Shaking my head, I pushed through the metal doors and headed down the small hallway leading to the kitchen.
Griff hurried and got to my side.
I glanced at him. “Why do you always waste your time with her?”
“She’s beautiful.”
I threw him a skeptical look. “But, is she?”
“Do you not see those big ass titties?” Griff cupped his hands in front of his chest. “And that ass.”
“I’m pretty sure Johnny is fucking her.”
“Johnny is married.”
“I don’t think he cares about that.”
“No.” Griff frowned. “You sure he’s fucking her?”
“I think so.”
“But, she’s always flirting with you.”
“She seems like one of those chicks that are into danger.”
“We’ve never seen them together.”
“Yeah, but Johnny gets weird anytime I talk to her.”
“She’s young enough to be his daughter. It might be a father figure thing.”
“Still, my gut—”
“Your gut? No one cares about your gut.”
I stopped us at the last set of double doors. “Even if she isn’t messing with Johnny. You’re worthy of more. You should move on to someone else who genuinely wants you.”
“Oh really? This from a man whose been sitting in a park for several weeks waiting to kidnap—”
“That’s different.”
“You were chasing Phoenix all around her apartment—”
“I said that it’s different.”
“In what reality is that different.” Griff pushed through the double doors.
Groaning, I went in after him.
Johnny appeared in front of us, carrying a tray of cupcakes. “Cain and Griffin!”
I held my hand out. “Do you need help with that?”
“It’s too hot for you to handle.” Johnny set the tray onto the steel table next to him. The aroma of freshly baked donuts fills the air. Warm, sweet, and rich, it permeated the space. “I was happy to get the text from your brother that you would be on your way.”
“Sorry for the delay.”
“I was getting nervous.” Johnny studied me. “It’s not like you to go weeks in silence like that.”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “Something came up.”
“I bet it did. It has damn near been a month.” He rubbed his stomach and watched me. “I almost gave another crew the job.”
“I’m glad you didn’t.”
He raised one brow. “What took you so long?”
“I had something to do.”
“What?”
“You never care what I do on my off-time, Johnny. Why now?”
“Tsk. Tsk. This new job deals with important people. I’m wondering if. . .”
“Someone got to me?” I shook my head. “Even if they did, I wouldn’t know what to say. You haven’t told me much about the job, besides that it’s in Paradise.”
“I know, but the person that owns the place that you will rob. . .he’s a tricky bastard. He’s always three to four steps ahead of everyone.”
I unfolded my arms. “I still haven’t said yes to the job.”
“No one has talked to you about me?”
“No one.”
“Hmmm.” He walked over to another tray of donuts on the table. “This is a new flavor. I want you two to try it.”
Griff and I went to the other side of the table.
Twenty-four black, rectangular donuts with rounded corners sat on the table in front of us, sprinkled with green candy. Green icing dripped down their sides and pooled in the centers.
Johnny pointed to them. “Go ahead.”
I picked up one. The donut warmed my fingers. The icing smeared on my hand. I took a small bite. I thought it would have been a chocolate flavor. Instead, I tasted a meat flavor. Maybe it was beef.
Ugh. And the icing is. . .spinach?
Griff grabbed a donut and took a large bite. Disgust covered his face. He turned away. I knew he was having as tough a time as me, swallowing it.
Johnny looked my way. “What do you think?”
Griff mumbled, “Not. . .bad, Johnny.”
I set the donut on an empty plate. “They’re disgusting.”
Johnny eyed me. “Yeah?”
I nodded. “If I take another bite, I might throw up.”
Johnny smiled and handed me a napkin. “I can still trust you.”
That was a test?
“For years, I’ve been experimenting with the idea of a savory donut.” Johnny frowned at the tray of black and green ones. “Perhaps, I should give up.”
“Perhaps.” I wiped the spinach green icing off my fingers. “Let’s get on with the job.”
“I still would like to know what you were doing.”
“I was hunting someone.”
“Aww.” His expression relaxed. “Did you get her?”
I quirked my brows. “How did you know the person was female?”
“A man only turns away from money when pussy is around. And this is a lot of money, so she must be a lot of woman.”
“She is.”
“Was it quite a chase?”
“It was.”
“But, you finally found her?”
“I did.”
“And now you have her?”
“I do.”
Johnny pulled out a pack of cigarettes and gestured for me to come out in the alley.
Annoyed, I headed off with him.
Griff followed, continuing to munch on the nasty doughnut. “It’s growing on me.”
We hit the alley.
Johnny leaned against the brick wall and lit the cigarette.
Annoyed, I frowned. “Are we going to get to the job or not?”