She folded her arms over her chest, refusing to touch the money.
I sighed. “How can I help you, Anna?”
“Well, as you know, we have unfinished business to attend to.”
“Everything’s quite finished,” I supplied. “You shouldn’t have come here.”
How’d she get the address? Stupid question. She worked for a tabloid. Most of her paparazzi colleagues could point her in the right direction with their eyes closed.
“I need a scoop.”
“You need a career change,” I countered. “As I said before, I’m not giving you jack shit on my client.”
She smoothed my shirt, grinning up at me.
“Oh, come on, big guy. I have an even better offer on the table. My boss just green-lit it. Aren’t you at least a bit curious to hear what we’re willing to offer for an exclusive story?”
“Ransom?” I heard a voice from my right.Hallie.
She stepped out of the car, waving the driver goodbye. She must’ve figured Anna posed no danger. That’s where she was wrong.
Anna straightened her back, letting loose a smile.
“Oh, hi, Hallie Thorne. You don’t know me, but I—”
“I know you.” Hallie stopped in front of both of us, and I didn’t like it, how Anna and I looked like a unit together, opposite her. “You wrote a scathing piece about me after my nip slip. Your picture’s right next to your column.”
It was the first time I hurt for someone else, and it was a massive pain in the neck. The empathy sliced through me like a knife. It was almost hard to breathe.
“Great memory!” Anna cooed. “Maybe you weren’t as drugged up as I thought you were.”
“Please don’t let the truth about me mess up with your narrative.” Hallie smiled coldly. “To you, I’ll always be a fuck-up. Now, what are you doing at my house?”
“Ransom and I are old friends.”
“Is that so?” Hallie’s eyes darted to me in question. I gave a curt nod.
“Ransom, would you like to take our conversation somewhere private?” Anna ignored Hallie’s presence, smiling at me.
“You can say whatever you have to say right here.”
“You sure about that?” Anna’s eyes warned me that I wasn’t going to like the next part.
I did not negotiate with terrorists.
“Positive.”
“Well, I was just wondering when we’re going to hook up…” She gave a meaningful beat, studying Hallie with zeal. “Again.”
Hallie froze in her spot. Her face betrayed nothing. But I saw it. The disappointment. It hadn’t appeared when I’d told her I’d killed an innocent child. But it was there now, written all over her face.
Both were mistakes on my end. But only one was in my control.
“Now would seem like a very good time for you two to talk.” Hallie recovered quickly, bumping past my shoulder on her way to her door. “Seeing as I have some things to do.”
The door slammed behind her before I could explain.
“You idiot.” I turned to Anna, rage bubbling in my bloodstream. “What did you do that for?”