Runner: A dark enemies to lovers gang romance (Sapphire Duet Book 1)
Runner: Chapter 2

“What did you say?” Kade asked in a low voice.

“Hellfire,” I repeated, resisting the urge to flinch when the blade against my neck pressed nearly hard enough to draw blood.

“Where the fuck did you hear that?” Grayson snapped, crossing his arms.

“Is that not the word you’ve been waiting to hear?” I raised a brow, my eyes darting between the two of them. “Or was I told the wrong time for our meeting?”

“You’re not the one we’re supposed to meet with. Somehow, you found out and are using it to save your skin.” Kade’s hold didn’t lessen as he spoke.

“No one knows that word unless I want them to know,” I snarled, losing my patience. “You’re about to fuck up your only chance. No one gets a second meeting.”

“Why the hell would they send you as a messenger?” Grayson asked, eyeing me with suspicion.

My anger burned red hot, and for the first time since Kade tackled me, I struggled against his hold. The knife he had against my throat put me at a disadvantage. When I’d walked into their club tonight, I had every intention of explaining who I was in a calm, rational conversation. Until I had a couple of drinks and somehow Grayson’s hand ended up under my skirt.

I wasn’t complaining. This way was much more fun anyway. But the fact that they thought I was some lowly worker was insulting. I worked too hard to be mistaken for nothing more than a fucking messenger.

“Would you like me to prove that I’m supposed to be here?” I asked sweetly, covering my other emotions. Revealing true feelings was the quickest way to lose the advantage in any situation. I’d been trained years ago on how to twist my features to portray what I wanted others to see. It had been more than five years since anyone had been able to draw out my real reactions, and it had almost killed me. It wouldn’t ever happen again.

“Show me,” Kade demanded, his eyes still burning with fury.

“First, let’s look at the facts.” I spoke as if we were having a friendly chat. “I walked into your club completely unarmed. Knowing the two of you probably still held some resentment for what happened in the past.”

“Some resentment,” Grayson repeated in disbelief. “You shot me and then left us there with a dead body.”

“Yet I still came here.” I shifted my body, testing how serious Kade was with his threat. When the knife nicked my skin, I let out a sigh, knowing I’d have to show them who I really was before we could get down to business. “I’m going to need my hands if you want me to show you.”

“Tell me, and I’ll get it for you,” Kade replied, not backing off.

I chuckled. “It’s not something I can just pull out. It’s a tattoo.”

Kade’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Where?”

“Lift up my shirt.”

Silence filled the room as Kade exchanged a look with Grayson. After a few moments, Grayson kneeled near my head. He grabbed the wrist Kade had been holding before reaching down and grabbing my other arm, pulling it until he had both my wrists in his grip. His hold was as tight as Kade’s had been. Kade pulled the knife away but stayed on top of me. Stretching my neck, I looked at Grayson upside down as he peered at me.

“This whole meeting is a waste if you two can’t trust me enough to have a civil conversation.” My words made Kade glare at me, but he didn’t say a word as he grabbed the hem of my shirt.

Besides my heavy breathing, I didn’t move a muscle as he raised my top, revealing the tattoo I wanted them to see. Kade’s eyes widened, and Grayson leaned over me to get a better look. The ink covering my upper stomach defined who I was. Light blue flames spanned across my ribs just under my breasts, but I was sure it was the object in the flames that had them both in shock. Right in the middle was a vibrant blue sapphire stone.

“There’s no fucking way,” Kade ground out, his eyes glued to my body.

“Why?” I snarked, relishing in their disbelief. “Because I’m a woman? You think I can’t succeed in this world because of that? Let me tell you a little secret. It actually makes it easier. Because men think with their dicks. Making it simple to get whatever the fuck I want from them.”

“You’re Sapphire?” Grayson asked, as if waiting for me to laugh it off as a joke.

“Yes,” I snapped. “This business deal is huge. I wanted to handle it myself.”

“The Sapphire is a ghost,” Kade muttered to himself.

“That’s the whole point.” I rolled my eyes. “It makes it hard to get jobs done if people know who I am. Usually, I send others in my place for business that has to be dealt with in person. A faceless ghost is the perfect criminal, wouldn’t you agree?”

“What’s different about this job?” Grayson asked, glancing at my tattoo again.

“Get the hell off me and I’ll tell you.”

“I don’t give a shit who you are,” Kade threatened as he climbed off me. “If you try anything, you won’t leave this room alive.”

Annoyance flared, and I bit my tongue, keeping my words to myself. I didn’t deal with disrespect very well. But I was here for a reason. This business deal needed to happen. Because fuck me, it was one job I couldn’t do myself. And even though they were dicks, the two guys staring at me with pure hate were some of the best car thieves in the country. As much as I didn’t want to admit it, I needed them.

I let Grayson grab my arm and pull me around to the front of the couch. I fell onto the cushions myself before he forced me to sit. Crossing my legs, I gave them a wide smile when they both sat on the couch across from me. The space they gave me proved what I already knew. The doors in this room were locked, and I could bet there was no unlocking them without a key.

An unwanted tightness smothered my chest when I realized getting out of here wouldn’t be easy if this meeting went south. Everything I did, I planned meticulously. I never left anything to chance. That was how I survived this long. My gaze traveled to the bar in the back of the room and then to the pool table with a couple of pool sticks scattered on top of it. Even though I wasn’t armed, there were enough things to use as weapons if it came down to it. That thought eased my nerves a fraction.

I promised myself I’d never be trapped again. Living years in a life that was a prison was a hellish nightmare, and I would rather die than lose my freedom again. I’d do this job and get out of this city.

“Are we going to get down to business, or are we waiting for more members of your Riot Crew to get here?” I asked through the tense silence. “I was under the impression that your boss wanted to meet me.”

“You expect us to believe that one girl is Sapphire?” Kade obviously wasn’t coming to terms with who I was.

I cocked my head to the side. “Did you forget I stole a Rolls-Royce right out from under you two?”

“A damaged Rolls-Royce.” Grayson smirked. “I’m sure it wasn’t fun having to replace the windows that were shot out.”

So their new tactic was to get under my skin. I could play that too. Letting my gaze drop to his chest, I bit my lip. “It was probably more fun than dealing with a bullet wound. But after tonight, I almost regret shooting you.”

Both of them stared at me until Grayson couldn’t help but speak up. “Why?”

“Because it would have been an atrocity for the women in this world if you lost the use of your arm.” I pretended to inspect my nails. “You got me off in almost record time. There aren’t enough men in this world who know the right way to touch a woman.”

My unexpected compliment shook them, and I slowly uncrossed my legs, making Grayson’s eyes drop from my face. A muscle in his jaw flexed when he got a peek under my short skirt as I readjusted.

“At least you can say you’re good at something.” I waited to continue until he met my stare. “Because if we go by our one and only previous interaction, it’s clear you may need to up your game when it comes to stealing cars.”

Grayson didn’t say a word as he moved his lip ring around with his tongue. Even though they were staying quiet, their simmering rage saturated the room. Falling back into the cushions, I made myself comfortable on the couch. They were far enough away from me that I’d have time to defend myself if I pissed them off again.

“At least we keep our clothes on when we do jobs,” Kade murmured, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. “You’re right. I’m sure boosting cars is easier for you.”

The back of my neck flushed with heat. Not from embarrassment, but from surging anger. Keeping the smile on my face, I looked at him questioningly. “Was I not wearing clothes when you saw me last? It really is amazing what men will do with the promise of seeing a woman naked. Though I always finish the job before they realize they’ll never get what I promise.”

“I don’t know. You seemed pretty easy on the dance floor.” Grayson stole my attention as he tried to shake me.

“If we work together, you’ll learn quick that no one touches me unless I want them to.” The threat was clear in my voice. “I let you believe you had control over my body, Grayson. But you did exactly what I wanted. I’m the one who got the orgasm. While you got blue balls—with the added bonus of pleasuring the woman who shot you. If anything, you were easy.”

“It’s Gray,” Grayson snapped. “Don’t call me Grayson.”

Interesting. I’d found something that bothered him without meaning to. Filing that little fact away for later, I glanced around the room again.

“We won’t be working together,” Kade said with certainty. “We need to trust everyone on our team. That won’t ever happen with you.”

“Thanks for clarifying that.” I stood, and they both bolted to their feet, already on the defensive. “If this deal isn’t happening, then there’s no reason for me to be here.”

Kade’s cruel laugh shot a shiver down my spine. “You don’t think you’re just going to leave, do you?”

“That’s exactly what I’m doing.”

I strode to the door, only to freeze when Grayson slipped in front of me, close enough for our chests to touch. I didn’t need to turn around to know Kade was right behind me. I could smell the alcohol that was still soaking Gray’s black V-neck shirt. Even in my wedges, I had to tilt my chin up to meet his eyes.

“Move,” I ordered, letting venom sink into my voice. “Or that warehouse you have on Fifth Street will go up in flames.”

Gray’s hazel eyes darkened while he leaned closer, as if trying to intimidate me. “How do you know about that place? That’s Riot business.”

“You think I didn’t do my homework before I came here? If I don’t walk out of this club in the next hour, then someone who works for me will light that warehouse up.” I tapped my chin. “How many cars do you have there right now? As of yesterday, it was ten. I can’t imagine the cost of losing all that merchandise.”

Before either of them could respond, the door swung open. Gray spun around as two men walked in. I smiled, knowing these were the men who would decide whether to do business with me. Kade and Grayson owned this city. But the Riot Crew was much larger than the city of Ridgewood. And the men who were staring at me with interest were the big bosses.

Maybe this job would happen after all.