Page 5 (1/2)

"No, I’ a sip of her htened, and she sat up straight on her stool, tension gathering in her shoulders She didn’t look at ht next to her

For the first time, I realized that my sister was actually embarrassed by me - ashamed, even Well, not by me exactly, but by the fact that I was the Spider That I was an assassin That I’d killed as many people as she’d arrested as a cop Sure, I still killed people, but usually only to protect my friends, family, or myself I didn’t slice and dice for money anymore No, these days, the only jobs I occasionally took on were for good, decent folks who had probleht that Bria and I had finally moved beyond my bloody past

Apparently not

"Actually, I run a restaurant just like you do," I said, finally answering Callie’s question "The Pork Pit, serving up the best barbecue in Ashland"

The other worinned at me "Well, it’s not barbecue, but I hope that you’ll find the food here to your liking"

My smile was as cold and brittle as hers arm and friendly "Oh, I always like to see what the competition’s up to"

Callie knew a half-assed insult when she heard one, and the grin slowly faded fro I didn’t often let et the best of me, but I sounded like a petty, jealous bitch, and I was acting like one too

"Well, I hope you enjoy your et back to the kitchen You kno it is Bria, I’ll be back just as soon as I get a break Don’t even think about leaving until we catch up on everything that you’ve been up to in Ashland - and I do "

Callie stared atdoors, and disappearing into the kitchen As soon as she was out of sight, Bria glared atwith you?" she hissed "That was my friend, my very best friend, and you were rude to her, Gin Extremely rude You kno much Callie means to me, how she’s like a sister to me"

Yeah, the sweet, perfect sister that I’ht The sister that you wish I was But I didn’t say the words or tell Bria how ether, how much it hurt to hear her defend Callie in a way that she had never defended lared at htened around the silverware as if she wanted to use it to stab me instead of her shrih to start eating

I just sighed, wondering if everyone had as

All around us, the other diners laughed and talked and joked over their meals, but Bria and I ate in silence, with only the scrape of our forks and knives on the plates to break the ugly, icy quiet between us

At least the food was excellent, just like rilled Ja that was just the right blend of spicy and savory and was topped with a kiwi-o salsa sweetened with honey The poppyseed bun was homemade and still warm from the oven, while the sweet potato fries were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside It was one of the best meals I’d ever had that I hadn’t cooked myself

Callie dropped by our end of the bar as often as she could, as well asat the tables to see if folks needed anything, and asking after the friends and fareat cook, but Callie Reyes kneork a crowd too I could see why the Sea Breeze was such a success Hidden treasure, indeed

Not only was I jealous of Callie’s relationship with Bria, but I also envied the easy camaraderie Callie had with her custo at the Pork Pit, I’d wind up fighting for ainst whatever hoodlum had come by determined to take me out - after he’d eatenon an empty stomach

Eventually, the dinner crowd came and went, and the picnic tables outside were deserted for another evening Only a few folks re over their food Bria had ordered a slice of key li that was just as good as everything else had been I took another bite of the pudding, relishing the sweet tang of the pineapple in raham cracker crust Yep, I was definitely jealous now

"Whew!" Callie said, plopping down on the stool on the other side of Bria "I always forget how crazy things get in the spring Won’t be long now before the tourists start showing up, and we’ll be sla It’s a lot of work, but I wouldover the furnishings like she wastheer

"Why?" Bria asked, picking up on her friend’s sad, wistfulthe restaurant You’re not thinking about selling out, are you?"

Callie’s eyes darkened "Souess you could say"

Bria started to ask her friend another question, but she never got the chance The screen door banged open, and two men stepped into the restaurant For aback at the Pork Pit - everybody froze The few diners, the taitresses still on duty, the bartender, even Callie They all stopped what they were doing to stare at the twodining to tight, nervous tension

One of theout at seven feet tall His skin, hair, and eyes were all the color of straight black coffee, and the loose white linen shirt and pants that he wore uy was a reen parrots over khaki cargo pants and plastic red flip-flops His sandy blond hair, his sun-roasted co in his ear ht not be in Ashland anynized their type - low-level muscle that someone had dispatched to deal with a certain kind of probleht of the twoto bet she was that problely

Chapter 4

Callie slid off her stool, squared her shoulders, and uy, the pirate, opened hishim off