I sighed and looked at the customer service representative. She looked pale.
“What can you do?” I asked her.
She shook her head and rushed through my purchase.
Call number eight came while we were walking towards California Pizza Kitchen. I pulled out my phone wondering if it could overheat. I’d never been this popular.
It was Zip and he didn’t have the courtesy to identify himself either.
“What? You got the big boys teachin’ you the fancy moves, you don’t need me, Heavy and Frank no more?”
Uh-oh.
“Zip –” I started.
“You’re comin’ in to target practice. Tonight.”
“Zip, I just doubled up on toiletries because Vance told me to leave mine at his place. Now I’m getting pizza with Roxie. Then I’m going out to crack some heads. I don’t have time to shoot.”
“You left your stuff at Crowe’s? I thought you two had broken up,” Zip asked.
“There was a misunderstanding, apparently we hadn’t.”
“Yeah. I bet. Heard you’ve been on the street with Stark. One moves out, the other moves in, the first one decides he doesn’t feel so much like movin’ out no more.”
“It wasn’t like that.”
“Don’t got time to process your love life. Girl, you are loco. Fuckin’ loco. You don’t leave your stuff at a man’s house after knowin’ him for a week!”
“Of course not,” I snapped, “I’ve known him for a week and two days.”
“Shee-it. Those fuckin’ guys,” Zip said then gave up. “You’re in here tomorrow night. No excuses.”
Disconnect.
When our pizzas were served, I asked Roxie. “So, did you ever double up on toiletries with Hank?”
She shook her head. “I lived in Chicago. When I was in Denver most of the time I stayed with Hank. I went back to Chicago for a few weeks to pack up and when I got to Denver, I moved right in with Hank. I was supposed to get an apartment for six months but Hank didn’t like that idea as in really didn’t like it.”
I blinked at her. “These guys move fast,” I whispered.
She smiled and I realized that she’d been living with Hank for as long as I’d known Vance, she’d moved to Denver the day I met him. Their relationship was still relatively new.
“How’s it going?” I asked softly.
Her smile got bright but her eyes got soft and she didn’t answer because she didn’t have to.
“I’m so glad, Roxie.” Then, before I could stop myself, I reached out, grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze.
She squeezed back then she started giggling and again, I did too.
Call number nine came after Roxie and I said good-bye and I was walking back to my car. It was Luke.
“What the fuck?” He also hadn’t taken phone etiquette classes.
“What the fuck what?” I asked.
“I thought you were givin’ me a week? Shortest fuckin’ week in history, you goin’ out tonight with Tex.”
“How did you know I was going out with Tex?”
“Clue in, Law. People talk.”
I was beginning to realize that. “I thought our deal went south when Vance and I got back together.”
“A deal’s a deal.”
I thought about this. I thought about what Vance would think about this. I figured Vance wouldn’t like it much. Furthermore, I decided I didn’t like ride-alongs partly because they reminded me that people sucked and partly because Luke hogged all the action.
“You hog all the action,” I told him.
“Babe,” he replied.
“No, seriously.”
“Wasn’t me who took down a pimp and two whores single-handed.”
Hmm.
He was right.
Time for a different tactic. “If we keep our deal, I have to explain it to Vance. I’m not sure Vance can take another Yoko Ono conversation,” I told Luke.
Silence.
“Luke?”
“Jesus,” came the muttered reply.
“What?”
He didn’t answer on our primary topic, instead he said, “Tonight, you be sure you take lead. Tex is a nut and Tex is an ex-con. Do not let him do anything crazy. You go down, you got no priors. He goes down, he’s fucked. The cops want you off the streets and they’ll be aimin’ for you. Take Tex’s Camino, your Camaro’s too visible. And for fuck’s sake, keep sharp.”
Disconnect.
Call number ten came when I was in my kitchen, punching in my alarm code and Boo was shouting at me for treats, very unhappy with my trip to the mall and my gab with Roxie at California Pizza Kitchen and not afraid to tell me.
I dumped my shopping bags and purse on the kitchen table and snatched out the phone. Vance.
“What’s this about Tex?”
Jeez.
“Crowe –”
“I don’t have a good feeling about this.”
Time for evasive maneuvering. “Jet wants to know if you want to have Thanksgiving at Eddie’s Mom’s house with her and Eddie, Tex and Nancy, Roxie and Hank, Ally and her parents. Or do you just want to have it with Nick and me? Or, erm… did you, um, have to work or something?”
Oh my God.
I was such a dork.
When Vance answered, his voice was pure silk. Evasive maneuvering was effective and it was clear Vance didn’t think I was a dork.
“What do you want, Princess?”
I felt the warm whoosh in my belly. “Just you and Nick,” I replied.
“That’s what we’ll do then.”
I smiled at the phone. Again.
“I’ll make pumpkin pie,” I said.
“We’ll get one at King Soopers.”
Disconnect.
I stared at the phone.
“I am so sure,” I said to the phone.
“Meow!” Boo said to me.
* * * * *
Tex drove a bronze El Camino and Tex played his rock ‘n’ roll loud.
Therefore when we went barreling into the parking lot toward the drug deal, the Doobie Brother’s “Listen to the Music” was blasting.
Tex screeched to a halt, swinging the wheel at the last minute so we did a 180 degree turn.
We were such a sight to see (and hear), instead of running the buyers and seller stared at us in frozen shock and I didn’t blame them.
Then during the Doobie Brothers singing the chorus, Tex got out his side, I got out my side and we lobbed the smoke bombs. Three for him, three for me. The buyers and seller started choking, spluttering, cursing and scurrying.
Tex and I jumped into the car and Tex peeled away.
“That’s what I’m talkin’ about, turkey!” Tex shouted at the windshield and banged his fist on the steering wheel. He did this every time we’d seen action, except once instead of “turkey”, he said, “sucka”.
It had been an active night. We were out of smoke bombs.
Make no mistake, The Law and her sidekick, Tex, the Crackpot Coffee Guy were on the job.
“We’re out of smoke bombs,” I told Tex.
“Could swing by your place, pick up the tear gas,” Tex suggested.
Um.
No.
“I don’t think smoke bombs are illegal. I’m not sure about tear gas.”
Tex was silent for a moment as if contemplating this.
Finally he said, “See your point.”
“Maybe we should call it a night?”
“We goin’ out again tomorrow?”
Hmm.
He said “we”.
I was a loner or had been until recently. I hadn’t seen a lot of alone time in awhile and that had been at night when I thought Vance and I had broken up.
That time wasn’t fun.
Furthermore Tex was huge, burly and relaxed. He caused mayhem like it was second nature. He made me feel safe.
It was a new experience, being out making life a pain for drug dealers with Tex.
I liked it.
“Sure,?
?? I said.
“Fuckin’ A, woman!” Tex boomed.
I smiled.
We went to his house and he stood on the sidewalk and didn’t make a move toward his door until I was in my car and headed down the street.
* * * * *
I was negotiating the alley toward Nick and my garage when a car reversed out of a back drive right into the alley, right in front of me. To avoid it I slammed on the brakes and came to a bone-jarring halt.
I stared out the windshield. The car was dark, no lights.
Fuck, fuck, fuck!
I threw the Camaro in reverse and looked over my shoulder but all I could see was a motorcycle parked perpendicular to my car.
I’d wasted precious time shifting to reverse. I should have locked my doors. I didn’t even get a chance to move when my door was thrown open.
Before I could grab my gun or stun gun on the seat beside me, someone reached in, undid my belt and yanked me out of the car.
He slammed the door and then slammed me against the car and got up close, his hard body to my soft one, his heat slamming into me like a physical thing.
When I got a look at him in the hazy alley streetlight, I went still.
He looked like a somewhat younger, tougher, rougher but just as red-hot-handsome version of Eddie Chavez.
This had to be Hector Chavez, Eddie’s brother.
Oh my God.
Before I could say a word or do a thing, he started speaking. “Get off the street Law. Shard, Jermaine and Clarence are lookin’ for retribution, no matter what protection Crowe is offering. They aren’t gonna take you down. They’re gonna take you somewhere and play with you awhile, games you won’t think are fun.”
I’d stilled at the sight of him but his words sent a chill through my blood.
“When they’re done, you’ll beg them to kill you,” he went on.
Um.
Yikes.
“Do I make myself clear?” he asked.
Without delay I nodded. He made himself clear all right.
He stared at me. I could tell his eyes were dark, liquid black like his brother’s and I found myself wishing for more light just so I could read them.
He got closer, this wouldn’t seem possible but just like Vance had, Hector did – right deep, face-to-face in my space.
“You tell anyone you saw me, you’ll blow my cover and I won’t be happy mainly because I won’t be breathin’.”
I swallowed.
“Nod if you understand,” he demanded.
I nodded again, I understood.
He was a cop… or something. Likely deep cover if even Eddie and Lee didn’t know what he was up to.
“Does that mean you don’t want me to say anything to…?” I started.
He looked to his left, nodded once, then back at me. “The boys’ll know to keep their mouths shut.”
Then as fast as he’d come, he was gone, disappearing into the night. The car in front of Hazel took off, the motorcycle behind her did the same. I never even saw the drivers.
Wow.
With full body shakes I drove Hazel to the garage, super-cautious, eyes checking mirrors, willing my ears to have powers beyond normal. I parked, secured the garage and then ran into the house even though I wanted to stop and kiss Vance’s Harley which was sitting outside my backdoor.
I flew into the kitchen and dumped my weapons and bag on the table. Then I locked the door and armed the alarm.
Boo sauntered in and looked at me. “Meow,” he said.
Obviously Vance had given him treats or pets because Boo was a fuck of a lot more calm than me.
I stared at my cat for a beat.
Then I screeched, “Crowe!”
I was standing and hyperventilating in my kitchen when Vance walked in. He took one look at me and came to a dead halt.
“I, you… we… oh my God,” I said.
“Jesus, Jules. Are you all right?”
I shook my head then I nodded it then I shook it again.
He started toward me. I took a step back and he stopped again, this time his brows came together. “You’re not gonna try and break up with me again, are you?”
This time I just shook my head.
His eyes narrowed under knitted brows. “Is Tex okay?”
I nodded.
“Are you okay?”
I shook my head.
He came forward again and I didn’t retreat. “Are you hurt?”
“I just met Hector Chavez,” I announced.
Vance stopped again, in my space. I saw his eyes flash.
“What the fuck?” he murmured.
“Just now, he and a couple of his buddies fenced me and Hazel in, in the alley. He yanked me out of the car, warned me off the street. Told me Shard, Jermaine and Clarence were going to hurt me no matter what protection you’re offering.”
This didn’t make Vance look happy. “He say anything else?”
“Nothing I care repeating. Not on that subject anyway. He did say if I told anyone about our chat, I’d blow his cover which means he wouldn’t be breathing anymore… or something like that.”
Vance stared at me then he muttered, “Christ.”
I wasn’t sure exactly what I was feeling but I thought it might be fear.
A lot of fear.
I wasn’t going to admit to that out loud so I just took a deep breath to try and control it. That didn’t work so I leaned forward, head down, and collided with Crowe, forehead to his shoulder.
He took my weight without a word, his arms coming around me.
“You gotta get off the street,” he said softly.
“If I do, they win,” I said just as softly even though I agreed with him.
Vance didn’t respond.
I didn’t want to play the games Shard, Clarence and Jermaine had planned for me. I knew I’d be disappointing Tex but if something happened to me, who’d take care of Roam and Sniff? Who’d have dinner with Nick and drive him crazy occasionally? Who’d give it to Vance regularly?
I didn’t want to think of anyone (or multiple anyones) giving it to Vance regularly.
This meant I had to get off the street.
God dammit.
I looked up at Vance. “Shit,” I said.
His arms got tighter and he kissed my forehead but he still didn’t say anything.
There was something nice about that. He didn’t rub it in or make a big deal about it. He just let my decision… be.
Even though I was freaking out, I felt another pleasant whoosh in my belly.
“This sucks,” I told him. “Tex and I had fun tonight. He’s a great sidekick. We used up all our smoke bombs. He’s gonna be pissed we aren’t going out tomorrow night.”
“He’ll get over it,” Vance replied.
“I have seventeen rolls of plastic wrap. What am I going to do with seventeen rolls of plastic wrap? I never have leftovers. I don’t cook.”
Vance grinned at me. “Maybe Nick can use them,” he suggested.
“What am I going to do at night?” I went on. “I’m used to night-time action. I’m going to get bored. I can’t go from making an art of havoc to lying around reading a book. I’ll go nuts.”
His eyes got soft and sexy. “We’ll find some way to keep you busy.”
My belly fluttered.
Hmm.
“What if you’re working or out of town?”
“For the time being, I’ll work something out with Lee.”
“I don’t want you getting into trouble at work.”
His grin turned into a smile. “Maybe you don’t get it, Princess. Lee wants you fucked up by Shard, Clarence and Jermaine only slightly less than I do. You got nothin’ to worry about.”
That caused a belly whoosh too, not as big as the other one but it was still nice.
“Crowe.”
“You got nothin’ to worry about,” he repeated.
“I don’t think –”
“Shut up, Jules.”
It was my t
urn for my brows to knit over narrowed eyes. “Seriously, for the last time, don’t tell me to shut up.”
Crowe ignored my attitude, stepped away from me and looked around the room.
“Why are we standin’ in the kitchen?” he asked.
I blinked at him, not keeping up. I thought we had begun to bicker. I kind of liked bickering with him. His question threw me.
“What?” I asked.
“Lots of better places for us to be,” was his answer.
Then before I could reply, he leaned down, put a shoulder in my belly, a hand at my wrist and an arm around my thighs and lifted, wrapping me around his neck. He turned and started walking toward the hall.
I shouted, “Crowe!” as if I minded him carrying me to bed.
Um.
Hardly.
I didn’t mind at all.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chopped Liver
I woke up to heavy kitty footfalls on my body.
I felt Vance’s warmth against my back, his body spooning mine, his forearm resting just below my waist.
I decided this was my Number One Most Favorite Sleeping Position with Vance and I was looking forward to ranking alternates.
Boo walked back and forth across Vance and me. I could tell he was doing this because his kitty feet would leave me and then come back to me a lot further down or up my body.
I opened my eyes. It was still dark, nigh on winter so the days were short but I knew it was too early for Boo Breakfast.
When Boo was four-footed on my body, I did a jerk, he lost his position and slid clumsily down my belly with an angry, “Meow!”
I wrapped an arm around him and tucked him into my body. He started purring loudly.
“Would you break up with me if I killed your cat?” Vance’s sleepy-rough voice sounded against the back of my neck.
“Probably.”
Vance’s arm moved, his hand sliding up my belly, midriff, then came to rest cupping my breast.
I was wrong, there was only a subtle change but this was my Number One Most Favorite Sleeping Position with Vance.
* * * * *
I woke up again and it was later. I didn’t know how much later but I instinctively knew there wasn’t much time before the alarm went.
I rolled to my belly, dislodging Boo and Vance’s arm. Vance moved automatically, falling to his back. I turned into him, ready to say something but when I lifted up on my elbows I realized he was still asleep.