Mad Dog by Ophelia Bell

Author:Ophelia Bell [Bell, Ophelia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Animus Press

24

Maddox

The bell over my door jingles at ten p.m. on a Saturday night, and my spine prickles with Pavlovian recognition. I shake it off because there’s no way my instincts are that good. It’s just wishful thinking. Saturdays at this time were when Leo always scheduled his sessions, but I haven’t seen him in a few months, haven’t had any expectations to see him again despite Toni’s visit.

After she dropped in, days passed without any peep from Celeste or Leo, so I gave up hope. I’m better off if they stay away.

I swipe the remnants of ink off the skin of the gangbanger in my chair, then add one final touch. My ears twitch at Sam’s enthusiastic greeting. “Leo! Dude, you are my second-favorite person in the world! Did you really send Toni Valentine to interview me?”

Nothing after that registers beyond the buzz of excitement thrumming in my veins. The motherfucker is here. For what, I have no idea, because he didn’t make an appointment. I rush through cleanup on the client, covering the tattoo with ointment followed by a layer of plastic wrap to protect it. I recite the after-care instructions by rote and almost forget to take payment before I kick him out.

The man looks vaguely worried when he glances toward the bat-wing doors.

“We’re done here, my man,” I say with mild impatience. Out in the reception area, Sam is regaling Leo with a recounting of his meeting with Toni, which the kid hasn’t shut up about since it happened a couple weeks earlier.

“I didn’t know el Rey León was your client,” my client whispers, as if speaking the name of the devil himself and not the title of a Disney flick.

I stare at him. “Leo Reyes?” I bark a laugh. “You seriously call him that? Jesus, what a fucking ego the bastard must have by now.”

“He’s a scary bastard is what he is,” the man says, darting a wary look toward the doors. “Some say scarier than Gustavo because he’s so nice most of the time, so when he gets angry it’s even worse.”

“Anyone can be scarier than a dead man. That isn’t saying much.”

The man’s eyes widen and he shakes his head. “No, hermano. Didn’t you hear? Gustavo’s alive. Word on the street is he’s working for Amador now and on the hunt for whoever stole all that money from him. I don’t want to be caught on the bad side of either of those dudes.”

A chill skitters up my spine at the news, but I maintain my calm stoicism. “Well, this shop is neutral territory. Trust me, he won’t do more than look. You’re safe to go.”

I stand and push open the doors, then step aside and gesture for the man to exit. He casts one glance toward the back before I brush past him and block the way to the garage. No way for him to go but straight out the front doors. Finally, he turns and hustles out the door while Leo chats with Sam, oblivious to the presence of anyone else until I belly up to the counter.

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