Free Stolen Petals by Katherine McIntyre

Chapter One
    He'd been sitting at the edge of her bar for the past hour.
    The man was all broad shoulders and long limbs with walnut hair longer and shaggier than proper. Wearing a creased, half-open, button-down shirt, he didn't fit in amongst the polished mahogany countertops or the citrine drop lamps dangling from the ceilings. He'd ordered a pint and paid with coin, another faux pas on this side of town. Viola lifted an eyebrow as she noted his dirty fingerprints smudging her glasses. Her other customers avoided him on principle. A couple of gentlemen clustered by the humming fireplace and a dapper couple in the corner whispered to one another while reclining on the plush green chairs of Viola's establishment. Class was one thing the Ivory Cup overflowed with.
    His silence unsettled her. After all, a man like him wouldn't dare step foot in her establishment without reason and given the air of familiarity about him, Viola had the feeling she wouldn't like said reason. He glanced up, his hazel eyes sparking as they locked with hers. She kept her chin high and looked away, tucking a stray strand of hair back into her bun. A hiss cut through the quiet atmosphere from the mechanical bottle that sprayed rosewater through the air. Entertaining his company would only bring a bad name to the Ivory Cup and serve a waste of her time and efforts.
    The bell on the door tinkled as a tall gentleman stepped in, his silver-threaded waistcoat and signet rings marking him as money. Viola leaned forward, angling so the creamy skin of her chest displayed in full view and a dazzling smile curved her scarlet lips. The man approached the bar and rested his cane on the side. He scanned her over, pausing on her assets.
    "What would you like to drink tonight, sir?" She grabbed a tumbler, anticipating the usual kind his sort ordered.
    "Gin on the rocks." He sat on the stool and passed her a folded bill as she dispensed the dew. She didn't ask if he wanted change—in a place like this, it would be unseemly.
    The gentleman focused his attention on his gin. However, the ruffian at the edge of the bar took note of the newcomer. His gaze slid her way as he feigned inattention. Right. The lager he drank wasn't groundbreaking enough to spend this long nursing it. Questions of what he wanted and why he lingered here broiled through her mind, but Viola, if anything, was patient. She could wait and besides, she had more important things to do. After all, she hadn't grilled this new gentleman yet, and he was the exact type to have the information she sought. Pulling out a holo, she began jotting down a list of items to restock while keeping her attention on her patrons.
    She'd been fishing all night for any hearsay on Claude Brownetree. The recluse younger brother of Lord Brownetree had racked himself a hefty gambling debt, leaving an enormous bounty on his head. Why? Because of his station, he was untouchable. Any capture had to involve discretion unless you wanted to be beaten down by Brownetree's guard.
    Viola hadn't been in the game this long by being sloppy. Her scores gained her this bar, and the bar made her job easier. However, her status meant the occasional unmannered boor straggling into her business. Other bounty hunters hunted for the information that flowed through the Ivory Cup or looked to make trouble for her. Either way, Hazel Eyes would cause problems.
    "Will you be attending Lady Henrietta's upcoming soiree? It's all the talk around Islington." She twirled one of her curls.
    The gentleman parted with his gin and regarded her question. "Haven't seen her in awhile, so I suppose I'll have to pay my respects."
    "I heard it's going to be quite the scene. All the noble families are going." Viola kept the conversation flowing while topping off his gin. "Colstons, Kirklands, Stanburys and Brownetrees..." she trailed off, keeping close watch to the gentleman's eyes. His expression didn't change.
    "Yes, yes, the whole lot of them. Including their