Mark (Mallick Brothers 3)

Only time would tell.

"Still have to try to find them. See if there is some MO here that matches records. Can't have armed robbers running around creating chaos. Even if it was relatively peaceful chaos. Do me a favor and fill out a report with, ah, that Marco bastard," he said, waving a hand to a man in uniform- tall, fit but on the thin side, good-looking with Italian skin tone and features. Something about him seemed to scream 'money' to me, but I shrugged that off seeing as cops didn't make much money. When I looked back at Collings, he gave me a pained look. "Word is, he's my new partner. Because that's just what my old, tired ass needs, a new blood to train. Go on," he said, shaking his head at his own pity party.

"Hang in there, Collings," I said, clamping a hand on the back of his shoulder for a second before moving off to Marco.

"Mallick?" he asked immediately.

"My reputation precedes me, I see."

"Loanshark," he said with a scoff, like I was somehow beneath his bar for what made a 'good reputation' for a criminal.

And, well, I was okay with that. I didn't exactly want to be lumped in with the local drug dealers and women killers. I was perfectly happy being associated with the likes of the Grassis and The Henchmen. Hell, even Hailstorm. Just not two-bit bastards like Lex Keith who needed to be sporting a bunch of new holes in his body.

"Me? I'm a businessman. Didn't you hear? I have a landscaping business and a contracting business, oh and lately a solar panel business..."

"And occasionally you bust the kneecaps of a man who owes you money."

"I don't think many loansharks actually break knees nowadays. Where are you getting your information? 1940's gangster movies?"

"Alright, smartass. Fill out the paperwork and keep your mouth shut."

"Gee, do they sell smelling salts here? I'm about to faint from your charm," I said, taking the pen outstretched from a hand covered in scars that, again, made me get a strange feeling about him. But I shrugged it off, filled out my form as fast as I could, then made my way outside.

And maybe I was looking for her.

Angela.

Hell, there was no maybe about it.

There was also no shame in my game.

I was raking my eyes up and down the parking lot looking for her pretty ass. She had finished her statement about five minutes before I finished mine. I had even heard her say goodbye to Collings before she headed out, making sure she said to get in touch with her if they needed anything further.

Was I maybe having flashbacks to Speed to the scene where they said that you shouldn't base a relationship on life-or-death situations, so they decided to base it on sex? Yes. That being said, sex was a great thing to base anything on if you asked me.

And sex with her, yeah, my instincts were telling me that would be off the damn charts.

Also, maybe a part of me was interested in what gave her all that attitude. There was an appeal to the soft and sweet women like Ryan always liked, like Ryan was shacked up with. I loved Dusty. Couldn't ask for a better sister-in-law, along with Fee and Lea. But I always liked women with a little more fire, a little more attitude, a little less of a tolerance for putting up with any bullshit from me. Give me a woman who knew her mind and followed it unapologetically and I was a happy man.

There was a definite churning of disappointment when I saw nothing but a sea of cars and curious onlookers. I made my way back to my truck, already gearing myself up to having to drive further out of town to get the shit for Mom's dinner, wondering if I might run into her again.

I knew one thing for damn certain; I had never crossed her path before. She was the kind of woman a man noticed, whether he meant to or not. There was no way she could have escaped my notice in town.

I did have a name.

Though if I was the kind of man to go online and do a search of Angela Boots was still up in the air. I wasn't exactly opposed to doing a little legwork to get a woman. Most men enjoyed a chase now and again. But there was doing legwork, and there was stalking.

She did say one thing though that might have given her away.

She referenced Third Street popping off for no reason that morning. Third Street had very distinct territory, and they generally stayed in it to avoid conflicts. They might have been a decent low-level drug-dealing, pimping gang, but they didn't stand a chance pitted up against rivals like Lex Keith or Richard Lyon.