Page 60 of A Murderous Crow
She was turning out to be one of a kind, and she was hiding something – and hiding itwellfrommemight I add.
She wasn’t all she appeared to be and was exceedingly private. I’d realized it over the intervening weeks since I’d first captured her that almost all of herSavvy Savannah Davenportpersona was one hundred percent Bona fide bullshit, and though I’d asked and tried to get to her history she was sealed as tight as a clam freshly dug out of the sand and I couldn’t help but wonder if she held a pearl in there.
In fact, I could almost feel that she did.
I just didn’t know why she tried so hard to hide it.
The more interaction that I’d had with her, both in our working and private lives, the more she stoked my curiosity… and I couldn’t help but feel it was a dangerous game that we played because I had sworn to myself;never again.
“Come with me,” Syn said, rising and putting his cue onto the table.
I blinked and checked that he meant me and not Specter, and he did. I followed him into the chapel, and set my beer on the coaster at the boardroom table, taking my seat at his right hand in the conference chair. He took his seat and leaned back in it, swiveling to face me.
“Things are different,” he said without preamble. “This oneisdifferent,” he cocked his head, his dark eyes studying me. “Bring her in.”
I shook my head and said, “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“I didn’t think I was asking,” he shot back plainly.
I breathed in deep and let it out slow.
“I thought so,” he murmured. “You don’t want to bring her here with the rest of the guys on a Friday or Saturday nightbecause you don’t want to claim her – but you don’t want any of the others to make a move on her, do you?”
“Get the fuck out of my head,” I muttered.
“Can’t,” he said plaintively. “We’ve known each other too long for that shit.”
I smiled, but it didn’t hold any mirth.
“I’m still figuring her out,” I said and he raised his eyebrows.
“I beg your finest fucking pardon?” he said.
“She saw you kill a man, saw Requiem, Grim,and Reaper’sfaces – and you’re stillfiguring her out?” he was sitting up now, and at full attention.
“Relax,” I told him. “I’m not worried about that part when it comes to herat all. She’s got her own secrets. Is hiding something. I’m just enjoying the hunt and the mystery.”
Synister scoffed.
“Clearly your judgment is impaired with this bitch?—”
“Don’t call her that,” I said sharply. “She’s not just some hanger on club slut walking through the door. She’s different.”
Synister dropped back in his seat and said carefully, “You haven’t defended a woman’s name like that since…”
I raised my hand and said, “Don’t say it.” My expression felt like I just sucked on a lemon. I washed the bitter taste of memory down with a healthy swig of my beer.
“I don’t want to talk about Courtney. That was years ago and I’m over it.”
Synister looked amused by that. “It was almost twenty years ago, maybe even twenty-five and it was basicallyhigh schooland you’restillnot over it. That’s part of why you have your fuckin’ name. A crow never forgets and they hold grudges for generations.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah… I know.”
“I’ma need you to bring her in. See how she handles one of our parties.”
I sighed, and asked, “You just want to get her measure, yeah?”
He grinned. “Among other things.”
