Page 3 of Graveyards & Greed

A slow, mean grin spread over his face. “Yeah, bitch. I’ll give you something to blow.”

Grunge snorted behind us as my heart started to pound, but not from fear. Pretending his insinuation went over my head, I nodded enthusiastically. I figured Drakos was the most dangerous man out here, but for whatever reason, I didn’t think he’d harm me.

Eightball gave me a thorough eye fucking while Drakos asked Grunge something about the bike.

“You want your coke before or after you blow me?”

I twirled a lock of hair. It felt synthetic and brittle. “I never said I’d blow anyone.”

Eightball chuckled, a grating sound that echoed off the walls. "You bein’ a cock tease now? You bitches are all the same. You want the product but don’t want to put out.”

“I said I wanted tobuya bump. I didn’t agree to blow you, your friend, or this stiff in a suit here.” I caught Drakos' gaze, trying to decipher what his plan was.

“Listen,” Drakos interjected smoothly. “I’m interested in something bigger than her fix and a blowjob. Are you going to sell the bike or not?”

Grunge crossed his arms. “The bike is mine, I’m not fuckin’ sellin’ it.”

But Eightball squinted at Drakos. “What would you give me for it?”

“I think you’d be surprised.”

“How much is that? It doesn’t have a title.”

Drakos still wore his suit jacket and silk tie, and there wasn’t a dark hair out of place. “That’s fine, I can get my own paperwork. I want the bike.”

“It’s going to be expensive,” Eightball mused, scratching his chin.

Drakos grinned and inclined his head. “I’m aware.”

I wanna keep it,” Grunge whined.

“Shut your fuckin’ mouth,” Eightball muttered.

A burst of adrenaline shot through me as Grunge turned to Eightball, and they started arguing in earnest.

Drakos leaned in and murmured, "Stay back.” I could feel his breath on my neck.

“Sure.” There was no way I’d be staying back.

Eightball finally turned to Drakos as he dug into his pocket. “You and Grunge come to an agreement on price while this bitch gets high, then takes it up her ass as payment.”

I knew what this piece of shit had done to Camilla, and I suddenly couldn’t keep up the pretense anymore. “Yeah, that’s not going to happen, you fucking child rapist.” I dropped the whiny, high tone, my cold voice echoing off the brick walls.

The alley was a dead end, and the only light came from a flickering bulb above the dumpster. His reflexes were probably hampered by all the tequila and whatever else he’d ingested that night, and he tilted his head as if trying to process the change in me.

Drakos straightened and turned toward Grunge, his eyes glinting. “This shouldn’t take long.”

I didn’t think he was talking to me, but I answered anyway. “Okay.”

Eightball’s hindbrain must have sensed the danger. He straightened and faced me. “If you wanna walk out of this alley alive, get on your hands and knees. Now.”

Before I could reply, Drakos struck Grunge. He moved with lazy grace, even in his suit. A swift, straightforward jab to Grunge’s nose sent him staggering back. The oddly satisfying sound of cartilage crunching filled my ears.

I turned back in time to see Eightball go after something at the small of his back, and I instinctively brought my leg up and gave him a punch kick to his knee. He staggered, but he stayed on his feet.

The kick made him raving mad, though. Bellowing, he lunged at me, getting a good grip on my arm before I could evade him. I wrenched away, but he’d dug his fingernails into my skin, giving me a few nasty gashes as I yanked free.

My edgy combat boots weren’t just a fashion statement. I flowed into a fighting stance and breathed out. When he came at me again, I kicked out and slammed my steel toe into his crotch. He froze, then fell back against the wall as I stepped forward, grabbed his head, and slammed it against the brick with a thud that resonated through my bones as he crumpled to the ground, gasping in pain. Pulling the syringe out of my tiny pocket, I fumbled to remove the needle cap.

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