Page 63 of Swerve (Boosted Hearts 1)

“Nothing to do with trust. A lot we do is on a need-to-know basis. In this instance, you don’t need to know.”

Neco gave me a little squeeze and a gentle shove toward the bathroom. I scowled at both of them. I wasn’t buying their bullshit. This powwow they were having was about me, I was sure of it.

I also wasn’t going to let Neco get away with it. Whatever they were talking about, and after the way Neco behaved last tonight, I knew it was big. I was taking off the metaphorical gloves. No more playing by his rules. I was done with that.

As I stormed to the bathroom, Lulu’s words shifted though my head.

I have ways to make him talk.

Maybe I could persuade Neco to spill the beans using not so fair means? I’d feel guilty, but right then I was pissed off. I knew he’d do the same thing if he needed to, and it wasn’t like we both wouldn’t enjoy my methods a whole hell of a lot. I was pretty sure seducing him would be the easy part. Getting him to talk, though, was another thing completely. The man was stubborn as hell. He knew all my tricks, but seduction was a new one. We hadn’t been sleeping together long and couldn’t get enough of each other. I was in a constant state of arousal. I just had to think about his hands on me and a wave of heat washed over me, zaps firing up my nerve endings until I was desperate for him. Considering Neco couldn’t keep his hands off me either, I could only assume he felt the same way.

Maybe that was my angle?

He always took the lead. But Neco made it easy. He just flipped me around where he wanted me, then blew my ever-loving mind until I couldn’t see straight.

Could I do this? Could I turn the tables on him?

Crouching down, I opened the bathroom cabinet and dug around in my toiletry bag. I found what I wanted and stood.

I’d give it a good try.

Time to play dirty.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Ruby

I knocked on the last door on Jimmy’s floor, the one next to his place. An unshaven guy in baggy flannel pajama bottoms and a stained wife beater answered the door.

He took me in from head to toe, scratching his protruding belly. “What?”

Delightful. “I wondered if you could help me. I’m looking for someone. A friend of Jimmy’s . . .”

“Jimmy?”

“Your neighbor . . .”

“The dead guy?”

“That would be him.” I shoved my hands in my pockets. “The guy I’m looking for may have been staying with him. Blond, stocky, about your height. Have you seen anyone like that?”

“Like I told the other two that came looking for him, I haven’t seen squat.”

“Who came looking for him?”

The guy stared at me, lips clamped together. I pulled a ten from my pocket and slapped it into his now outstretched hand.

“A big guy. Looked like a goddamn tank, muscles bulging. Dark hair.”

“Tattoo on his forearm? Script?”

“Yeah, that’s him.”

Jude.

“And the other person to come knocking?”

He fake zipped his lips and smirked.