“Say that again for me,” Patrick said in a voice made of smoke and violence. It curled down my chest and between the hairs on my head, making them stand on end. I was possessed with the sudden urge to throw myself in his direction. “Patrick,” I said in warning.
He didn’t turn.
“You want to skive a poor man of his dues, Pat?” Lionel continued, blinded by anger or ego. “Why don’t you send one of those pretty girls over here, and we’ll part with no bad blood. All debts paid.”
Foolish man. Did he not smell the blood on the air?
“Lord almighty, Lionel,” Otto uttered, scratching the back of his head. “Don’t say we didn’t warn you.”
“Ah, Lionel, now you’ve gone and spoiled a whole lot of blood between us,” Patrick said, and finally, his hand reached into his waistcoat.
The waiting hammers c
