one hand, he might just be on the brink of developing a cuff that could end the Dream Wars for us all. On the other, Damian attracts the freaking sentries. And now, they apparently ride Galadrias, so I don’t know what to think. Ultimately I want us all to live for as long aspossible.”
