“It doesn’t change anything.”
“Pity. Perhaps I was wrong about you?”
“Now, who’s judging?” she huffed.
“I’m going by what you’re showing me. There’s a difference.”
“Cold-blooded.”
“I prefer the term…calculating. You can’t help someone else if your ass is in a sling.”
“I’m calling him.” She stormed across the room to her purse.
“Good, but I suggest you know what you want to bargain for. What do you have to offer that he cares about?” His eyes burned her. “What you are willing to negotiate with? How far would you go for your sister?”
She swallowed. It was a question she asked herself a million times before. She’d risk life and limb, pulling her out of flop houses, paying off Robin’s dealers and sacrificing every chance for normalcy she had. You didn’t have to be an addict to be affected by their harried lifestyle.
You just had to be close enough to get sucked into their gravitational pull. Her lip trembled. Is this the moment I decide I’ve had too much? One last time. “I’ll do whatever it takes.”
Pan looked disappointed.
Her stomach dropped. She didn’t want to let him down. It’d been a long time since she felt anything more than responsibility and fear. Every time the phone rang she expected to find out Robin was dead.
“You that eager to fuck a stranger, Lark?” He cupped his crotch. “Cause I have a willing dick right here.”
“Fuck you!”
“We both know it’s going to be cash or ass. Which do you have?” He arched an eyebrow.
“Maybe if you had a sibling, you’d understand.”
Pan snorted. “You know fuck all about me, lady. I have a twin. Only reason I’m still here is because I admire your loyalty.”
“I have money,” she whispered.
“Enough for him? Cause most people’s money is chump change. I bet he could make more
selling your sister’s flesh if she looks half as good as you do.”
Lark thought of the money she’d spent the past twelve years saving. “It’ll be enough.”
“You sure you haven’t been a mule for someone?”
“No, I worked my ass off. Just like everyone else.”
“You double cross me and your body will be the first to hit the floor.”
She stared at him completely disconcerted. One minute, he had her pinned against the wall, manipulating her like a classically trained musician with an instrument. He hit all the right keys and his finger placement was impeccable. The next, he threatens her life? “The fuck?”
“I’m being straight up with you. The way I expect you to be with me. I’m taking a risk with you. We both know it, but I want you to know it’s a calculated one.”
“No one asked you to.” She snapped. Anger made her blood run hot. He came into her life, turned what should’ve been a smooth transaction into a mess and made her seem childish and inept with the few words he did speak.
“Yeah, you did.” He rose and she craned her neck to take him in. “The minute you looked at me with those big ass browns and silently asked me to save you. You’re looking at me like that now.”
She turned away.
“What? You won’t deny it?”