Page 68 of Her Selfless Warrior (Omega Sky)
“Did I tell you I have a date with Kostya for tomorrow night?”
“What?” Amy screamed. “If you have a date with him on Friday, why in the hell are we talking about meeting up on Saturday?”
“I told you, I have to track down Dawn on Saturday. I don’t have a choice.”
“Go flirt with that guy again and see if she works on Sunday. Or better yet, see if she works on Monday; your hours are flexible. I have a job where I clock in. So don’t give me this bullshit! I refuse to meet up with you back here in Baltimore on Saturday. Instead, I want to be hearing about a wild weekend of out-of-this-world sex with Kostya Barona. Do you get me?”
Lark laughed. Amy always made her laugh.
“I’m serious, Lark. My hymen has grown back, don’t let it happen to you.”
“I’m serious too. I’ve been having a bad feeling about Candy for over a week. There is no way I’m going to let her disappearance go on any longer than necessary.”
“When you were doing all that flirting and giving away cash, why didn’t you get her address?”
“I did. The address she had listed as her home was really a Chick-fil-A, and the phone number goes straight to voicemail. When I checked it out, I found out it’s a burner phone. Hell, she’s been working for the MGM for over a year, and she has a burner phone? Something’s up. To begin with, you and I will be together, but once I place her, I’m going to send you away.”
“Yeah, that’s not happening. If she’s all James Bondy, I want to make sure I have your back.”
“What in the hell is going to happen to me in the middle of a casino?” Lark asked reasonably. “They have cameras everywhere. I just want to ask her a couple of questions.”
“You promise not to go anywhere with her?”
“I promise.”
“I still think you should be spending the weekend in bed with Mr. Muscles.”
“You realize you’re objectifying the man.”
“Do you realize how long it’s been since I’ve been close enough to touch a man? Allow me a fantasy or two, I’m begging you.”
Lark giggled at the way Amy whined. “Okay, we’ll meet early before Dawn’s eight o’clock start time. She works at the lounge called Blossom, so how about we arrive at seven, okay? And dress slutty, but nice.”
“Do you want to define that?” Amy asked sarcastically.
“You’re the one who taught me that, so don’t even go there.”
“Oh, you’re right. Can do.” Lark heard the smile in her friend’s voice. “Do me a favor, take a picture of what you’re wearing when you meet Kostya. I just want a visual. You get a triple-word score if you can get a picture of what he’s wearing. And, you win double jeopardy if you sneak a pic of what he’snotwearing.”
“I’m hanging up now.”
* * *
Kostya punched the elevator button.This is not what he wanted to be doing. Well, it was, and it wasn’t. He wanted to be taking Lark out to dinner in Virginia Beach, near his home, not here in Baltimore where she was staying in a hotel. It didn’t matter how nice the hotel was, he was past this kind of bullshit in his life. When he zeroed in on a target, he knew what he wanted, and he wanted Lark inhishome, inhisarms, inhisbed.
Get it together, Lieutenant.
By the time he got to her room and knocked on her door, he had his shit locked down tight. Lark opened the door and was holding up her phone with a wicked smile.
“Did you just take my picture?”
“Yep,” she said with no compunction.
He watched as she sent a text.
“Would you care to explain?”
“I’m sending the pic to my friend Amy. I need her help tomorrow night and this is part of the incentive.”
