Pan's Salvation (Dueling Devils 5)

Tonight, he would show her exactly what he could offer her.

Pan leaned against the wall across from the door and watched Lark do her mini laps. She would walk from the door to his side and back.

Manuel and his men would arrive any minute to deliver Robin. It made him nervous that the businessman was actually making an appearance. The gun on his waist did very little to reassure him of his safety.

It was all up to his brothers in the other room listening to everything, via spy equipment their technical guru; Clue had set up. At the hint of trouble, they were just next door. The connecting doors between the rooms were unlocked and each of them was a crack shot.

He folded his arms and continued to be Zen. The faster they got this over with, the sooner they could get the hell out of Mexico and put this cartel shit behind them. Demon had hard rules.

They didn’t peddle flesh or deal in hardcore drugs. They especially didn’t fuck with an organization big enough to swallow them whole, like they were plankton in a sea of great white sharks.

A knock came at the door.

Lark froze.

Pan jerked his head and she jogged across the room to sit in the chair at the table by the window. Pushing off the wall, he walked to the door and opened it to reveal the thugs from the day before and a middle-aged Hispanic male in a white linen suit.

His salt and pepper hair was slicked back from his forehead. His eyes were shaded by a pair of designer sunglasses that cost more than most people made in a month.

The lack of Lark’s sister wasn’t lost on him, but this was Manuel’s house. So, they would play by his rules. “Please come in,” Pan said, choking down the words that threatened to rise. It wasn’t in him to cater or pander.

“Mr—?”

“Sumner.”

“Ahhh, Mr. Sumner.” Manuel’s voice sounded like water over stones, smooth and slightly

accented, it made you think of a man highborn and well educated. Manuel’s gaze traveled across the room and latched onto Lark.

The sly smirk on his face made Pan’s hackles rise.

“I see you recognized the…. Potential in Ms. Rosario.”

“You could say that,” Pan replied.

“Ahhh, a personal interest.” Manuel tilted his head. “I cannot blame you, she is both

gorgeous and…intelligent. Not much like the other.” His lip curled up in disgust. “I must tell you my dear. While I’m willing to make the exchange, I will not persuade her, should she come to me again. I am a businessman and she’s a woman who loves my product. Perhaps you should keep your money. Robin can stay with me and we’ll call it even. ”

The anguish on Lark’s face was palatable.

Pan stared her down, mentally willing her to keep her emotions in check.

“With all due respect, Mr. Manuel, my sister belongs home with her family.”

“Yes, but she has a taste for the lady. It’s not something so easily vanquished. I’m sure you have realized this by now. Here, she is happy and useful. You cannot hold that which longs to run wild. Will you keep her in a cage?”

Lark glanced down.

Manuel’s lips flicked upward. The bastard was getting a thrill out of this.

Sadist fuck.

He came here in person to rub the shit in her face and dissuade her. He wanted to keep

Robin. He could give a shit about fifty-thousand. That was a drop in the bucket to him.

“I can try,” Lark whispered.