murder?”
“If he’s guilty? Yes.” She’d find proof before she started pointing fingers, but she wouldn’t be intimated by rankings or politics. “The one bar that’s all black and red on the inside. That’s where the officers drink, right?”
“Guts and Glory, and yes.”
Cami wrinkled her nose. “That’s revolting.” The owner had to be a man, maybe a Krytos. Somehow, that wouldn’t surprise her. “Okay, well, let’s start there.”
“I don’t like it, but at least it’s better than the Rusty Spigot.”
Turning away to hide her smirk, Cami changed directions and headed toward the atrium. She’d known with the proper motivation Tariq would eventually see the silver lining. The bar would probably be dead in the middle of the morning, but maybe she could convince her overbearing protector to let her stay with Scarlett, or even Naira. No one would bother her with either woman at her side.
“She’s lying. I don’t know why, but I can see it in her eyes.”
“Does she think I’m fucking stupid? I saw them together, and she’s going to tell me where the girl is.”
“Tariq, we have to hurry.” Grabbing his wrist, she tried to hurry him along the corridor, but she might have had better luck trying to pull a freightliner through the mud. “Please, come on, Scarlett’s in trouble.”
“Slow down, angel. What’s happening?”
“Parsons and Becks. They’re looking for…someone.” She’d almost admitted that someone was her, but Tariq wouldn’t let her step foot inside the common area if he knew.
“Scarlett can take care of herself.”
Probably true, but it didn’t matter. Scarlett was in trouble because of her, and she couldn’t just wait around and do nothing. “Fine, but I’m going. You do what you want.” Then she released her grasp on his wrist and sprinted for the atrium.
“Damn it, Cami, stop!”
Though she had a decent head start on him, Tariq caught up to her just as she reached the end of the passageway. Anticipating his next move, Cami ducked to the side to avoid his reaching hand and turned on a burst of speed. Her lungs burned, her legs cramped, and she felt like she’d swallowed a box of tacks, but she kept running until she stumbled to a stop beside the trio.
Becks’ fingers dug into Scarlett’s bicep as he loomed over her, and Parsons stood to her left, cutting off any escape. They’d drawn the attention of the other vendors, and a small crowd had begun to gather in a loosely formed half circle. Either too afraid or too indifferent, however, no one had stepped forward to try to help.
“Now, is that any way to treat a lady?” Though she couldn’t see him, Cami could feel Tariq at her back, and it gave her courage. “You’re being very rude.”
“Cami, it’s okay.” Scarlett made no move to try to free herself from Becks’ grasp, though. “I’ve got this.”
To the untrained eye, she looked almost bored with the confrontation. The rigid set of her shoulders, and the way the muscles in her throat jumped when she swallowed told a different story, though.
“Well, well,” Becks purred, “there you are. You’ve been keeping yourself hidden, haven’t you, princess?”
“Yes, because walking around in the open and having dinner with friends is so secretive. Lieutenant, I do mean this with complete sincerity.” Sucking in a deep breath, Cami fisted her hands at her sides and took a step closer to him. “Go piss yourself.”
Scarlett blinked several times before bursting into laughter, and from somewhere behind her, Tariq snorted. Even Becks looked at a loss for words before his gaze turned challenging.
“Strong words for a little girl.” He finally released Scarlett and turned to face Cami, planting his feet in a wide stance and crossing his arms over his chest. “Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?”
“My mother is dead, so I’ll thank you to keep her out of this.”
“Feisty.” A half smile lifted one side of his mouth, and
“If he’s guilty? Yes.” She’d find proof before she started pointing fingers, but she wouldn’t be intimated by rankings or politics. “The one bar that’s all black and red on the inside. That’s where the officers drink, right?”
“Guts and Glory, and yes.”
Cami wrinkled her nose. “That’s revolting.” The owner had to be a man, maybe a Krytos. Somehow, that wouldn’t surprise her. “Okay, well, let’s start there.”
“I don’t like it, but at least it’s better than the Rusty Spigot.”
Turning away to hide her smirk, Cami changed directions and headed toward the atrium. She’d known with the proper motivation Tariq would eventually see the silver lining. The bar would probably be dead in the middle of the morning, but maybe she could convince her overbearing protector to let her stay with Scarlett, or even Naira. No one would bother her with either woman at her side.
“She’s lying. I don’t know why, but I can see it in her eyes.”
“Does she think I’m fucking stupid? I saw them together, and she’s going to tell me where the girl is.”
“Tariq, we have to hurry.” Grabbing his wrist, she tried to hurry him along the corridor, but she might have had better luck trying to pull a freightliner through the mud. “Please, come on, Scarlett’s in trouble.”
“Slow down, angel. What’s happening?”
“Parsons and Becks. They’re looking for…someone.” She’d almost admitted that someone was her, but Tariq wouldn’t let her step foot inside the common area if he knew.
“Scarlett can take care of herself.”
Probably true, but it didn’t matter. Scarlett was in trouble because of her, and she couldn’t just wait around and do nothing. “Fine, but I’m going. You do what you want.” Then she released her grasp on his wrist and sprinted for the atrium.
“Damn it, Cami, stop!”
Though she had a decent head start on him, Tariq caught up to her just as she reached the end of the passageway. Anticipating his next move, Cami ducked to the side to avoid his reaching hand and turned on a burst of speed. Her lungs burned, her legs cramped, and she felt like she’d swallowed a box of tacks, but she kept running until she stumbled to a stop beside the trio.
Becks’ fingers dug into Scarlett’s bicep as he loomed over her, and Parsons stood to her left, cutting off any escape. They’d drawn the attention of the other vendors, and a small crowd had begun to gather in a loosely formed half circle. Either too afraid or too indifferent, however, no one had stepped forward to try to help.
“Now, is that any way to treat a lady?” Though she couldn’t see him, Cami could feel Tariq at her back, and it gave her courage. “You’re being very rude.”
“Cami, it’s okay.” Scarlett made no move to try to free herself from Becks’ grasp, though. “I’ve got this.”
To the untrained eye, she looked almost bored with the confrontation. The rigid set of her shoulders, and the way the muscles in her throat jumped when she swallowed told a different story, though.
“Well, well,” Becks purred, “there you are. You’ve been keeping yourself hidden, haven’t you, princess?”
“Yes, because walking around in the open and having dinner with friends is so secretive. Lieutenant, I do mean this with complete sincerity.” Sucking in a deep breath, Cami fisted her hands at her sides and took a step closer to him. “Go piss yourself.”
Scarlett blinked several times before bursting into laughter, and from somewhere behind her, Tariq snorted. Even Becks looked at a loss for words before his gaze turned challenging.
“Strong words for a little girl.” He finally released Scarlett and turned to face Cami, planting his feet in a wide stance and crossing his arms over his chest. “Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?”
“My mother is dead, so I’ll thank you to keep her out of this.”
“Feisty.” A half smile lifted one side of his mouth, and
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