Becoming Rain (Burying Water 2)

“And risk the case? No way.”

He’s right. But . . . “Does your girlfriend understand that?”

His heavy sigh fills my ear. “She understands that my job comes first.”

I roll my eyes. “Good luck with that.”

“Whatever. Drop it.” The irritation in his voice swells. “How are you feeling after that? Are you okay?”

I know what he’s referring to. “I’m fine. Nothing some Scope won’t cure.” I chuckle, thinking about a story I once heard about a female undercover who was forced into kissing a meth head she was trying to bust, to prove herself and keep from getting shot. She downed half a bottle of mouthwash afterward, trying to rid herself of the vile taste.

There’s no vile taste in my mouth, though. In fact, if I concentrate, I can still feel my target’s lips—softer than I expected them to be—on mine, and my heart begins to race again.

“Okay, go relax. I’ll be on for tonight.”

“If there is a tonight,” I mutter.

“Don’t worry. You’ve hooked him. He just may not know it yet.”

Chapter 13

LUKE

“Come on, you can move it, right?” I ask between puffs of my cigarette. With the noise from the city streets and being on the tenth floor, I’m not worried about being overheard.

Vlad’s heavy, irritated exhale fills my ear. “Perhaps, but . . .”

Rust warned me that this would be a challenge before he gave me Vlad’s number. I insisted on it, though. Because it’s Dmitri, and because I want to try to negotiate with the bastard. I like to think I have a knack for negotiations. And because I have to come to some agreement, seeing as I promised we would.

I also want to prove that I’m not the half-wit he seems to think I am. But I really hate talking to this guy. “Dude, come on. They retail for a quarter-million here. What’s the problem?” I don’t know what the fuck Stefan was thinking, pinching some rich guy’s custom-made Ferrari Spider on a weekend trip to Seattle. Then he shows up at his father, Nikolai’s, doorstep with it. According to Rust, who talked to Dmitri after my call with him, Nikolai lost his mind. Gave his son two black eyes for being so stupid. At least the idiot was smart enough to jam the tracking system on it.

“I may have a buyer. He was talking about wanting to impress a mistress with a new car, recently.”

“She’d be impressed, alright.” From what Dmitri told us, the owner had every upgrade imaginable put into it. “Look, you can even take an extra five percent off our cut, for your help.”

A vacant chuckle answers. “If I do this, the cost is seventy off the top.”

“Are you fucking crazy?” Just like Rust warned.

“No, I’m a businessman and this is business. Dude.”

“There’s no way we can give you that big a cut.”

“Then I hope you enjoy giving that car back.” I hear the click.

“Asshole.” I dial Rust to announce, “Seventy percent off the top.”

He curses under his breath.

“Do we take the deal?” Rust gave me an earful earlier. I shouldn’t have promised to help Dmitri without talking to him first. Now that I have, we have to follow through.

“Let me see if Andrei’s still awake. Sit tight. And keep your night open until you hear back from me.”

I fall back into my chair and stare at the layers of purple and pink in the sky. I don’t want to cancel plans with Rain, but I also don’t want to have to ditch her suddenly if Rust calls, like I did this afternoon. After showing up at her house, dragging her out, and demanding she cook for me. She was oddly understanding about it all.

I glance across the way, wondering what she’s doing now. Her lights are on but her blinds are closed, unfortunately. Is she sitting by her phone, waiting for my call? I glance at my watch. Eight o’clock. Early by my standards, but she’s probably wondering if we’re still on. Girls are like that.

Licks groans from his resting spot by my feet and I smile. He hasn’t left my side since I came home, after sniffing me up and down, growling a little. I’m pretty sure he’s jealous of Stanley. He’s going to have to get used to it, because I’m sure I’m going to see Rain—and her dog—again.

She’s been in my head all afternoon. The way she hummed when she stirred her sauce, the way she stepped through puddles in her boots, as if she intentionally wanted to make a splash. The way she listened to me when I talked. Really listened. Not like Priscilla, who just goes through the motions.

The way she looked, stretched out in her bed last night.

She’s everything I’m used to and yet she’s completely new. She’s easygoing and witty. She seems smart. She doesn’t talk my ear off about the car or the clothes or the jewelry that she wants, subtle hints for things she’d expect me to buy her. She wouldn’t even take my money today. That was a refreshing change. Maybe it’s because she has enough of her own. But I’ve never met a woman yet who has enough money. Well, maybe Alexandria Petrova.

Just the thought of that name makes my stomach clench.

When I kissed Rain today and she pushed me back, asking for space because of her past, my blood turned cold. She’s been abused. Not nearly as bad as Alex, if the lack of scars indicates anything. But Rain’s words brought me back to that scary night over a year ago, to the days after, waiting to hear from Jesse, hoping for good news. Praying that, when all was said and done, my conscience would be cleared for once dismissing what I knew was happening to her.