her friendâs hand. âIâm so thrilled for you.â
âThanks. Iâve never been happier.â
Callie finally noticed me watching them, and her eyes flicked from me to Bria and back again. âHey, whoâs your friend?â
Friend? Bria and Callie talked all the time, from what my sister said. Surely, Bria had told her about meâright?
Bria hesitated. She sat back down on her stool to buy herself a few more seconds to answer, and I could almost see the wheels turning in her mind as she decided exactly what to say about me. âThis is Gin, my . . . sister.â
Callie frowned. âBut I thought that all your family was dead. Your foster parents and your birth family.â
Bria gave her a tight smile. âI did too, until a few months ago. Things have . . . changed since then.â
Well, I supposed that was one way of putting it. I stared at Bria, but she wouldnât meet my eyes.
The seconds ticked by, with only the conversation of the other diners and the clatter of their dishes to fill in the silence. When it became obvious that Bria wasnât going to offer any more explanation about who I was and where Iâd come from, Callie cleared her throat and held out her hand to me.
âPlease forgive me for being rudeand not introducing myself. Callie Reyes.â
âGin Blanco.â I shook her hand. She had a strong grip, and her fingers were warm from the heat of the kitchen.
âGin?â she asked.
I held up my gin and tonic and shook the glass, rattling the ice cubes and slice of lime inside. âGin. Like the liquor.â
âI see. So what do you do, Gin? Are you a cop like Bria is?â
Bria gasped and choked on the hush puppy that sheâd just popped into her mouth. She made a few strangled sounds before she was able to swallow. Looked like my nighttime activities were something else Bria hadnât told her best friend about.
Callie frowned. âAre you okay? Do you need some water?â
âNo, Iâm fine,â Bria wheezed, taking a sip of her mojito. âJust fine.â
Her lips tightened, and she sat up straight on her stool, tension gathering in her shoulders. She didnât look at me, even though I was right next to her.
For the first time, I realized that my sister was actually embarrassed by meâashamed, even. Well, not by me exactly, but by the fact that I was the Spider. That I was an assassin. That Iâd killed as many people as sheâd arrested as a cop. Sure, I still killed people, but usually only to protect my friends, family, or myself. I didnât slice and dice for money anymore. No, these days, the only jobs I occasionally took on were for good, decent folks who had problems that no one else could solve. With Mabâs death, I thought that Bria and I had finally moved beyond mybloody past.
Apparently not.
âActually, I run a restaurant just like you do,â I said, finally answering Callieâs question. âThe Pork Pit, serving up the best barbecue in Ashland.â
The other woman grinned at me. âWell, itâs not barbecue, but I hope that youâll find the food here to your liking.â
My smile was as cold and brittle as hers was warm and friendly. âOh, I always like to see what the competitionâs up to.â
Callie knew a half-assed insult when she heard one, and the grin slowly faded from her face. I had to stop myself from wincing. I didnât often let my emotions get the best of me, but I sounded like a petty, jealous bitch, and I was acting like one too.
âWell, I hope you enjoy your meal,â Callie said in a fainter voice. âIâve got to get back to the kitchen. You know how it is. Bria, Iâll be back just as soon as I get a break. Donât even think about leaving until we catch up on everything that youâve been up to in Ashlandâand I do mean everything .â
Callie stared at me once more before turning,