Page 27 of Crossing Paths
She shrugged. “No one can say anything bad about my sisters except for me.”
Letting out a quick bark of laughter, he steered her deeper into the bar. It was busier than usual, probably because of the band setting up on the small stage, and Norah could feel the usual stares. Tonight they felt more hostile, and she wondered if that was because the Pax sisters’ reputation was growing. Dash must’ve noticed the negative attention she was receiving, because he shifted closer until his body brushed against hers with every step. Sometimes, she had to admit, having some protection wasa good thing.
He directed her wordlessly to a back booth. There was a young guy sitting there who looked familiar. As they drew closer, Norah sucked in a breath. “Stuart!”
The worm must’ve recognized her at the same time, because he shot out of his seat and lost himself in the crowd before she could do anything more than glare at him. Although Dash gave her a questioning look, he didn’t ask until after they’d reached the booth Stuart had been occupying.
When Norah moved to sit in the seat across from Dash, he clasped her wrist, drawing her back to his side of the table. She gave him a confused look but slid across the cushioned bench, her pants catching on tears in the cheap vinyl. Once he sat down next to her, she raised her eyebrows in question, and he bent so his mouth was close to her ear.
“This way, we can talk without being overheard,” he said, his lips brushing against her ear.
A flush of heat, quickly followed by a shiver, rippled down her spine at the contact, and it took her a few seconds to comprehend his words. Once they sank in, she gave a slight nod. It made sense, although she was pretty sure his lips didn’t have to actually touch her ear in order for her to hear him. She eyed him suspiciously, but his face was in his usual set frown as he scanned the crowd.
Had he been flirting with her?
Norah cursed her lack of dating experience. She hated being clueless about anything, and she felt completely thrown by Dash. Although he’d been totally professional in the gym, the way he’d acted at lunch the other day and tonight madeher wonder. Plus there was the almost-a-kiss moment at Devil’s Thumb—unless she’d just made that up in her head. She wished she could ask one of her sisters without the inevitable teasing, but the idea made her mentally cringe with anticipated embarrassment.
Shaking off her thoughts, she focused on the band members. There’d be plenty of time to obsess about every move Dash made when she was lying sleepless and anxious in her narrow bed later that night. The thought made her grimace. Leifsen had been stealing too many hours of rest from her lately.
“Who’d you chase from the booth?” Dash asked, way too close to her ear again.
Rather proud of herself when she didn’t outwardly react to the contact, she said, “Stuart Powers.”
“Right. You’ve mentioned him.”
Surprised, she turned to look at Dash and instantly regretted it. His face wasright there, closer than she’d ever been to him, even in training. His lashes were thick and lush, and she couldn’t help but think of birds. The females had no defense against the lure of the males, with their flashy, striking colors and dramatic patterns. It just wasn’t fair. How was she supposed to keep her mind away from flirting and…other things when he was so close and so very fascinating?
“Does terrible things for money and always gets away with it.”
“Right.” It was an effort to pull her mind back to the awful person they were discussing. “That’s Stuart in a nutshell.”
“Add him to my list,” he said in a voice so dark and deep shecould’ve drowned in the sheer decadence of it.
“He’s already on there.”
His lips pressed together as his gaze ran over the crowd again. “He broke into your house.”
“Yes. He was the first…well, besides Zach Fridley. But Zach was there to steal Molly’s car, not looking for the necklace—the first time at least. The second time, he was Mom’s backup when he hit Fifi over the head and knocked her out.” Anger filled her at the reminder. “I really don’t like Zach Fridley.”
Ever so slowly, Dash turned his head until his flat black gaze met Norah’s again. “Fridley goes on the list too.”
Even though she’d had no intention of giving Dash her enemies list, she still found herself nodding, hypnotized by the way he stared at her. He was so deadly yet so matter-of-fact at the same time. It was both frightening and reassuring, and Norah had to look away, unnerved by the tumult he caused in her usually well-ordered emotions.
“That’s Leifsen’s friend?”
At his question, Norah met his eyes again. Although he was still much too close for comfort, being able to focus on details helped settle her pulse to a more normal rhythm. He tipped his head toward where Chloe, who was wearing a glittery tank top that showed off her two full-sleeve tattoos, was tuning her guitar. Her colorful skin paired oddly with her long, milkmaid-like blond braids. Even though she wasn’t playing or singing yet, she exuded self-assurance, drawing the crowd’s full attention before she’d even started performing.
“Yes.” Norah studied the musician, wondering how theconfident woman on the stage and the hacker so chicken he had to stalk Norah from behind a computer screen managed to become friends. “I’m not sure why. Unless she’s faking it, Chloe seems awesome, and Leifsen is definitelynot. It was three years ago, so maybe she was going through a rough patch.”
Dash’s raspy chuckle made her turn and look at him. He was still watching Chloe, so Norah had his profile again. Realizing she was staring, smiling like an idiot just because she’d managed to make him laugh, Norah quickly directed her thoughts back to their mission. This wasn’t a date—probablywasn’t a date. If it were a date, she hoped he would’ve brought her somewhere other than Dutch’s.
“Do you see Leifsen?” she asked, determined to stay on task.
“Not yet.” His usual grim expression returned as he looked around the bar. “You need to get me that list. I’m sure some of those…people are here tonight.”
Even as she looked around for any unpleasantly familiar faces, she let out an amused huff. “That was an almost swear, wasn’t it?”
He shrugged affirmatively.
