Page 106 of With Us

“I’m finally getting my meeting,” he murmured. “Here to teach me a lesson?”

“No,” I said, getting up.

“No threats? Your men aren’t going to come rough me up? No offer of trumped up busy work to distract me?”

“No.” I held out a large clasp envelope.

Even as he smiled, his disappointment was clear. He was upset our song and dance was done. The challenge was over, which meant so was the rush.

So distracted by it all, he didn’t even notice the leather gloves I wore despite the humid night.

He opened the envelope and shuffled through the papers, but he wasn’t looking at them. “So you’ve come to your senses and are letting me invest?”

“No,” I repeated for a third time before pressing my gun to his temple. I took the envelope and papers back with my other hand, tossing them on the small table behind me.

Fingerprints were all we needed.

The fear was back, along with the rush of adrenaline. His Adam’s apple bobbed, but the smile played at his lips again. “My warning to stay out of things?” When I stayed silent, the bargaining began. “I got it. I’ll drop it. I’ll even owe you a couple favors. And I’m sorry about talking to your girlfriend. I’ll keep away, okay? We’ll just forget any of this happened.”

Mentioning Dahlia was probably the stupidest thing he could’ve done. It pissed me off he’d breathed the same air with her, much less talked to her. Tried to manipulate her. Tried to use her to get to me.

He’d already wasted enough of our time; I wasn’t waiting around any longer. I wanted to finish this up and get home to her.

I gave a tiny shake of the head. “No.”

“Can’t you fucking say anything else?” he bellowed, fear taking over.

“No.” I pulled the trigger, unfazed by the suppressed noise, the splatter, or the body hitting the floor.

I gave a low whistle.

“God,” Luc said, coming in from the kitchen and handing me a pair of booties to cover my shoes. “That is one sick fuck. He was really getting off on all the back and forth.”

“Yeah. I was worried he was going to pitch a tent.” I grimaced. “Help me out here.”

Together, we lifted the literal dead weight, careful to keep our covered shoes out of the blood pool.

Grabbing his dominant left hand, because Gabe was nothing if not thorough, I positioned the gun near his head. I used his finger to pull the trigger once, aiming at the wall. I did it again, grazing the top of his head. Carefully, we dropped him back down. Any inconsistencies would likely be too covered in blood by the time anyone noticed.

Luc took the papers and envelope, expertly burning them without burning too much. I opened the window, pushing some papers off the table. The breeze would explain why the evidence didn’t burn fully.

Stepping back, everything looked in place for the unfortunate suicide of the blackmailed state senator.

“Damn,” Luc said, checking his watch as we headed for the door. “Less than fifteen minutes.”

“Would’ve been quicker if he’d have shut up.”

“I’m going for a drink; you want to come?” I didn’t answer before he declined for me. “I know, I know. Dahlia. Tell her I said I’ll be in for muffins tomorrow.”

“I’m sure she’ll be shocked.”

We went our separate ways, Luc heading all the way across the city to his favorite bar.

And bartender.

???

An hour later, I unlocked Dahlia’s door, heading straight for the shower.

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