This part of the walkway had been enclosed in glass, probably so folks could still see the river and stay dry during a rainstorm. The walkway fronted a small, recessed salon complete with tables, chairs, and a bar inside the riverboat itself where passengers could relax and watch the landscape go by during cruises. The glassed-in section ran for about thirty feet before opening back up into the night air.
Slater had walked through the entire room and now stood beyond the other open door. The giant shook a lighter in his hand, as though it was low on fluid and he was trying to coax one more burst of flame out of it. There was no one here but the two of us this far back on the riverboat. Perfect.
I walked forward. I made it through the glassed-in salon and stepped back out into the night air. Ahead of me, Slater still fussed with his lighter. I put my arm down, ready to palm one of my silverstone knives.
Just then, a restroom door opened to my left, and a man stepped out onto the deck ahead of me-putting him between me and Elliot Slater. The man turned in my direction, as though to walk back down to the open deck. Silver hair, hard hazel eyes, wrinkle-free face. He spotted me immediately, and his eyes widened for a second before narrowing.
Jonah McAllister looked just as pissed to see me as I was to see him.
"What the hell are you doing here?" he barked.
I wasn't particularly surprised that Jonah McAllister was here. After all, I'd seen him board the riverboat earlier this evening. And if there was one thing I'd learned during my years as the Spider, it was that the universe always conspired to f**k up the best-laid plans of mice, men, and most especially, assassins. Like the slick lawyer choosing this exact moment to step in between me and my target. I could practically hear the cosmic chuckles ringing my ears. Ha, ha, f**king ha.
For a moment, I debated palming my knife, lunging forward, and stabbing Jonah McAllister where he stood. Just for interrupting me. I could do the lawyer, step over his body, and then take care of Elliot Slater. Two-for-one special. But I knew I wouldn't be able to get away clean after the fact. McAllister could scream, Slater could hear the struggle and charge at me, or even worse, run to get his boss, Mab Monroe. The Fire elemental would have no qualms about frying me right there with her magic. Not when what I had done would be so obvious.
No, Jonah McAllister was going to have to live to see another day. And now, so would Elliot Slater. Which meant Roslyn Phillips's suffering wasn't over yet, if it could ever truly be over, given what the giant had done to her.
Fuck.
I crossed my arms over my chest and gave the lawyer a cold look. "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm taking a stroll around the riverboat. Is that a problem?"
Elliot Slater's head snapped around at the sound of my voice. The giant frowned, put his cigar and lighter away, and headed in our direction. Fantastic.
Jonah McAllister's hazel eyes narrowed even more at my snide tone. "I specifically meant how did someone like you get on board? The Delta Queen is very exclusive, and loath as I am to admit it, Phillip Kincaid's parties even more so. Helps keep the white trash out."
"White trash? Do you really think that's an insult?"
"Not to someone like you," he sniffed. "Which is what makes you trash."
"At least I look my age," I snapped, referring to his wrinkle-free face. "Tell me, exactly how much a week do you blow on Air elemental facials? A thousand bucks? Two? I'm guessing more. After all, you're a man of advancing years now."
I knew I should have kept my mouth shut, that it would have made things easier if I'd let McAllister take his shots at me and had just slinked off into the darkness as if I was utterly demoralized and defeated. But I was getting real tired of the lawyer needling me at every single turn just because it amused him. And for keeping me from killing Elliot Slater tonight and at least helping Roslyn Phillips in that small way.
An angry red flush spread up Jonah McAllister's neck at my words, something even the best Air elemental facial couldn't disguise. The silver-haired lawyer opened his mouth to lambaste me some more, when Slater stepped up behind him.
The giant stared at McAllister a moment before his hazel gaze cut to me. His eyes narrowed as well in recognition. Slater might be obsessed with Roslyn, but I noted the giant wasn't above checking out my br**sts and legs, even though they were nowhere near as spectacular as the vampire's.
"Gin Blanco," Slater rumbled. "You clean up nice."
The back-assed compliment made the gin that I'd just drunk roil in my stomach.
"Elliot," Jonah said. "I'd like you to escort Ms. Blanco off the boat please. It seems she just hasn't learned her lesson about insulting us-or being where she doesn't belong. I think she needs you to remind her exactly what her place is."
Elliot grinned. "Shall I toss her over the side? Right here?"
"Don't be thuggish," Jonah replied. "We have an image to maintain. Ms. Blanco deserves the walk of shame past all of tonight's guests. And then you can deal with her any way you like on shore. Seems that beating you gave her just didn't take. Perhaps you'd like another chance to get it right."
The giant's grin widened.
So Jonah McAllister wanted Elliot Slater to hustle me off the riverboat, take me to a dark alley somewhere, and beat me-again. Not my original plan for the evening, but sometimes, you had to roll with the punches.
Before I could move or react, the giant used his speed to surge forward and clamp his hand around my upper arm. His long, hard fingers bit into my flesh like steel bolts, but I gritted my teeth against the pain. I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of screaming and begging for mercy. Not again.
Let Slater drag me off the boat and into one of the alleys that surrounded the riverfront. He'd be in for a nasty surprise. So would McAllister, if the lawyer decided to tag along and watch the show. Because I was tired of tiptoeing around them. Mab Monroe too. I wanted to kill the Three Musketeers and proceed with things-namely getting Roslyn Phillips some help for the brutal trauma she'd been through and figuring out a way to tell Bria who and what I really was.
Killing McAllister and Slater tonight would at least solve a few of my problems. More than that, though, it would just be fun. Unlike other assassins that I'd run into over the years, I didn't kill people because it brought me any great pleasure. I did it because it was a job that I happened to excel at. But even the most consummate professional could be excused an indulgence or two, and I was thinking about making McAllister and Slater mine.
"Come on," Slater said. "Let's go."