Binding the Shadows (Arcadia Bell #3)(51)

“I’ll bet. Look, I’ll put out some feelers. Try to find who’s distributing the stuff, and while I’m at it, see if anyone’s heard of this Telly kid. If he’s doing business with other dealers, they need to know that he’s dangerous. Might take me a few days, but I’ll call you when I’ve got a something.”

“Thanks, Hajo. I appreciate it.”

He stared at me for a long moment, dark, dilated eyes scheming up something behind the miles and miles of black lashes that fanned over his skin. “So, you wanna—”

“No.”

“You don’t even know what I was going to say.”

“Don’t need to know.”

“How about a threesome. Me, you, and Lon.”

I choked.

“Don’t say you haven’t thought of it.”

“No, Hajo. I can truly say that I have never thought of it.”

He gave me a sexy little smile. “You will now, though.”

“In my nightmares.”

Ugh. If that thought ever materialized inside my brain while I was having sex with transmutated, thought-reading Lon, I would die. And Lon would probably come over here and strangle Hajo with his bare hands. Which might not be the worst thing in the world, but still. I shuddered and shook the thought away as I walked toward the double doors leading out of the room.

“Set me up with Kar Yee,” Hajo called out from behind me.

I gave him a look over my shoulder as the rolling trance music pulsed through the doors. “Buy the nurse painting,” I said with a smile. “And call me when you have a name.”

I picked my way through the crowded party and gave a little wave to Hajo’s waif to let her know that I was finished with him. Once I was out of the condo, I breathed a sigh of relief. Lon wasn’t going to be thrilled to know I’d been here, but at least I came out unscathed, and maybe Hajo would find a name that would help us. I buttoned up my coat and caught the elevator to the parking garage just as someone was stepping out. But when I hit the button to take me underground, a hand stopped the doors from closing.

“Hi there. Mind if I ride down with you?”

It was the man with the blond ponytail—the trust funder. Darren, I think Hajo had called him. And the predatory way he was looking at me made all the hairs on my arms stand on end.

He pressed the button to close the elevator doors and blocked me from stepping back out. His pupils were tiny black dots in a sea of bright blue. His halo was weak and pale.

“You were selling something to Hajo,” he said when the doors closed.

Shit. He’d seen the red vial when he busted in on Hajo and me. He was also several inches over six feet tall, lording over me like someone who was accustomed to taking what he wanted.

The elevator descended. I lunged for a button—any button, any floor. But he shifted in front of the control panel like a moveable brick wall. Ungodly fast for someone who was wasted. Ungodly fast for someone who wasn’t. I backed up into the far corner of the elevator. Classical music, calm and innocuous, filled the small space, mocking me with its false assurance that everything was fine.

“I saw the red juice,” he insisted, stretching an arm across the elevator doors, like I’d try to pry them open while the car in was in motion. “Should’ve known Hajo was holding out.”

“Look, you’re mistaken—” I started, trying to buy some time while we descended. I could pull some current and shock him, but there was a chance I’d blow the elevator’s fuse. Did I really want to risk getting trapped inside here with him?

“I know what I saw. And I want it.” His arm shot out, lightning fast. His big hand was around my throat before I could blink. “I don’t want to hurt you. Let’s play nice. Just give me a dose and I’ll leave you alone.”

He wasn’t choking me. Just showing me he could. And when I went for the portable caduceus inside my jacket pocket, he also showed me how fast he really was. His free hand slapped mine away with unexpected force. Pain rocketed up my arm. I yelped.

“Speed,” he said with a cocky smile. “A good enough knack. Would be better if you’d give me a dose of what you’ve got.”

“Get your hands off me,” I bit out.

“Hand over the juice, and I will.”

“All I’m going to give you is a warning. Because if you don’t step back—”

“What will you do? Call the cops and tell them that you refused to sell someone drugs?” He laughed. “I’ll tell you what, I’ll even pay you for the dose. Name your price. This is just a simple transaction. Don’t make it into anything more.”

I flailed, trying to knee him in the groin, but he blocked all my moves with ease.

Panic morphed into a black, black anger. Within the span of one second, my intentions had already leapt over the possibility of shocking him with Heka and tunneled into something much worse.

I just couldn’t help myself.

Darkness fell. Sound turned in on itself. The blue pinpoint jumped into my line of vision.

I felt Darren slipping fingers inside my jacket, going for the red vial. But as his warm hand ghosted over my stomach, something changed. Something was cool against my skin. It started around my neck and washed over my breasts . . . my stomach. Like someone had spilled a cold drink down my shirt. He felt it too. His arm jerked away, as if he’d been burned.