Page 120 of The Kingpin's Call Girl

Luka is undeterred. “It means we ruled these guys out, that’sall. We’ll find him. And we’ll find Mary. He’ll get what’s coming to him.”

I nestle a ginger slice onto a bit of sushi, creating a perfect bite. “So you became king—kyre—just to get the killers’ names?”

“Yup.”

“And then what? When you find and take care of the final guy, will you pass the crown to somebody?”

“I like being king—for now. I’ll leave when I decide to leave, and it won’t be in a casket, I promise you that. And it won’t be because of some DNA test.”

It seems so sad. “Your home is temporary. Your job is temporary...”

“Everything’s temporary, Edie.”

“That’s such a cop-out. Even a rental apartment deserves curtains.”

He raises an eyebrow. “You suggesting I need curtains?”

“I’m suggesting you stop acting like you’re just passing through your own life.”

He grunts his neutral grunt. Not a yes, not a no.

We walk down Johnson Avenue after dinner. I haven’t spent a lot of time in the Bronx, and it’s kind of delightful. Luka can’t believe I haven’t been to the Bronx Zoo.

“I get that life’s temporary,” I say, “but it doesn’t mean you can’t put down your flag and say, ‘This is what I want now.’”

“Act as if things aren’t temporary?”

“Exactly!”

“That’s what’s known as a delusion.”

“No, it’s called hope. It’s called defiance.” I stop walking. “It’s called not being a commitment-phobic fatalist.”

He pulls me close. “You’re hot when you’re worked up.”

“Don’t deflect. I’ve seen you running the Ghost Hound family. You went through all this trouble to—you know...”

“Brutally kill my brother?”

“To take the throne,” I correct. “And now you run it like youwere born for it. That restaurant owner practically genuflected when you walked in.”

He gives me his Luka squint. “What’ll it take to get you doing that?”

“Shut it!” I give him a playful punch and set back off walking. “You’ve been king for what—a month? And already, your guys would follow you anywhere.”

“You sound like Orton.”

“Smart man, that Orton.”

“Practical man. He wants to serve a king. The men just want to survive. The restaurant owner just hated my brother. It’s not about me.”

“And Storm follows you because... what? He likes your cologne?”

“It’s all transactions, Edie.”

“Oh, please.”

He takes my hand. He kisses my fingers.

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