Page 53 of This Ravenous Fate
Sterling stopped his pacing in front of her and rolled his sleeves up past his elbows. His hands rested on his hips, forearms flexing while he watched her. “Are you planning on committing a crime? That’s something I should definitely know beforehand—”
“No crime. Just chaos.” Elise flashed him a sharp smile, then pulled him out of the room.
***
Autumn finally began to settle throughout New York. The day was unusually cold with fog seeping in over the coast, blurring the peaksof the downtown buildings together. Perched on a railing looking over the sea, Layla awaited her rendezvous. She wore a light coat, though she didn’t need it. Her body quickly adjusted to external environments due to her reaperhood, but sometimes it felt nice to act normal. Blending in with the rest of New York, who had been excited to pull out their heavier clothes for the arrival of cooler weather, felt grounding after the whirlwind of her past few days.
“Hey, kid.”
Layla turned to face Jamie. The last time she had seen him, she had threatened him and blood had spilled. Today he looked like his normal self. Blond hair slicked back, blue eyes so pale they seemed gray in the cloudy weather. Layla searched his face for any lingering resentment from the Cotton Club incident, but he appeared perfectly stoic.
“Vex. Thank you for meeting me,” Layla said.
Jamie leaned against the railing. Even though Layla sat on the railing, he still had several inches over her. When he shifted, she saw the glint of a silver revolver in his belt. “It’s not a great day to watch for the skyline, is it?” Jamie asked. He glanced over the sea, the crashing waves the only noise between them while Layla thought.
“You owe me money, Quinn. Either that, or blood,” Jamie muttered fiercely.
Layla’s jaw tightened, irritation making her body tense up. “I’m not responsible for the bloodbath at the Cotton Club. Those dancers were already infected—”
“If it weren’t for your meddling, there would have been no incident, and I would still have a speakeasy to run,” Jamie snapped.
Layla glowered. “Open another one. You are a man with fair skin and corrupt police on your side. If they wanted to catch you, they would have already. There is no limit to what you can do. Do not blame me for your lapses in judgment. You’re weak and stupid. That’s not my fault,” Layla hissed.
The air between them went still as heat rolled off Jamie’s body. He glared at Layla and tightly gripped the railing. “I cannot lose my income, Quinn.”
“Is that why you’re supplying for Tobias Saint on the low?” Layla asked. She knew the answer already, thanks to the Saint heiress, but she liked seeing Jamie tense up.
Jamie sighed. He moved closer to Layla. “What are you trading for these secrets, Quinn?”
“Nothing. But it’s nice to have the upper hand on your gang so I have something to fall back on should my clan go under. After all, you shot Giana,” Layla breathed. “And I wondered why you had Saint bullets.”
A true smile broke across Jamie’s face. He leaned forward and a few strands of hair fell into his eyes while he chuckled. For the first time since knowing him, Layla noticed a dimple that creased his right cheek. “You could say I have a little arrangement with Mr. Saint. And youwishyou could take my gang.”
“Don’t try me.” Layla hopped off the railing. Jamie was so tall, she had to tip her head back to meet his eyes. “The fog isn’t that thick, Jamie. I saw the cargo coming in. I know you’re only here because you’re expecting a delivery. I need to know what it’s for.”
Jamie lifted his brow. “For such a small girl, you make mighty big requests.” He ran his hand over his head, fluffing his hair. “You already know, shortcake.”
“I’m not that small,” Layla grumbled. “What does Tobias need this alcohol for?”
Smiling, Jamie rested his elbow on her head. Layla glared up at him, but he didn’t stop. “You’re very tiny. I wonder what it would be like to—”
Layla flung his arm from her head and, twisting it behind his back, threw him against the railing. Jamie’s face went slack with surprise. He tried to break free and grab his gun, but Layla’s hold on him was too tight. Even though he had at least ninety pounds on her and stood an entire foot taller than her, Jamie was no match for Layla’s reaper strength. She bared her fangs at him now and saw the reflection of the rage-induced golden sheen over her eyes in his. “Still tiny?” Layla hissed.
Despite the fresh panic seeping into his expression, Jamie still had the audacity to smile at her. “Yes. Tiny, but strong.” His smile widened when she wrenched his arm further behind him. “I like this side of you, Quinn. Pull me harder and see what happens,” he snarled.
Layla focused on the pulsing artery in his throat. The temptation to drink from him and shut him up was strong. But her sanity had an even tighter grip on her. Layla let him go and backed away. “You’re all the same,” she spat.
Goddamn gangsters always put violence above everything else. They were attracted to danger like it was a conquest.
“Hey now, don’t get all sour on me.” Jamie straightened up, rubbing his wrenched shoulder. “Might I remind you that you’re the one who destroyed my—shit,” he cursed.
When Layla looked up, she realized why. Elise walked toward them, a tall and unfamiliar young man beside her.
“Jesus, Quinn, is this some kind of ambush?” Jamie went to reach for his gun, but Layla already had a hand around his wrist.
“Remember what I said last time?” she asked under her breath. “I’m the only one who kills her. She’smySaint.”
For once, Elise didn’t have a snarky comeback. She stared at Layla, lips parted slightly. Layla dropped her gaze and studied the other parts of Elise. She was not wearing one of her signature expensive dresses, but was instead dressed in pants.
