The Marradith Ryder Series: The Art of Shadows, Part 17
When Marradith wouldn’t answer his phone calls the next morning, Justin sent her a text:
You’re mad and I understand why. I didn’t get to tell you last night that I am leaving for Los Angeles today. On assignment. Should be a day, 2 @ most.
She wrote back:
Fine, whatever.
His reply popped up on her phone:
Ryder I love you.
She sighed and then quickly typed her message, pressing send before she had a chance to censor her thoughts:
Love u Granthem. Still pissed. Later.
***
“Hello Lysette, this is Natasha from Attorney Ramshead’s office. We need you to come in. There is a new property that has been available for several days. Attorney Stuckey will brief you on the details.”
“Stuckey,” Lysette said in distaste.
A new property meant there was a new Wolf on the loose.
Lysette hated tracking down the young ones. They were volatile, hostile, and dangerous.
Their capture also brought in the largest bounty. With the rates that Ramshead paid, she could take a vacation, buy a house in Las Cruces, and kick back for a few years before she had to think about working again.
It had been a while since she’d done any work for Ramshead. She hadn’t done any tracking since her ex-boyfriend died. He’d been in her life for so long, and to have him gone was a shock. Even though he’d been sick, he believed that he would get better. Because he held out that hope, and had always rebounded before, she believed it as well.
Lysette was not with him when he died. She regretted every day since that she let him push her away, that she wasn’t there in the end.
She sighed. Perhaps it would be a good exercise to hunt. Take out her aggression. New Wolves always put up a good fight, and Lysette felt like having one.
***
Jenny Winslow woke in a stranger’s house.
She walked outside and jumped into the pool. City lights twinkled against the dark, starless sky.
Jenny learned that she could get anything she wanted. She walked into a beauty salon just before sundown.
“Can you do my hair?” she asked, pulling at her long blond ponytail. She stood in the doorway, blocking it.
“We do everyone’s hair, Miss, but we’re closed,” the manager said, taking a pad from his apron. “If you give me your name we can make an appointment for tomorrow.”
She looked at him, in a certain way, directed her energy towards him. The muscles in his face began to relax, and he smiled at her.
“Come on, sit down here,” he patted a chair. “Let me lock the door, that way we can get you done quickly.”
“Which is good,” she said in a commanding tone, “because I don’t have much time.”
He smiled again, the blank expression of a puppet.
“What would you like Miss? Cut, color?”
“Both,” she said.
An hour later her hair was dyed black and cut like a pixie. She smiled at her reflection. No one from her old life would recognize her. She didn’t.
“Is there anything else I can do for you?” the man said.
Jenny smiled. “Oh yes. There is.”
***
The next night, Jenny went to a nightclub.
She wore a little black dress that she’d taken from the house of one of her victims. The dress was short, plain cotton with spaghetti straps, a little tight on her athletic frame. But it produced the effect that she wanted.
Jenny danced. She drank, but not much, because her first drink went straight to her head. Faces began to blur. The music pulsed and the crush of bodies around her brought another form of intoxication.
Jenny sat down for a while, nursing her second drink, a fruity, spicy concoction laced with a liquor she couldn’t name. She sipped it through a straw, blinking as a man sat down next to her. He put his hand on her knee and grinned. His face was inches from hers before she realized that this was one of the men she’d danced with over the last hour.
He had beautiful eyes. Dark brown, with long lashes and faint smile lines around the edges.
He leaned in and kissed her mouth. His hand, warm where it rested against her knee began to travel up her thigh.
“Can I take you home?” he asked.
She leaned back, uncrossing her legs.
“Ask me again,” she said, narrowing her eyes at him.
“Please come home with me.”
***
The man’s house was not far from the club. He lived in the Hollywood Hills. He didn’t ask her name, and Jenny didn’t ask his.
His home was beautiful, from what she saw of it. An infinity pool was visible from the sliding doors of the living room. Jenny reminded herself that she would have plenty of time to explore later, once things were taken care of. People with that kind of money always had cash and jewelry laying around. She knew from experience.
Jenny thought of Syd. His face flashed across her mind like lightening, and was gone. The anger that he left behind rumbled through her flesh, making her shiver.
The man didn’t seem to notice. He held her by the hand as he lead her up the stairs into his bedroom.
His eyes were wide. He was still under her spell.
“Sit,” she said.
He sat on the edge of the bed.
Jenny grinned. She took off her heels and walked slowly towards him. Wrapping her arms around him, she enjoyed his warmth. The scent of his colongne was familiar, sweet.
He kissed her neck, and it sent shivers down her spine. She saw her husband’s face in her mind’s eye, remembered how he would press his lips to that spot.
She pulled herself away.
“Is…is something wrong?” the man said.
She pulled off her dress.
“Baby…” he whispered, his eyes heavy with lust. He put his fingers on her stomach, his thumb stroking her belly button.
Kneeling before him, she put her hands on his thighs. She kissed his mouth.
“Everyone deserves one, last kiss,” she whispered.
He never had time to question what she meant.
_______________________
©2010 Lori Titus
Tags: Lori Titus, The Art of Shadows, The Marradith Ryder Series
