The jingle of the door opening brought Rhea from the back of her store, carrying the dress she was in the middle of sewing back up. Her eyes down at the line of needlework, she yells “Be with you in just a second.”
“Oh, no worries,” a familiar voice has Rhea looking up at her new customer. Bright red hair spills over the gray suit, imposing even if he was barely average height.
Rhea gasps, putting the dress down. “Aaron, what are you doing here?”
The man reaches behind him, locking the door to the boutique. His eyes never leave the her’s, the steely gaze of a man about to do something unpleasant but necessary“Claire sent me down because of some….discrepancies. And I asked.”
She frowns, crossing her arms. Aaron walks around, closing curtains to the night outside.
“What do you mean, discrepancies? I’ve paid my dues, in money and info,” she says, not moving as he comes closer. She shivers when she smells him, his aftershave just a hint on the air, smelling of musk and gunpowder. Rhea watches his chest, not wanting to look him in the face.