Page 2 of Hard Asset

“You’ve got the wrong guy. Look, I’m busy here.” His eyes darted to the blonde, who nervously played with her hair. Evan wondered why the girl bothered staying, if she was entertaining the casting couch.

“Yeah, yeah. No worries. Have fun.” Evan held up his glass and nodded, turning away. He gave a closed smile as he took a step toward the balcony railing. In his peripheral vision, he watched as the man gulped his drink. Evan eyed the guarded hallway and silently counted the seconds. Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. Five. Four. Three. Two. One.

The high-pitched scream echoed, drawing the attention of those guests on the second-floor landing. As guards and partygoers swarmed around the fallen body, Evan slipped away unnoticed. Quickly making his way down the hall to a side stairway, he bounded upward to investigate.

Evan remained in the shadows, traversing the hallway with stealthy precision as he attempted to avoid the detection of the overhead dome security cameras. All eyes would be on the victim, attempting to wake him. Vital signs would register normal. Evan expected guards would relocate the guest to a private location while they tried to wake him. They’d hesitate to call the police or paramedics, reluctant to disrupt the event. In exactly nine minutes, he’d wake and they’d send the drunken guest home in a cab.

Evan drew closer to the third floor, and the faint whispers of an argument grew louder. As he approached the door, he recognized the female and stopped cold, listening.

“I thought you said you’d be able to help us get the data,” the unfamiliar male voice growled.

“I told you that I worked there. I’ll get you what you want, but it comes at a price,” the female responded.

“Five million cash. It’s what we’re willing to pay. This is not news. Take it or leave it.”

“And I told you, I don’t just want money. I want names,” she replied.

“Names?” he laughed. “Are you fucking kidding? These people are everyone and no one. Names will get you killed as soon as you blink.”

“Names are part of the price,” she demanded.

“You’ve got a death wish, lady. My contacts…there’s no fucking way they want this shared with the likes of you. And now that Mr. Marretta and I have approached them, arranged for this exchange, we’re all at risk. You’re going to get us all killed.”

“I don’t give a shit what you think. Names are and have always been part of the deal.”

“What kind of shit are you into? Blackmail?”

“I’m a collector of sorts. But for the sake of your boss, let’s call it protection should any of these folks decide to come after me. If everyone plays nice, we have no issues. The clients get what they want. I disappear quietly. Everyone’s happy. The terms of this deal are non-negotiable.” She sighed, shook her head in disgust, and took off toward the door. “Look, if you can’t make this happen, I’m out of here. I want to speak with Mr. Marretta. I tire of dealing with the B team.”

Evan held his breath as the sound of her heels clicking grew louder. He glanced to his watch. Seven minutes.

“Where the fuck do you think you’re going?” the male demanded.

“Get your fucking hand off of me right now, or neither you nor Mr. Marretta will ever see me again,” she promised, her voice terse.

“I’m going to tell you what’s going to happen right now. There’s a party going on downstairs.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m going to teach you a lesson in how Dom negotiates. How I negotiate.”

“I’m warning you right now,” she told him, her voice firm but calm, “get your fucking hands off me or you’ll regret it.”

“You know what I want to know? Why did Dom let you into our circle? Why does he trust you anyway? You’re a dumb bitch who just wasted our time. We already arranged this deal and now you’re fucking around. I’ve got news for you. My time is expensive. And this pussy right here is payment for my wasted time. I’m going to split you open, little girl. Give you something to remember me by and then you’re going to get the data for me. You’ll be thanking me when I’m done.”

“Do it,” she challenged with a laugh.

Evan’s heartbeat sped up at her words. What the ever-loving fuck was she doing?

“Here’s a bit of advice. Scream all you want. No one’s going to hear you. I promise only to bruise you where they can’t see. This time.”

“Yeah, that’s not gonna happen, asshole. How ’bout you scream for me?”

Evan heard the sound of flesh meeting flesh and tore into the room. Blood gushed from the large thug’s nose as the female broke free of his hold and smacked him across the face with a glass statue. Her attacker rushed forward, shoving her into the wall, and without missing a beat she kneed him in the balls, driving him to the ground.

“Your mama didn’t teach you any manners, did she?” she seethed, fire in her eyes.

“You’re both dead,” the male grunted, catching sight of Evan.