Helpless | Hale- TO/TW [5]

9 | True Color

"That table's Italian." Peter sneers as Braeden sets her feet on the table.

"So are these boots." Braeden retorts. Lexi snorts, trying to cover her smile as Peter sends her a look. "Are we going to talk interior designing fashion or are we going to talk numbers?" She cocks her head to the side as Derek examines himself in the reflection of Braeden's sunglasses.

Peter sighs and leans forward, writing a number on a piece of paper. Braeden takes the note and looks back at Peter. Lexi rolls her eyes and stands, settling herself behind Braeden. She bites her lip as Braeden writes the number she wants and hands it back to Peter.

"We're hiring you to find Kate, not assassinate the President," Peter states, unamused.

"I was hired by the Calaveras to find Kate." Braeden reminds him. "You're hiring me to find her first. Going against the Calaveras is what's going to cost you."

Peter writes a new number and sends it back to Braeden. Without looking at the paper, she slides it back. Peter scoffs and goes to a pillar, calming down.

Lexi glances at Derek who is still staring at his reflection. "We'll pay. Just find Kate, that's all we want." Derek sighs, looking up. Peter looks back at him, shocked and offended.

Braeden smirks as she follows Lexi to the door. "Thank you, Braeden," Lexi tells her.

"No problem. I'm getting money, aren't I?" Braeden jokes.

"Yeah, yeah." Lexi laughs softly, closing the door to the loft.

"Are you insane?" Peter exclaims, glaring at Derek.

"We don't have a choice." Derek exhales, now standing in front of the window. "We spent a week looking for her and came up with nothing."

"If we don't find out who told Kate about the vault, we don't get those bonds back!" Peter reminds them as Lexi settles next to Derek. "What do you think I'm gonna do then, huh? Get a job? My resume is slightly out of date."

"I could help." Lexi raises her hand.

"That's not the point!" Peter brings his hand to the bridge of his nose. "We got robbed, Lexi. Robbed!"

When Peter reaches out to her, Derek instantly spins around and grabs his arm. Derek growls, eyes glowing yellow in anger. "Oh, that's a new look for you." Peter breathes. "What happened to your eyes?"

"I don't know." Derek spits. "But I'm willing to pay to find out."

—|—|—|—

"Dumber called," Lexi announces, settling next to Derek. "Apparently there was a triple homicide, and he wants me to look into it because Mr. Self- Riotous and friends won't."

"So, Stiles called you about the ax murderer?" Derek clarifies, a twinkle of amusement in his eyes.

"Absolutely." Lexi sighs, looking at the file that Braeden gave them as she changes behind Derek's back. "Nothing in here about Kate. This killed used an ax."

"Actually, he used a military tomahawk." Braden corrects her.

"That's not in this report," Derek says.

"I know."

"Are you going to tell us what else you know?" Lexi asks, slightly glaring at the mercenary.

"Not yet. Cause I don't really know that much." Braeden sighs.

"But you know something." Derek prompts as Braeden throws her shirt on.

"Maybe. The problem is the people I need to talk to right now, don't talk to people like you." Braeden informs as Derek turns around.

"You want us to wait for you?" Derek deadpans.

"I want you to trust me." Braeden glances at Derek.

"Why would I trust you? I don't know anything about you." Derek scoffs.

"I trust you." Lexi shrugs. "Sort of. I would like to know more about you."

"Yeah, well, I know both of you. And I know what you really want." Lexi and Derek exchange a look. "You want what Kate stole from you. The true nature of someone is reflected in their eyes. In your case, the color of your eyes."

Lexi looks down, licking her lips. "You get a week." She throws Braeden her shotgun before the mercenary walks out.

"You think she'll find something?" Derek asks, an underlying sense of fear in his voice.

"I trust her." Lexi sighs, turning back to him. "We'll find out what happened," She says, rubbing his arm.

"And you're sure this has never happened before?" He questions again.

Lexi inhales sharply. "No, I haven't." She lies. He searches her face for tells but ultimately lets it go. "We'll figure it out, Derek."

"Yeah." He mutters. "Sure."

Sorry for the short chapter. I'm working on the next book and it's coming very slowly. I also have an internship this summer so it might take longer, so I'm sorry if it takes a little while... Hope you enjoyed!