Page 110 of Bad Attitude
She texts, from time to time. Asking if I’m all right. Telling me she secured my bike to her anchor. Letting me know my front brake pad only has a few hundred miles left. Apparently, I owe her a new mattress for bleeding too much on the old one. Every message she sends makes me smile, and I text her back, making hellcat references and occasionally dropping in the odd comment about being willing and the tastiness of my ass. Picturing her blush so perfectly, and chuckling to myself.
Late Tuesday night, her text is more pointed.Are you up to full strength yet?
I know exactly what that means. My little hellcat ispining, as I want her to be.
For a ride you mean?I hit send on that innuendo and wait.
The three dots of typing come along the bottom of my screen, disappear, come back, disappear.
You’re the worst, asshole.
You can’t judge until you’ve licked it.
She sends me a middle finger emoji, and I chuckle. Tormenting her is as much fun as I’ve had in… hell, years.
What does that say about my life, my job?
Wednesday, I’m marking time. Spend an hour at the gym. Make sure my apartment is clear. Go over my research on Meridian Pacific again. I’m not looking forward to Mercer’s visit, but I have my plan ready—for that, at least.
As to the rest of it, I still haven’t decided what the hell I’m doing, or how the hell I’m going to do it.
There is no way I can see of taking down the rest of the crew while keeping Raven out of prison. And even if I do, and she finds out what I’ve done, she’ll never forgive me.
I know I’m slipping. The signs are everywhere. It’s not even just Raven anymore—although she’s the influence on everything, the lens through which I now see the world.
Like Steven, the doctor working illegally, who’s trying to get by after whatever mischance led him to losing his license. He was competent, professional, and kind. No judgment from him.
It’s Cole and Dario, two guys who could’ve killedon multiple occasions, but didn’t.
It’s Cammy and Tasha, both of whom Raven clearly values. Her opinion affects mine.
It’s Kurt Renner, who might have arranged ‘accidents’ for people who hurt Raven, but fuck me if I’m notone hundred percentin agreement with him on that. Compared to what I’d do, the guy’s beenmoderate.
And every job we’ve done has been engineered for minimum disruption. No collateral damage, no body count. Self-interest, yes, but I no longer care about a bunch of wealthy people losing highly-insured valuables they’d forgotten they owned.
The conclusion is inescapable. None of the crew are bad people. My gut tells me they’regood. Does good trump legally wrong?
The most worrying thing is that never used to be a question; now it is.
They may not belegallyin the right, but I’m hardly whiter-than-white there. I work undercover for the FBI for the sole reason that I don’t fit anywhere else. I know damn well I couldn’t do an office job.
For three years I’ve been operating in legal grey areas with institutional sanction, but only since Raven came along have I started to doubt myself.
It’s almost a relief when Mercer knocks on my door, precisely at eight o’clock.
I let her in, closing it quickly. For once, my boss isn’t wearing a suit. She’s in skinny jeans and a strappy crop top, trying to blend in. Strangely, she reminds me of Raven, only older. Not quite as tall buta similar build, courtesy of time spent in the gym. Hair almost as dark, though nothing can really compare to the lustrous black of Raven’s locks. Same scowl, too. But Mercer’s is genuine pissed-offedness, whereas Raven’s always has a playful hint beneath it.
“Tell me,” Mercer says the moment she walks in. “And you’d better make it good.”
I’ve practiced in the mirror for this moment, and know my expression is perfectly composed, professional, and serious. “Renner’s new job is a corporate HQ. There’s a vault with a few million in uncut, unprovenanced diamonds.”
Her eyes narrow. “That’s not his modus operandi.”
“No, it’s not. But it is where his contractor is sending him.”
“Who you still have no name for.”
“No. But I know that Renner wants something from that vault besides diamonds. He’s given up his share for it.”
