People wore dust and exhaustion and a brave little smirk while hiding how close they were to breaking.
I turned back toward the house.
Sienna had stood from the fire and was heading inside with empty glasses in her hands. She moved carefully now. Not drunk, not sloppy, but tired in her bones. The blanket slipped off one shoulder, and she caught it with her elbow without stopping. Her head turned slightly, like she felt me watching from the dark.
I stepped back, staying out of the light.
Pathetic.
I was acting like some prospect mooning over a bar girl.
Gunner’s voice came from behind me. “You ran her info?”
I didn’t look at him. “Plate. Name. Job offer. Nothing flagged yet.”
“Yet.”
“Exactly.”
“Regan know?”
“She knows enough.”
He hummed. “So you pissed off Regan and watched the new girl all night.”
“Useful summary.”
“Busy evening.”
“Keep talking and I’ll make it your last.”
He chuckled.
I headed toward the side patio because I needed to talk to Regan again before she got too comfortable pretending this was fine. I found her near the door, half in the light, half out of it,phone in one hand and murder in her expression before I even opened my mouth.
“Shh,” she snapped. “Don’t talk so loud.”
“I haven’t said anything yet.”
“You were about to. I felt it.”
“Stop upsetting yourself and listen.”
“Stop upsetting me. Can’t you just let me have one night?”
“You don’t know anything about her.”
Regan’s eyes flashed. “I know enough.”
“She’s a risk.”
The words came out harder than I meant them to. Regan’s mouth flattened.
“Oh, please.”
“I mean it. This could be staged. You pick up strays all the time. For all we know, she was planted.”
Regan scoffed. “You think she’s some cartel mole?”
