Trapped With Sin

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

She parked in front of a large, circular red building that branched off into two high-rises that formed a complete circle. David’s new place of residence—which made him her new best friend. It seemed like it would be a lot like living in an alien pod, but who was she to judge? At least the place looked well maintained. There was a lot of outside seating, trashcans, and grills which was a fine start to any good bachelor pad party. 

“Hope he remembers me,” Riley muttered before getting out of her car, beeping it until it locked, and taking off across the tarmac through the shimmering heat of almost midday in New Mexico.

Shoving her sunglasses up into her hair, Riley opened one of the glass double doors, and proceeded into the caressing whoosh of air conditioning that smacked her in the face. That was much better. Goose bumps shifted up her bare arms and she shivered before licking her lips. Looked as if there were no guards on duty, which meant a straight across the lobby trip to the elevator without passing go or collecting two hundred dollars. 

A lucky break. It’d been a long time since she’d seen David and he could have acquired fancier, exclusive taste like an apartment building that came with a doorman or at least good security. But from the generic red throw rugs, red contemporary circle chairs, and black marble lobby the complex mainly looked like any other in its impersonal layout. Still, he was probably paying more in rent than she currently was, which was a sobering thought that made her balls her hands into fists.

She pressed the elevator button for the third floor and got out to search for apartment 3A. After a long walk, through which she figured out the apartments were listed in reverse order, she found the apartment in the back catty corner to the obnoxious deco lights that were trying to be retro. Riley rolled her shoulders, double checked her bag was secure, and put on a toothy grin that looked was harmless but was more of a cover for pure badassness.

With little preamble, she knocked, and shifted her backpack on her shoulder. She’d already popped a business card out of her wallet and she pulled her blue vest over the holster again so she wouldn’t scare the guy. No need to be flashing anything when he wasn’t an apprehension. People tended to clam up real fast when guns were in the mix and she needed all the hints she could get from him to locate his best friend. She tapped her toe and resisted the urge to knock again.

The door swung half-open and a lumberjack of a man, very bearded took up the whole sliver of doorway leading into his loft apartment. “Hello? Who is it?”

God he looked way more scruffy than she remembered—granted, David hadn’t been able to grow much of anything in high school, let alone facial hair. He’d been skinny, gawky, every geek trait known to man. Maybe he’d felt the need to overcompensate? She mentally shook herself out of her thoughts and smiled again, extending her card to him. Why in the hell was he hiding in his apartment as if it was Fort Knox? Clearly, he needed to be worried about something.

“Hi, I’m Riley Mason. We went to school together? I was wondering if you could help me locate Tate Deville? I really need to speak with him.”

David’s squinty brown gaze rolled up and down Riley until she widened her stance and crossed her arms hoping she’d passed his leisurely and all encompassing inspection. He made a grunt. Next he looked down at the environmentally friendly card in his hand, before looking back at her, and then back at the card again. 

“Bounty Hunter, huh? What do you want with Tate?” He shoved the card in his pocket and swallowed. “It’s been a few years, hasn’t it?”

“I can’t really discuss business until you let me inside.” Riley looked down the hallway before she looked down at the floor. She had the grace to blush and she shoved her hands into her pockets. “I know how long it’s been. I, uh, well…sorry.”