To Die For - Davidson King Page 0,59
cute.”
“He,” I corrected. But he didn’t say anything to that. “Can I get you something to drink?”
“No, I’m fine. I need to talk to you, and then if you’d like I can take you over to your studio and you can see if anything was taken.”
I didn’t want to go over there at this hour, knowing he likely had to inform Dorian of a break-in.
“I only rent the building. You likely want to speak with the landlord, Dorian Birch.”
The police officer nodded. “Yeah, I called Mr. Birch. He said you’d be who I needed to talk to since anything stolen would be yours.”
Dorian never had a love for the police, so that seemed about right.
“Okay, please have a seat and I’ll answer whatever you have to ask.”
“Wonderful.”
I sat back beside Tank, and Mancy sat across from me. For the next fifteen minutes, I answered a few questions that made very little sense to be asked about a break-in. My phone buzzed, probably from Max, but I ignored it to talk to the cop. It buzzed a few more times, and I asked for a moment.
I took the phone out of my pocket and read the text messages.
Don’t let him up.
Sparkles, tell me you didn’t let him in.
He’s not a cop. Trust me.
Sparkles! Answer me!
Just as I was reading the last text my phone rang, but I didn’t get a chance to answer it when Mancy ripped it out of my hand.
“That’s enough of that.”
“What?”
Mancy lifted a gun to my face and sneered. “I just have a message for you, and then I’ll leave.”
Oh, shit.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Max
The night was pretty relaxing. There was a steady flow of customers, and I was always moving but not frantically so. A little after midnight, I looked up and saw that motherfucker Dorian Birch. He sat a few feet from me with one of his guys and was drooling all over some twink. He saw me and raised his glass in salute. I gave him the finger and moved away to help patrons on the other side of the bar. At least if Dorian was here, he wasn’t bothering Sparkles.
After a while, I heard someone call my name and saw Dorian in front of me. “What do you want?”
“You’re not very nice. The customer service in this establishment is atrocious. I should have a word with your boss.”
I chuckled darkly. “Oh, please do…I dare you.”
“I’d like a Blood and Sand.”
“Yeah, I don’t give a fuck. Ask a different bartender or, I dunno, maybe fuck off?” I moved down the bar and away from him, but he followed me.
“I’m trying to talk to you, and you’re being so rude.”
“Imagine how little I care.” A guy with blue hair asked me for a rum and coke, and I got busy doing that. After I handed it over, Dorian was in my face again.
“I’m not sure why you aren’t interested in what I have to say.” I felt my phone buzz in my back pocket.
“Whatever you have to say is bullshit, and I have zero time or patience for any of it.” I went to pull my phone out, but his next words stopped me cold.
“Then I guess you don’t give a shit about Lane’s company tonight.”
I turned to him, his smile smug with victory. It took everything not to jump the bar and beat his face in. “What company?”
“Oh, so now you want to talk to me?” He sighed and tapped his fingers on the countertop. “How about a Blood and Sand and, maybe afterward, I’ll feel better and willing to talk to you.”
Dorian Birch made my blood boil. I hated him more than any living soul in the world. I gritted my teeth and went about making his drink. When it was in his hands and he’d taken a few sips, he gave me his attention.
“About that company,” he began, “I simply sent someone to give Lane a message for me. It’s all fairly innocent.”
“He’s not stupid, he won’t be opening the door for anyone.” Seeing how dumb Dorian was made it obvious how Sparkles was able to run from him.
“Agreed, Lane is quite bright. But he’d open the door for a police officer…well, at least for someone he thought was a police officer.” He chuckled and continued drinking. I took my phone out, ready to text Sparkles, when I saw he’d tried to get in touch with me.
Someone broke into my studio it seems and a cop is here. I’m okay, don’t worry.
That was all the