Page 22 of Innocent Salvation

Just hearing her name made the hackles on her neck flare to life in irritation. Her utter hatred for the woman who’d birthed her was almost a living thing inside her. Throwing her aside like trash wasn’t enough, that she’d then come back into her life and had stolen the only person who’d ever loved her, took her hatred to a new level.

“I know, and I haven’t lost sight of the goal. It’s just chemistry, that’s all.”

“Mmm, maybe. Just be careful. I don’t trust him. I don’t think he had anything to do with Margaret’s death, but he’s up to something.”

Relieved Reaper was letting it go she zeroed in on his subject change as she sipped her milky coffee sweet with two sugars. “Do we have any leads on that?”

Reaper shrugged. “A few, it looks like the man who killed her is a knucklehead who was just out for some cash. He showed no finesse and it was a messy kill.”

Snow tried not to show any emotion as Reaper spoke of Margaret, the sweet woman who’d talked about her family on the very first call they’d shared. The fact was, she needed to be less emotional about this entire case. She had no trouble with any other, but this was different and she knew it. It was probably why she was reacting to Sebastian the way she was. “Any names in the mix?”

“Watchdog caught him on CCTV leaving the scene. His name is Jakub Nowark. He moved to this country eight years ago from Poland. He works as a bouncer at a nightclub in Soho. He has a criminal record for petty theft, grand theft auto, and assault and battery. He served two years in his own country for a serious assault on a man he worked for at a garage in a dispute over pay.”

“Sounds like a real charmer.”

“Oh, he’s a peach.”

“Do the police know?”

“They do, but we need to try and find him before they do. We need to know who he’s working for because there’s no way he’s behind this.”

“Do you think Sebastian was the target?”

Reaper pursed his lips. “Possibly, but he seemed to be looking for something.”

“The laptop?”

“Maybe. Either way, I think it’s a good call to have backup and increased security. Nowark won’t stop until he has what he wants. He’s in debt up to his eyeballs to some very bad people and my best guess is this is how he pays that debt.”

“A gun for hire.”

“If his accounts are any indication, then yes. He had ten grand deposited the day Margaret was killed from an account Watchdog is still tracing.”

“Fine, keep me posted.” Snow stood to leave and dropped some cash on the table, making Reaper frown.

“Come on, just this once let me pay.”

“No fucking way.”

He took the cash, and knowing she wouldn’t take it back, dropped it in the tip jar before he settled the bill himself. Snow put her jacket back on, the September air already cooler than a few weeks before. It wouldn’t be long before the shops were decked out in all their Christmas glory. She wondered what it would be like to spend Christmas with Fleur. To see the delight and joy on her face and share the magic of it all with someone so innocent. She couldn’t ever remember being so innocent and Christmas had been a very different affair for her and her dad.

As he met her on the pavement, Reaper pulled her into an uncharacteristic hug and kissed her cheek before pulling away and dipping his head to her hair as she laughed at his sudden affection.

“Be careful, baby girl.”

Snow patted his cheek. “I will. Now go take your charms elsewhere before you break more hearts.”

His grin was infectious, and she watched him walk down the street, one second there the next gone as if he truly were a ghost.

Snow walked the short way home, deep in thought about the situation with Sebastian and Fleur. On the one hand, she wanted him to be everything she’d thought he was so she could justify her actions and the lies she’d told but on the other hand, she wanted to believe his heart was good. That under the hard, cold shell he showed the world was a good man. The same man who showed Fleur such love and gentleness, the same one who’d turned her inside out with lust and need.

Putting the key in the lock she jumped when the door was yanked open before she could get inside. As she stepped back in surprise, almost losing her balance on the step, Sebastian’s furious face came into view as he caught her arm saving her from a tumble down the stone steps.

“Sebastian?”

He held up a finger to silence her and her surprise turned to anger at his overbearing ways. “Don’t fucking speak, right now, Snow, or I swear to God, I’ll put you over my knee and spank your ass until it’s raw.”

His hand on her bicep, he marched her toward his study and closed the door firmly behind them, encasing them in silence and an energy she couldn’t describe.