With my hands on my hips, I glare at him. “How was I supposed to know Matt’s case and Andy’s stupid gambling problem would collide like this? You’re a PI too, and last time I checked, you’ve been at it a lot longer than I have. Why the hell didn’t YOU put two and two together, you pompous ass?”
Dallas stares at me for a few beats before a laugh bursts out of his mouth. “Well played, Paige. Well played. You might be beating Kennedy in the ball-busting department.”
I lose the attitude, but keep my chin high. “So, are we going to kick a little Mob ass now or what?”
CHAPTER 19
This is not a good idea. Can you please get your hands off her boobs?”
Matt stares angrily at Ted as he finishes up attaching a bug to the front clasp of my bra. Ted quickly puts his hands up in surrender and backs away from me while I button my shirt back up.
“I know this isn’t an ideal situation, but it’s our best option right now,” Ted explains to Matt calmly. “We’ve been trying to catch Vinnie DeMarco for years. The last call that came in stated that Paige was the only one they would allow to bring in the money in exchange for Andy.”
To say Matt hasn’t been too thrilled about the events that unfolded in Dallas’s office the other day is putting it mildly. Not only was he pissed that Melanie’s Mob-boss boyfriend is the one who kidnapped Andy, he was also really mad he wasn’t there to see me attempt to pull her hair out by the roots. He kissed the scratch she left on my arm and told me next time I should stomp on her foot with my Guccis. And he even knew they were Guccis. If I didn’t think so before, I’m now certain he’s a keeper.
Matt places his hands on either side of my face and stares directly into my eyes. “You don’t have to do this. It’s too dangerous.”
I reach my hands up and place them over the top of his. “I’ll be fine. The place will be surrounded by cops. I’m just going to walk in, hand over the money, grab Andy, and get out.”
“We’re not going to have her out of our sight for one minute, Matt. I promise,” Ted assures him.
The door to Fool Me Once flies open and I cringe as Kennedy comes running inside, storming right over to me with a pissed-off look on her face.
I don’t know what I’m more afraid of right now—walking into a den of mobsters or dealing with Kennedy’s wrath.
“Sorry, Paige. I had to call her,” Ted apologizes.
“What. The. Fuck?” Kennedy stutters as she stands in front of me with her hands on her hips.
“Is now a bad time to ask you if I can get a promotion?”
Right when I think Kennedy is going to punch me in the face, she wraps her arms around me and pulls me against her.
“If you wanted more work, all you had to do was ask. You didn’t need to go hunt down a fucking mobster,” she whispers against my hair.
“I just wanted you to see I could do something other than sit there and look pretty,” I admit.
My friends know the whole story about the way Andy used to parade me around. I’ve never really admitted to them how deep it hurt me, though. Until now.
Kennedy lets go of me and pulls back to stare at my face. “Is that seriously what you think? Paige, I trust you. I know how smart and courageous you are. I would have never asked you to be part of this business when we met in that self-defense class if I didn’t believe in you. I just wanted you to get your feet wet with easy stuff before I let you kick some real ass. I never once doubted your abilities.”
It’s very rare to hear Kennedy say something so heartfelt. She never wears her emotions on her sleeve. I feel a tear slide down my cheek before I can stop it. I should have trusted my friend to have faith in me.
“Oh, fuck. Don’t cry. You know I don’t do crying. It gives me hives. Where the hell is Lorelei?” Kennedy complains, looking around the room.
“She’s in court, most likely cutting off another set of balls to store in her purse,” Dallas replies sarcastically.
“One of these days, Dallas, she’s going to have your balls in her purse,” Kennedy tells him smugly.
“When pigs fly, dear Kennedy. When pigs fly,” Dallas laughs.
“Can we please go over the details one more time so I can stop freaking out so much?” Matt asks, interrupting Kennedy and Dallas’s back-and-forth over Lorelei.
“Melanie is already with Vinnie. He doesn’t usually take her on jobs, but she used her powers of persuasion to convince him to take her this time,” Ted explains.
“So you’re saying she spread her legs. Got it,” Kennedy adds. She turns to Matt and shrugs awkwardly at him. “Sorry.”
“No apology necessary. Why do you think I’m divorcing her?” Matt informs Kennedy.