“We’ll have this finished fast if you want to take off,” said Spade.
“Boss not coming around?”
Spade shook his head. “He texted me the address, that’s it.”
Viper sure as hell wasn’t going to stick around in the same hotel. He’d already killed three men and had no doubt more would come out of the woodwork. When money was involved, all the free agents competed for the bounty. It was late now, the time when darkness cast a concealing shadow on the criminal underworld. It would be a feeding frenzy with Pepper’s death as the prize. Viper’s job wasn’t as simple—he had to protect her from all those boogeymen.
“This is the girl from the news, isn’t it?” Lola asked. Viper hadn’t noticed her walk over the bed. She flicked Pepper’s hair with disregard. “I don’t see what all the fuss is about.”
He didn’t want to appear attached to his mark, so he ignored Lola’s behavior.
Spade was busy securing the bodies. He was a big, burly, no-nonsense kind of man. Viper could appreciate someone who did their job with professionalism and little chatter.
Lola unzipped her jacket and tossed it on the sofa. She wore a tight black cat suit underneath. “I was hoping it was your clean-up when Boss called,” she said, approaching him. “It’s been way too long, Viper.” Lola dragged a finger down the center of his chest.
He didn’t move. And he wasn’t impressed. Viper wasn’t the kind of man to fall for the wiles of a woman. Lola was deeply rooted in their lifestyle, with a reputation to match, and he didn’t plan on mixing business with pleasure. Besides, she wasn’t his type.
“Do you have to babysit her all night, or can you get away for a while?” she asked, looking up at him with anticipation. Viper wasn’t a saint. If he was in the mood, he’d fuck any willing woman. But why should he settle for a skinny bitch with fake tits when he had a real woman only a few feet away? Of course, the fact Pepper was a virgin and hated his guts wasn’t going to help him get lucky any time soon.
“We were just leaving,” Viper said. “Spade, this address is hot, so watch your back.”
“Always.”
He used a curled finger to signal Pepper to come. She made a wide arch around the bodies and walked toward him, a slight limp in her step.
“Ready to go?” he asked her.
She nodded. He could practically feel her discomfort as she sidled up next to him. She was so fucking cute.
Lola crossed her arms, glaring at Pepper with a look of pure evil. “I know Viper. Trust me, he doesn’t want you. You’re just a paycheck.”
“Did I ask you to speak for me?” he asked.
“Am I wrong?”
“Watch yourself.” Viper was tiring of this game “Don’t you have a job to do?” He needed to get out of this one-horse town before more mercenaries showed up.
“I can save you the headache,” Lola said. “Want me to add her to the body count? No extra charge, for you.” She yanked the edge of Pepper’s dress, making her gasp. It surprised him when she clung to him for security, her little fists bunching up his t-shirt. A satisfying rush took him off guard. He liked the fact Pepper sought him for protection. And not just because he was being paid to do it.
“You’re starting to piss me off, Lola. Not bright.” He pressed a hand to the small of Pepper’s back, leading her to the entrance. “Stay close to me, okay?”
They left the hotel room. The driver for the cleaning crew kept the car idling nearby, the low beams cutting across the aged concrete. Being outside in the open air put Viper on edge. He scanned the rooftops, the streets, and assumed every passerby was a suspect. The streetlamp in front of the hotel flickered on and off in the darkness, insects clamoring to the meager light. He walked fast, looking for a suitable vehicle so they could get on the road. Pepper tried to keep up, but it was clear she had an injury or two. There was no time to stop and check on her until they were in a safe place.
“Who were those people?” she asked.
“Cleaning crew.”
“That woman didn’t like me very much.”
Viper chuckled. “She was just jealous.” He ducked to look in the passenger window of Ford Mustang. Perfect.
“Why would she be jealous of me? She’s so perfect.”
He jimmied the lock, opened the door, and dropped across the seats to get it hotwired. When the engine purred to life, he shifted into the driver’s seat. “Come on, get in.”
Pepper sat in the passenger seat and closed the door. Only the soft glow from the dashboard cut the darkness. “You didn’t answer me,” she said. “Why would she be jealous?”
He knew Pepper wasn’t street smart, but for a spoiled, rich girl, she wasn’t very bright. Viper turned slightly to the side. “Lola likes being the center of attention. She was pissed that I was more attracted to you than her.”