"Say the word and he'll have a nice bed right beside his brother," he said casually and, well, I actually believed him. And that was mildly terrifying.
"Alright, let's go get this over with," I said on a sigh as I made my way into the hall.
Paine was behind me as we rounded into my living room to find Sawyer standing there twirling my bra on his finger. "You'd think if you got started down here, there'd be more of a trail leading upstairs," he paused, cocky smile slipping a bit as he watched Paine walk in and settle behind my shoulder. "Should have known that was your Challenger down the block," he commented before turning his attention back toward me, jiggling my bra again. "This mean you're commando under there, babe?" he asked.
I lunged forward, grabbing the bra out of his hand and balling it up best I could in my fist. "What are you, fifteen? Oooh, she wears a bra. Grow up."
The snippy-ness was all bluster because, deep down, all I was feeling was mildly mortified. The bra under the couch... that wasn't so bad. Hell, women whip those things off the minute they walk in the door sometimes. It could just be there by happenstance. But, well, he had totally heard me going down on Paine. And while I was a mature, sexually confident person, that kind of thing was personal. No one was supposed to know about it unless I chose to tell them. Certainly no one was supposed to hear or, heaven forbid, see that. Even if someone did accidentally hear or see, they weren't supposed to comment on it. That was a whole new level of rude and disrespectful.
Paine's arm landed hard across my shoulders, trapping my hair, and pulling me against his side. "What do you got to talk to her about?" Paine asked, badassery practically wafting out of his pores. I tilted my head to look up at him, giving him a small smile that I hoped said 'thank you'.
"Got coffee?" Sawyer asked, jerking his head toward the kitchen.
I sighed slightly and nodded. Paine let me go after a small squeeze and they both followed me into the kitchen where Paine set to work making the coffee and I jumped up on the counter, staring the occasional dagger at Sawyer who leaned against the island looking casually comfortable and amused.
"Alright, we're not waiting for it to drip for you to start talking," I told Sawyer as Paine moved over toward me and stood beside my hip. I wondered if he was aware it was both predatory, like he was staking a claim, and also that he was forming a united front against the guy I kind of wanted to watch Paine put in his place a little. But not really. "I told you we were done. Barrett, and by extension you, are fired."
"Nice try, babe. But now I'm on a mission to make some mother fuckers pay for putting my brother in a hospital bed with a concussion, stitches, and busted ribs."
"Cory Wad," Paine interrupted, drawing both our attention. Paine looked at me. "You told me about the scar on his lip, baby. Only one Third Street guy got a cleft lip scar."
"Still can't believe you got my fucking brother wrapped up with those shitheads," Sawyer said, shaking his head at the ceiling.
"Yo," Paine broke in, drawing Sawyer's attention. "Ain't her fault he didn't get more information or backup before he dove in."
Sawyer sighed, nodding a little, knowing he was right. "Babe, you might not be paying me or him anymore, but I'm not off the case. And I'm pretty sure once Barrett has access to a computer again, he won't be either. It'd be easier if you could tell us what we are in for this time. Save us some time."
"Why would I want to make your life easier?" I asked with a smile and Paine snorted. "You do realize you've been nothing but an ass since you first talked to me."
"Not here to make friends, Elsie. I'm here to get a job done. You want answers to something, I'm the man. I won't apologize for not being Mr. Congeniality while I put my life on the line for you."
Well then. There was really no good way to rebut that, was there?
I looked at Paine who gave me a small shrug.
"Alright fine," I conceded. "My sister is missing."
"Elana," Sawyer declared.
"Yeah, Elana. She was acting weird for a while and then she wasn't answering. I went over, she was gone. My father told me she cashed in her trust fund. He and the cops think she's off on a beach somewhere."
"But you think not."
"She found a jewelry box with a good fifteen dime bags of smack with a Third Street tag on them."
"So you think she's somehow involved with them? Trust had to be in the millions, babe. Know who your father is. No way could your trusts be under five mil each. She can't spend that kind of money on heroin."