Savage Love (Savage Trilogy #3) - Lisa Renee Jones Page 0,72
can’t stand stupid.
In between her bossiness, and snipes, and calculations about who killed the victim tonight, I’ve decided it’s been too long since I’ve had a pencil in my hand. I’ve managed to find a notepad and began drafting a project but it’s hard to focus when I just can’t stop watching The Lilah Show.
At present, Joe, an intern with glasses and a bush of curls on his head, comes into the room. “I feel like we're going in ten directions. Can we go one at a time?”
Lilah gives him a deadpan look and then says simply, “No.” Already she’s dismissed him to read a text message.
“Agent Love,” he begins.
Her head whips up, her eyes blasting him. “If you throw peanut butter on a piece of paper does it stick?” she asks.
“Ah yes.”
“If you put it on your tongue is it sticky?”
“Ah yes.”
“Then get some peanut butter and put it in your mouth right now.” She points to the door and he marches away.
“Stop,” she says before he leaves.
He turns and she addresses him, “Eventually you get to the peanut butter and something sticks. Do the work. There’s no way around it in this job.”
He gives her a blank stare and she motions him onward. “Go home.”
“Mother of God,” she murmurs when he disappears. “Help me, help them, but on a good note, Lord knows we need one, Kane and Savage are together. Pocher is on a leash. And before you ask, I know nothing else.”
“Very fucking wonderful.” She starts to gather her things and shoves them in her bag. “Let’s get out of here. I just told Kane we were leaving here in fifteen minutes to meet him and Savage at our place. If we leave now, we can swing by Starbucks. I need caffeine.”
Now I know I love Lilah Love. “I’m in.”
She leans over my pad and eyes my sketch of a building I’ve always wanted to create and whistles. “You're talented, but I had no idea how that translated to the real world. And in case you’re wondering, Kane told me you were an architect. He investigates everyone. Don’t get offended.”
“You clearly don’t know much about Rick if you think I’ll offend that easily. As for my work,” I sigh, “right now, I’m wrapped up in military contracts, but I’m going private. I’m looking forward to it.”
She stands and shoves her bag on her shoulder. “Why the military?”
“My father’s a general. My mother was, too. She died young.”
“My mother as well,” she says and shifts the topic back to me. “Is that what made you choose a different career?”
“I can shoot and fight. I like that I can shoot and fight, but I just didn’t want that to be all that I am. And I always loved art, but being an artist doesn’t make any money unless you're like Chris Merit, or someone famous like him. And I love the bigger than life finished product of architecture.”
We’ve walked to the elevator at this point and stepped inside. “Was your mother a cop or in law enforcement of some type?”
“My mother was Laura Love. The cameras loved her.”
I gape. “As in the movie star?”
“That’s right. Most believe she died in a plane crash, which is true.” The elevator opens and we exit.
We’re exiting the building when I ask, “Most people believe?”
“Pocher had her killed.”
“Oh.”
“Believe me, if I could kill Pocher without consequences, I would.”
I’m dumbstruck. I don’t even know what to say. She moves on. “Starbucks is only a block and a half up.”
A few minutes later, we’re in line at the coffee shop and I find myself ever so interested in Lilah’s story. “How did you become a profiler?”
“Family history. My parents wanted me to be an actress. I wanted nothing to do with that world. I followed my father who was a good sheriff who loved his job in the Hamptons. My brother is now that good sheriff who loves his job. He took over when my father became one of Pocher’s protégés and if the polls are correct, he’ll soon be the Governor of New York State.”
Her phone rings and she answers the call, and while her expression doesn’t change there’s a subtle tension to her. “We’re at Starbucks. Just meet us here.” She disconnects. “The guys are coming here.”
“Anything wrong?”
“Other than my father being a little bitch and actually Pocher’s little bitch? Nope.”
She’s dodged my question, but I don’t push for more. Rick will be here soon. I’ll talk