Anyone But Rich (Anyone But..., #1)(22)

“That’s horrible.” I laughed. “I’m pretty sure people die from choking on hot dogs all the time. You can’t joke about something like that.”

“That’s totally how you’ll bite the dust.” Iris chuckled. “But the hot dog will belong to Rich.”

I heard horns blare outside just before a car blurred through the intersection.

“Shit!” Iris muttered before flicking on the sirens in her car. “I hope your seat belts are on.”

“They’re not. One seco—”

She slammed on the gas and sent me sliding into Miranda. I very gracefully rolled and scooted back to my seat once Iris straightened the car out. I clicked my seat belt into place and then looked to Miranda, who was glaring at me.

“My boobs aren’t airbags,” she said.

“No shit,” I said, rubbing my elbow. “That felt like trying to break my fall with two single bubbles from a roll of Bubble Wrap.”

Miranda sat up a little straighter and lowered her eyebrows even more. “Yeah, well, I bet jogging is really fun when those ridiculous things keep uppercutting you in the chin.”

“It’s called a sports bra.”

She scoffed. “Do they make an industrial-strength variety?”

“Could you two shut up, please?” Iris asked through gritted teeth.

Once the driver realized Iris was following, they both pulled to the shoulder.

“Stay in the car.” Iris got out with a warning look to Miranda and me, as if we were kids in the back of our mom’s minivan.

“I have to pee,” I said quickly.

Iris sighed. “Seriously?”

I shrugged. “These seats are waterproof, right? Or you could just open my—”

“Get back in the car when you’re done,” Iris said. She pulled my door open and walked off. Miranda and I shared a silent look; then we both got out to follow Iris and eavesdrop.

The car she had followed looked fancy. Very fancy. When the driver’s side door opened, it opened up instead of out and made a futuristic whooshing noise.

I’d mistaken Rich for his twin at the party last week, but this time there was no mistaking it. Cade King wore a button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and his hair was in its trademark careless disarray. He took in the three of us and spread his arms wide like he was about to welcome us into a group hug.

“The solemn sisters!” he said, laughing. “What are you three doing out together? Fighting crime? You forgot the spandex.”

“Tonight, it looks like you’re crime. And I’d rather punch crime in the dick than fight it.” Iris turned to us. “Get back in the car.” There was an extra edge to her voice, and I had a good idea why. Cade and Iris had history.

For a minute, I honestly considered trying to take her gun away, but I knew Iris wasn’t that hotheaded. Most likely, at least.

“Any chance you can let me off with a warning, officer? Or maybe just a light, sensual cavity search?” Cade said.

Iris pulled a pad from her belt and started writing something down. “Sure. It’s two for one tonight. You can get a ticket and a warning. My friends and I aren’t interested in you, your brothers, or any half-hearted apologies you may have planned.”

If Cade was bothered by the venom in her words, he showed no sign of it. “Apologies? I hadn’t planned on making any. And I wasn’t talking to your friends. I was talking to you.”

She pressed the ticket to his chest, but he let it fall to the ground when she pulled her hand away.

“That’s it?” he asked.

“No,” Miranda said. She started stomping toward Cade, but I took her arm and held her back as well as I could. Unfortunately, Miranda was stronger than she looked, and I was gradually getting dragged forward on my heels. “You guys can just leave West Valley while you’re at it.”

I stifled a laugh. “That’s your best line?” I whispered to her.

Cade was smiling too. He took a few steps toward us. “You know, my little brother still has a thing for you. I can see why. You’re feisty. Probably too feisty for him to handle, even.”

“And you’re an ass,” Miranda spat.

“Girls,” Iris said firmly, and I was impressed at how officerly she sounded. “In the cruiser. Now. Let me do my job.”

I backed off, mainly because I didn’t want Iris to start prodding me with her nightstick again.

Cade raised an eyebrow at Iris. “Is it time for the frisk? I promise, I’m definitely packing some heat. You’d better do a thorough pat down.”

Iris gave us a final glare that sent us both reluctantly back to the car. In the end, Cade didn’t get frisked, but judging from the mood Iris was in when she came back, he did get the last word.





Chapter 8





RICH


Principal Lockett insisted on giving me a personal escort through the school every time I showed up. He walked just a step in front of me, as if I needed a five-foot-five balding bodyguard to fight my way through stray students on their way to use the bathroom or get water.

“It’s really quite admirable,” he said. He was huffing for breath from our walk through the halls but didn’t show any signs of wanting to slow his pace. “A man of your means still thinking of giving back.”