An hour later, the four of us were headed to Dreesen's estate, a stolen Heartrender in tow. If Pekka Rollins wasn't already pissed off, he sure would be now, considering we took the only Heartrender available tonight. She was rather nice, well dressed, and polite, not something seen in the Barrel, but she was talkative, and beginning to grind down Kaz's patience and my own.
'I really appreciate the new business, but you've only paid for an hour of my time, and I have to be back at the Orchid.'
'The Orchid isn't safe tonight. Your life's in danger with this job. Make yourself scarce for a few days afterwards.' Kaz didn't even turn to look at her.
'Mr. Brekker, are you threatening me? Really? Even if I'm nice, my boss will call the stadwatch on you.'
Kaz stopped and turned to her. 'It's not me you're in danger with. It's Pekka Rollins.'
'My boss would call the stadwatch on him as well.'
I patted her on the shoulder. 'Which is why your boss is already dead.'
We continued towards the gate when a man yelled across the courtyard. 'Who are you lot?'
Kaz stopped behind the gate. 'We're here to see Dreesen.'
'You're not with Pekka's crew.'
'And you're not in Pekka's pocket anymore if you don't owe him,' Kaz said, tossing the man a bag of coins.
The man catches the coin and stares at Kaz for a second. Then he opens the gate and lets us inside. Jesper races up to Kaz.
'Hey, where did you get that coin?' he asks Kaz.
'Hey!' the man says from behind us. We all turned around. 'One of these has a hole in it!'
'Saints,' Jesper said, smiling.
'Inside,' Kaz says, waving us along. 'Inside.'
Inej and the Heartrender race inside as me and Jesper laugh. Jesper throws an arm around me as we walk into the building.
---
We are led through the house by a guard, all the way to Dreesen's office. The guard opened the door, and Kaz stepped in first, then me, taking my spot next to him.
Dreesen looked up from his desk and sighed. 'One look and I can tell. Criminals. I'm not meeting anyone till midnight.'
I almost roll my eyes. Everyone in the Barrel is a criminal. Rich merch or gang member.
'We heard you needed a Heartrender,' Kaz said.
Dreesen stands. 'Hmm. Alright, she stays, the rest of you, out.'
The Heartrender smiled and started to walk forward, only for Kaz's cane to swiftly come out and block her from walking any further. I sigh as I watch Kaz's face harden. Kaz always gets what he wants, this job will be no different.
'She stays. And we have an exclusive on this job.'
'Mr. Brekker,' Dreesen says, as he walks around his desk. 'No businessman worth his salt hires his first applicant.'
I batted my eyelashes at Dreesen. 'Come now, Mr. Dreesen. We, of course, understand your predicament. What would I possibly know about running a business? Of course, I do understand criminals, and what you did doesn't seem very legal, does it? Kidnapping without an upstanding title? I think the guild would be very interested to hear about that, don't you?'
