“I… yeah, of course.” Andrew felt a little guilty for the wave of heat that pulsed down into his belly since this was about Dalton, not sex, but Ford’s proximity and intensity did things to him nothing else ever had.
Not even Olivia.
They were similar creatures, but Ford had never lied about what he was.
“Does this mean I get the first brownie?”
Ford’s hard demeanor cracked, and he turned to fish out a brownie with a fork, lifting it from the pan, looking rich and gooey enough that Andrew’s mouth salivated—only to take a large bite, swallowing half the brownie himself.
“No,” he said with a wicked flash of his tongue across his lips, “but I’ll let you have the second one.”
Just when Andrew was about to whine like a five-year-old, Ford popped the rest of the brownie into Andrew’s mouth.
It was the best damn thing he’d ever tasted.
Chapter 10
ISAAC
“Youdidn’tsayWattswas coming.” Andrew frowned as he appeared from around the corner where Isaac had told him to meet.
Barker Street, the alley between the cleaners and the deli—both of which were fronts for money laundering, but then, most of this area was a hotbed of criminal activity.
“Oh, honey.” Kathleen batted her eyes, sizing Andrew up just like Luke had but with a more amused smirk. “I’m your way in. Where we’re going has layers of checkpoints, and the only way an ex-cop and asnitchare stepping even one foot inside this place is with the proper front woman.” She fluffed her long red hair over her shoulder.
Kathleen contrasted their black attire by wearing a brilliant royal blue dress and khaki-colored trench coat, like a dame right out of a classic 40s film. Isaac wanted him and Andrew to blend in behind her, like hired muscle.
Although, when Isaac wore all black, he looked refined and intimidating. Andrew looked like a boy playing dress-up, having donned the same black outfit from last night that he thought made him look like a badass criminal.
“You also didn’t say we’d be doing anything illegal,” Andrew hissed, as they continued down the alley toward an unmarked and generally unimpressive door.
“And we’re not,” Isaac said. “We’re simply going to have a conversation. Is that illegal?”
“Who are these people?”
“Person. And do you really want to know?”
Andrew’s frown deepened, far too muchdetectiveflickering across his features.
“You’re here because you were a cop and your brother still is one. The Wen name carries. Your father had plenty of collars in his day too.”
“I’m here as protection so no one tries anything if they have it in for you,” Andrew surmised.
“Only if someone makes a move,” Kathleen said, raising a well-manicured hand to knock. “Until then, you’re no one.”
She tapped out a gentle rhythm, and within seconds, a thin window in the door slid open to reveal a pair of fierce eyes bending from a towering height.
“Watts? Get in here, gorgeous. Where ya been?”
Andrew snorted as the door wrenched open, but Isaac merely shrugged. He’d hired her for a reason.
She did an admirable job, too, chatting up the bouncer and taking up most of the doorway so he wouldn’t pay them muchmind, but he still did his job and cast Isaac and Andrew a quick glance.
“That Ford? I don’t know, Katy…”
“We’re seeing Willow, darling. And this is me. You know we’ll behave.”
The bouncer didn’t look convinced. “Who’s the nark?” he shot at Andrew.
