Page 39 of Live for Me

“He stopped as soon as I was on the sidewalk,” I said, trying to keep him in view from the corner of my eye without actually looking across the street. “Looked back at me before he sprinted across the street to the other sidewalk. Any chance you cute little tech twins weren’t the only ones using that camera?”

“I told you he thinks you’re cute,” Indy laughed.

“Focus,” I snapped.

Surfer boy picked up the pace across the street. I needed to be on that sidewalk behind him to have any chance at actually watching what he was doing. I couldn’t see anything other than his hat from across the fucking street with throngs of people between us. I slowed my own pace, hoping to fall even further behind him so he wouldn’t notice when I sprinted through the traffic in a second to get back behind him.

The moment that my feet hit the concrete of the other sidewalk, I watched his hat dip down below the crowd for just a second. He bent down just long enough to brush his hand across the back bumper of a Camaro that was parked on the side of the street.

“That’s him,” I whispered. “Think I just watched him plant a tracking device on a car.”

“On a Camaro?” Memphis asked.

“How could you possibly know the details ofhisjob?” I whispered. “How? Fucking how? Who are you tech kids?”

I watched Montana pick up the pace and dart down an alley between two buildings.

“Fuck me,” I groaned and started to jog through the swarms of people. “He’s about to disappear.”

“So, maybe chase him?” Indy asked while Memphis said, “Don’t let him.”

“I think I’m going to vote for the two of you to be the ones who come out and handle the next Executioner.”

“You’re outnumbered, honey,” Indy cackled.

“Utah, don’t!” Memphis screamed in my ear the second that I rounded the edge of the building where Montana had disappeared. I dropped straight to the ground the very moment that I watched a fucking knife swing into my line of sight. I laid my six-foot-tall ass all the way out to be able to roll out from under this kid before he could react. He was a speedy little shit though and was right back in front of me as soon as I was upright again.

“If you’re going to mug somebody, I’d suggest a regular tourist. Not a dangerous one,” Montana said and swung the knife lazily in my direction again. He wasn’t swinging to hurt me that time, though. He was warning me.

“Ask if he goes by Montana,” Indy said.

“I’m not here to mug you, Montana,” I said as Memphis was telling menotto use his work name yet. “Guys,” I hissed. “We’re really going to need to work on the timing of this shit. Get on the same page if you’re going to have me do this.”

Montana abandoned his fighting stance for a few moments while he stared at me in pure confusion. I raised my hands to try to show him that I wasn’t planning to attack him.

“What’d you call me?” he asked.

“Yikes,” Memphis whispered.

“Helpful. Thank you, angel.”

“You better start talking,” Montana said and raised the knife again. “To me.”

“That’s fair,” I said and fucking laughed at what a disaster this already was. “Listen, I know you’re here on a contract. I know you’re busy. But you and Richmond are new to this and there are things you probably don’t know about the organization and the President.”

“Who are you?” he asked.

“Don’t tell him that,” Memphis said. “Richmond will know about the bounties on all of us.”

“I’m just here to open your eyes,” I said. “Is Richmond with you?” I asked. “Can he hear me?”

Montana didn’t answer. He didn’t even blink.

“Okay,” I went on anyway. “We found out the hard way that the President was involved in some seriously shitty recruiting tactics for the organization. Richmond, if youarelistening, look into it yourself. How did he find the two of you? What were the circumstances around the way that he ended up hiring you?”

Montana shook his head. “Who are you? I won’t ask another time.”

He went right back to his fight-ready stance that time.

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