Page 3 of Hard Asset

“We all gotta go sometime. But not today.” Evan shrugged with a smile and landed a fist on his jaw. A loud thud sounded as the woman’s assailant fell unconscious to the floor.

“Evan,” the female whispered, her eyes wide on his.

“Raine.”

“I’ve got this,” she insisted. “You’ve got to go.”

“Like hell you do. You’re going to get us both killed. What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

Raine rolled her eyes and tugged down her white spandex dress. She reached for a matching pump that had fallen off her foot, slipped it on, and glanced around the room. “My purse.”

“Forget your goddamned purse.” Evan checked his watch. Two minutes.

“I’ve got it,” Raine responded, lifting it up off the floor.

“We’ve got to go now.”

“Fine,” she agreed, reluctance in her tone. “Come on. We can get out the back.”

“Jesus, Raine. Just how the hell do you know this place so well?” Evan asked. He slid the backs of his knuckles across the emerald sofa, depositing a smear of blood onto its fabric, and poked his head around the doorjamb to check for guards. “It’s clear but not for long. My car’s parked a block away. Let’s go.”

“To the left,” she instructed.

“Yeah, I’ve got it.” It would only be a matter of seconds before someone saw the video of him in the room upstairs. Evan led them into the shadows toward a staircase farther down the hallway. “Goes to the kitchen, yes?”

“The caterers are in there but we should be able to slip out the alleyway. They’ll be looking for us though. We are so fucked,” she gritted out as they bounded down the flight of stairs.

As they reached the kitchen, Evan blocked her from going farther.

“What the hell are you doing?” she whispered.

“Hold up.” He peeked into the room. Several cooks and waiters buzzed around the area, all focused on their work. Evan’s eyes met Raine’s. “Out the back door and to my car. Follow me. If they come for me, run as far as you can get on foot. I will come for you.”

“I don’t need saving.”

“Sweetheart…” He gave a small smile, recalling how she’d handled the guy upstairs. “After what I saw tonight, I’m tempted to agree, but you and I are as good as dead if we don’t make ourselves scarce. Now.”

Evan took her hand in his, shoving away the electricity that tingled in his palm. Tonight they’d have it out, and one way or another he’d find out what kind of shit she was into. For months he’d wanted to fuck his lovely coworker, but after overhearing her conversation, it was likely he’d kill her by his own hand or she’d be spending a long time in a government lockdown facility. A shame, really, but business was business.

As they tore into the kitchen, he dragged her, weaving through the sea of uniformed staff. A pan dropped, hitting the floor with a loud clang, and he looked over his shoulder, noting the five armed guards barreling toward them.

“Move,” Evan told her. “Sorry, buddy.” He snatched a silver tray out of a waiter’s hands, and puff pastries flew into the air as he hurled it towards the barrage of goons who screamed at them to stop.

“This way.” Raine pointed to the back exit.

Evan tugged a carving knife from a cook, shoving through the crowded kitchen. The swinging doors banged against the wall as he shouldered them open. A few cooks who stood smoking in the side alleyway made no move to stop them as they ran away.

“Keep going. They won’t fire shots here at the house,” Evan told her.

“Yeah, they’ll find us later and kill us.” Raine tore her hand from his as they broke into a sprint down the street.

“Here.” Evan shoved his hand into his pocket and depressed the remote, unlocking the car.

“I’m not getting paid enough,” Raine remarked at the sight of his expensive vehicle.

“Seems to me you’re doing just fine with the money you’re demanding.” Evan didn’t bother opening the door for the woman who had attempted to illegally sell data that didn’t belong to her. “Get the fuck in.”

“What crawled in your bed and died?” she asked, rolling her eyes. She opened her door, jumped in, and slammed it shut.