Killing Game (7 page)

“It’s snow!” Lily gasped. He chuckled at her, shaking his head. She couldn’t help being excited about it. She pouted shamelessly. “Hey... we don’t get snow where I’m from.”

“Sorry... I’m still adjusting to the idea that there’s a place in the world where the sun never stops shining.”

She arched a brow at him and then looked up at the sky. The snowflakes were becoming denser and more closely packed as they fell rapidly from the heavens. Squinting, she watched them dancing towards her, drifting gently down on the cold breeze and making small damp spots on her skin as they melted. She poked her tongue out and let them settle there, noting the metallic taste of them and ignoring the way Cain was staring at her.

Cain smiled broadly as Lily reveled in the feeling of snow on her skin. The flakes settled on her woolen hat and her coat, covering them. Feeling warm inside, he realized that this was the first time in years that his mind hadn’t been on his job. He hadn’t thought about it much all day and it felt nice, freeing.

Enjoying the youthful exuberance of the girl in front of him, he raised his eyes and looked at the snow falling, large white flakes of it slowly covering the grime and the darkness of the city in its purity. Closing his eyes, he wondered if it could cover his sins and his darkness, too, hide it away and keep it there so he could keep this feeling.

He dropped his eyes back down to rest on Lily. She was smiling up at the heavens with her eyes closed, obviously enjoying being out in a snowstorm. Looking around him, he noticed that practically everyone had gone, leaving just a few couples behind, all enjoying the snow along with Lily. He looked out on the city and smiled at how it was disappearing from view, only the brightest lights remaining visible as the storm thickened.

Lily opened her eyes and smiled into Cain’s, feeling a heat like a volcano in her stomach as he brought his hand up and wiped a snowflake off her nose. Her breath caught in her throat as he smiled at her and raised his eyes to the sky.

“So much for the stars,” he said in a disappointed tone.

“This is so much better than stars.” Lily grinned and turned to look at the city. “Wow... where’d it go?”

“It’s getting worse. I suppose we should go down and get back to my place or you’re never going to get to work on time.” He caught her nervous look and smiled reassuringly at her.
“None of that.
You’ll be fine. I’ll drive you there and stick around until closing, got some business I need to discuss with Jack and could use a stiff drink after all this cold.”

Lily nodded and tried to stifle her nerves, but they were like a tornado inside her, whirling around and making her feel sick.

“Come along.” Cain wrapped his arm lightly around her shoulders as the snow became heavier and guided her back inside to the lifts. He wondered if she’d be as panicked going down as she had been coming up. He smiled as he remembered her acting normal one minute and clinging to his arm the next.

Part of him hoped that she’d do it again.

Cain pulled his Mustang into the side street next to Club Infinity and watched Lily get out, fascinated with the way her black slacks somehow emphasized the smooth curve of her backside. Stepping out of the car, he pulled a cigarette out of his pack and placed it between his lips.

Lily turned as she closed the car door and watched Cain balancing the cigarette on his lips, his hand coming up with its usual grace to flick his lighter open and ignite his smoke. She inhaled deeply as he did, her eyes lingering on his mouth, her mind momentarily forgetting the nerves she’d been feeling about starting her first job. It was so easy to get lost in watching him.

“Ready?” he said as she came out of her reverie, her eyes focusing on his once more.

She shook her head in the negative as her butterflies came back full force and her mind raced with a million questions. Did they expect her to know what she was doing? Would the people she was working with be as nice as Cain said they would? She was glad he was here tonight. It was comforting to know that if anything went wrong, her one friend in New York was there to back her up. Lily frowned at that thought. She’d only known him two days and she was counting him as a friend. Usually it took months before she did that.

Walking around the car, she looked up at the bright neon sign above the side entrance and swallowed hard, trying desperately to stifle her nerves.

Cain watched with interest as she stared up at the sign, her eyes fixed on one spot and her body still. He would have given anything to know what she was thinking, to know what she was feeling. Nerves weren’t something he experienced often. Before bumping into Lily, he’d never been one for them. He’d always been reliable, calm and efficient—that was why he was the best at what he did.

As she heaved a heavy sigh, he frowned and then smiled.

“I’ve got something that could cheer you up, calm you down a little,” he said quietly, fumbling in his pocket and telling himself that it was as good a time as any, and it might give her a little confidence for the long night ahead of her. He suspected this was her first job and she wasn’t going to enjoy being a waitress.

“What’s that, then?” Lily turned and looked up at him. His hair and face were illuminated by the soft glow of the blue neon lights on the club’s sign.

Her heart raced as he smiled at her, his eyes narrowing on hers and making her body flush under his gaze. She wondered what he was up to. He was taking forever to show her what was going to make her more relaxed about her first night at work. It was making her more nervous, if anything.

“I know it isn’t your birthday yet, but I thought this might make tonight a little... easier... on you.”

She gave him a questioning look as he pulled his hand out of his pocket.

“Here.” Cain handed her the box and watched her open it. Her soft round lips widened into a smile as she saw what he’d bought her. It went straight to his heart to see her so happy over something he’d given her.

Smiling broadly, she pulled the necklace from the box and held it up. The lights nearby made the small diamond heart sparkle as it dangled from the chain.

“It’s, wow... beautiful, Cain... put it on me?” She giggled excitedly.

He took it from her and she pulled her hair out of the way. He fumbled with the clasp and then brought his hands around either side of her neck and clasped it again.

His skin buzzed as he ran his fingers down the chain and brushed them over the pendant.

“Feeling better?” Cain narrowed his eyes on hers.

“Like a million bucks.” She grinned.

“Don’t want you to be late now. Come on, I’ll introduce you to your new boss.” Pushing the door open, he held it there, allowing her to walk past him and into the darkness of the club.

Lily felt goose bumps erupt in waves on her skin as she took off her jacket. The club was freezing, but, then, it was also pitch black.

“Why’s it so dark?” she whispered, as though it was the only way to talk when confronted with darkness.

“Because we’re not open for another half hour,” a voice replied in the blackness.

Lily squinted as the lights buzzed and flickered into life, bathing the large room in a multitude of colors and illuminating the dance floor and bar.

“You must be Miss Walker.” Jack walked around the bar and held his hand out to her. He’d pictured her differently from the girl in front of him, her blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail and her small body hidden away under a dark red shirt and black pants. The main thing that struck him was that she looked as innocent as Cain said she was, and somehow it kicked off a protective streak in him.

“Lily... Jack.” Cain waved his hand between them and then took another drag on his cigarette. His expression changed into one that Jack could read clearly—Cain wanted Lily to be well looked after.

“You’re going to fit in well, Lily. One thing before you
start
.” Jack watched her nod, her eyes wide with interest as she waited for his information. He could see what had Cain worried. Fresh-faced girls in New York clubs were always the ones who got harassed the most. “We don’t get much trouble in here, but if any guys get a little too interested in you, just let the guys behind the bar know and we’ll take care of it. We don’t want our waitresses not enjoying their work. We’ll run through the other procedures shortly. Right now I’ve got to check the bar over and do the boring, responsible stuff.”

Lily watched the dark haired guy grin goofily at her and smiled, her nerves dying away under the prospect of working for someone who seemed to be equally as nice as Cain, if a little less serious. Turning around, she saw Cain sitting at the bar nearby and took the stool next to him.

He smiled when she settled down next to him and put her coat over her lap.

“Not such a bad place, no?” He stubbed his cigarette out in the ashtray and she watched the last of the smoke curl from it before it died.

“Seems nice, your friend and the place.”

He looked down at his leather glove coated fingers and then winced before looking back at her.

“Are they still hurting?” She cocked her head to one side. His fingers moved stiffly and his expression was blank as he quite obviously tried to cover the pain.

“Little.” He smiled briefly and then turned to look at the door as it opened.

Lily’s eyes moved there also. She watched the girls walk into the club and noticed how their glances immediately settled on Cain and then came to rest on her. She noted the change of expression as they saw her sitting next to him, their brows wrinkling into a frown and their looks turning green. She knew what they were thinking, and she couldn’t blame them. Cain had looks that would make most men jealous and most women swoon, and even she wasn’t immune to them. The moment she’d laid eyes on him outside his apartment that night, his beauty had captured her.

Leaning against the bar, she idly watched him as he lit up another cigarette. He looked relaxed as he openly ignored everyone but her and his friend Jack. He was a stark contrast to her. He seemed so calm while she was all panic and nerves, and his eyes were fixed on one place while hers leapt about the room, trying to absorb the scenes playing out all around her as the club got ready to open. As he turned to look at her, she gave him a small and awkward smile.

“You’ll do fine.” Cain placed his hand over hers where it rested on the bar top. His eyes focused on the contrast of his gloved hand and her pale slender fingers.

He frowned as he looked at them. Hers were all purity and goodness while his appeared dark—black gloves for a black-hearted killer. How many times had he pulled a trigger wearing these gloves? He yanked his hand away, feeling as though he was burning her goodness away and tainting her with his touch.

Lily frown briefly and then thought the better of saying anything. She could clearly read that part of him was conflicted, and she wondered if it was about her. Maybe he thought he was showing misplaced affection. She almost laughed at herself for all the times over the past day that she’d thought he might like her. He’d never like her. He was just some guy trying to be nice to a naïve girl who got stuck in New York City. That was all. There was no way a guy like him would think of her as anything other than a little girl or a friend.

Shaking her head to clear it of such thoughts, she realized Jack was calling her. Turning around, she saw him near the end of the bar with the girls she’d watched walk in.

“Now or never, I guess. Wish me luck?” She didn’t know why she sounded so unsure, but she settled on the idea that it was either she was scared he wouldn’t wish her luck or she was petrified of her first night at work.

“Good luck, love,” he said with a warm smile.

Lily felt her cheeks flush hotly, the intensity of his smile going straight to her stomach while her knees weakened at his pet name for her.

Cain relished the effect he had on her.

He watched her bounce away towards the other girls, her beauty clearly outshining them as she joined the crowd under the pale yellow lights. He mused how they danced on her hair, making it vivid and bright, almost as bright as the smile she had on her face as she turned back to look at him. It hit him hard in the
stomach,
his knees turning to jelly as it grew wider, causing her eyes to narrow. He could see the other girls watching her closely and couldn’t stop himself from smiling back at her, making them all frown in jealously.

Chuckling quietly, he took another drag on his cigarette and watched the first of the night’s patrons walk in through the door, hoping they would be good to his girl and keep their hands to themselves.

* * *

Cain looked up at the clock above the bar. It was nearing midnight and the room was crowded. People brushed against him as he sat on his stool at the bar, quietly enjoying his bourbon and pondering just what the hell was happening in his life. Sucking his cheeks in and staring at the amber liquid in front of him, he inhaled deeply, trying to catch a smell of her flowery scent in the smoke filled room.

Jack walked past him on the other side of the bar and then stopped, moved backwards a few steps and looked down at him.

He realized something was wrong straight away.

“Okay, fess up.” Leaning against the bar, Jack placed the empty glasses he was holding down beside him.

“What?” Cain looked up dreamily and blinked.

“Something’s up, man. Do I look blind?”

“Nothing.
Just a long two days.” Cain sipped his bourbon and arched a brow, his look thoughtful.

Jack wasn’t the slightest bit convinced.

“I bet. She’s a real pretty one ain’t she?” He looked over at Lily where she was serving a table full of girls and then down at his friend.

“Yeah,” Cain said and then backtracked. “I mean, don’t know who you’re talking about.”

Jack just chuckled and enjoyed the indifferent expression on his friend’s face.

“Try again without the dreamy sigh and the moon eyes.” He laughed. Cain scowled at him and tapped his left trigger finger against the bar. He stopped laughing and swallowed. “Hey, we have an agreement, no threatening the barkeep.”