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supposed to of Mab Monroe, who enjoyed flaunting her status as the watch out for you.”
    city’s golden girl. Still, I knew power when I saw it—
    Big brother? Yeah, I could see that. Eva had the same elemental or otherwise. And owen Grayson had plenty. coloring as the thirtysomething man. Blue-black hair, Definitely someone worth watching.
    pale eyes, milky skin. It made her beautiful. Him too, in
    “Gin Blanco.”
    a cold sort of way.
    “Gin?” he asked.
    “Now, tell me what happened,” the man demanded
    “Like the liquor,” I quipped.
    again.
    owen Grayson’s eyes glittered at my wry tone, but I Eva rolled her eyes and launched into a recount of the still put my hand in his. Grayson’s fingers curled around Estep_Web of Lies_1P EP.indd 32-33
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    34 JENNIFER ESTEP
    Web of Lies 35
    my skin like thick ropes of kudzu. Hard, sturdy, and aloff her like water. Looked like something she ignored a most unbreakable. He might not be a dwarf, but there lot. Instead, Eva gave him a calm, calculating look. had to be some of the blood in his veins. only way to ex“You want me to have a bodyguard? Then hire her.”
    plain that kind of grip. Grayson glanced down at our enThe girl stabbed her finger at me. “Because she took out a twined hands and frowned, as though I’d static-shocked Fire elemental like it was nothing. And she cooks.”
    him or something. Maybe I had, because I felt a brief owen’s pale eyes swept over my body. Probably wonprick on my palm. dering how I’d had the strength, balls, or dumb luck to The sensation vanished, and I tightened my own grip, do that.
    just to show him I wasn’t easily intimidated. A small smile I’d taken a lot of dirty jobs in my time, but be a bodytugged up Grayson’s lips, as though he found my show of guard to a know-it-all college girl? I might have retired strength amusing. I gave him a cool stare. The hostility from being an assassin, but I hadn’t gone insane. “Sorry. must have flickered in my gray eyes because owen GrayMy dance card’s already full.”
    son let go first.
    owen nodded. “Job offer notwithstanding, you saved Eva Grayson watched the exchange with interest. So my sister’s life. I owe you. Name your price.”
    did her friend Cassidy. Sophia Deveraux had already reMy turn to roll my eyes. “I don’t want your money, treated to the back of the Pork Pit to start closing up the and I don’t need it.”
    restaurant for the night.
    His violet gaze flicked around the restaurant, taking in owen Grayson stared at me a moment more before the faded pig tracks on the floor and the well-worn booths, turning to his sister. “If nothing else, tonight has proven chairs, and tables. Disbelief filled his features, but he was my point about Southtown. From now on, someone will enough of a Southern gentleman not to call me a liar to be with you during school hours.”
    my face. Little did he know I was telling the truth. I’d Eva rolled her eyes again. Looked like something she salted away a lot of money—a lot of money—from my did a lot when her big brother was around. “No. No more assassin jobs over the years, and Fletcher had left me an exbodyguards. I’m nineteen years old, owen. I’m in college . ceptionally healthy bequest in his will. I could hemorrhage I can take care of myself.”
    C-notes for years, decades even, and it wouldn’t hurt a bit.
    “Like you did tonight?” he replied.
    But instead of offering his money to me again, owen
    “Tonight was a freak event, and you know it,” she rereached into his suit and drew out a small white card. I torted. “I’m not going to let you use it as an excuse. Betook it from him. Along with his name and a cell phone sides, I was perfectly safe the whole time.”
    number, a hammer was embossed in silver foil on the
    “That bruise on your cheek tells me otherwise.”
    card. Grayson’s rune. A large, heavy hammer, symbolizing owen glowered at his sister, but the hostile gaze slid strength,