Page 76 of Jacqueline's Quest

He smirked, motioning for the bartender. “It’s different for sure.”

“Did you know you’ve entered a den of vipers?” She arched one of her perfectly manicured brows.

He shrugged, relaxing slightly. “It fits for our discussion, I believe.”

“Oh?” She leaned forward. “The answer is no to a shag.”

Alex barked out a laugh. “Sex wasn’t on the table, but thanks for clearing up the air. I mean, if the waves of ‘fuck off,’ coming from you, weren’t very clear...”

She snickered; the wry curve of her lips transformed her features. She’d been ethereal standing there, almost elfish. “Good to know it still works.”

“Glad I could be your Guinea pig.” When the bartender joined them, Alex ordered a domestic beer and an apple martini for Maggie. “Would you like to sit somewhere a little more private?”

“Seems this place is lacking private.” She glanced around. “But, yes, whatever you’ve gotten yourself into, I believe it should be a bit more secluded.”

Alex nodded. Being as close to her as he was, tipped his world on its axis. He hadn't realized how much he missed her or yearned for the wicked tongue lashings she could give him. She'd earned her aliases honestly. Bloody Dawn came from a job with multiple targets. By the time she walked out of the room, the sun was rising. The rays of early morning light hit the walls in such a way, it made the blood appear to be the real sun cresting over the horizon. He'd only seen it in pictures, but he imagined it was a beautifully gruesome sight.

“Stop looking at me like that,” she muttered.

“Like what?” He licked his bottom lip.

“You’re still in awe of me. You put me on this pedestal, and you’ve kept me there, haven’t you?”

“Not a pedestal per se,” he hedged. “More like, you’re this complex enigma.”

“Oh,” she said, leaning in to grab her drink. “I’m an enigma now? Is that how you thought of me when you were fucking me?”

The purred edge of her voice shot straight to his groin. “Never.” He took a swallow of his beer then stood. “You’ve kept me in knots all these years.”

She laughed. "Oh, Alex." She started for one of the darker areas in the club. For a Wednesday night, the space was almost empty though some couples were playing. "You're an open book. If I said yes right now, you'd go for it, wouldn't you?"

Well, he wouldn’t say no, if that’s what she meant. However, they had a job to talk about. “I guess, you’re going to have to figure it out on your own.” He sat beside her on the couch tucked into a small alcove. “I am older and wiser now.”

"Yes," she said. "You would. You're a virile man. Watching me kill always got your cock in knots."

He sighed. “Can we not talk about my dick right now.”

She chuckled. “Of course. So, this job. What do you have for me?”

“It’s not what you’re expecting,” he answered. “You’re not killing the target this time.”

“Come again?” She shifted in her seat, facing him. “I’m not here to kill someone?”

“Well, you are, but not the mark. I need your help finding him or someone close to him so I can find out what his ulterior motive is.” He pulled a folder out of his jacket where he’d been holding it against his side then handed it to her. “It’s not much to go by, but it’s a start.”

Maggie placed her martini glass on the table in front of them then began reading over the information. From the missing details, the person who’d been hired to kill the President of Colombia had already been put to death for his crimes. However, the contract was still active, and people were still inquiring about it. If Maggie could put out some of her feelers and get a name or a description of the person, maybe he could shut it all down before someone else had to get hurt.

“I’ve seen this job several times,” she said. “It’s too risky. I’d have to infiltrate the President’s security detail to get close to him. The only easy part of the job would be killing him. Getting out, however, that’s where I’d get caught.”

"The last assassin must have been of the same mindset, but unlike you, they went with it anyway," Alex said. "His death sentence has already been carried out."

She nodded. “It’s a hell of a job and worth more than the thirty million offered.”

“I learned from a source though, the person could be on the President’s detail. It seems like the easiest way to accomplish the goal, but I don’t know. The open ends of this mystery are fucking my brain up. Anyway, my job for this mission is to go to Colombia and ferret the person running this shitshow out and bring him or her to justice. Bonus if I can find out who is the proxy for Senator Lincoln.”

“Good luck,” Maggie said. “What you’ve been tasked with, is near impossible.”

“Not if you’re with me,” he said. “With you taking the job, we could find out who the perp is.”

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