The Not-Outcast(82)
“Yep.”
“Did Cut hear any of it?”
“Well…” This was the part where I told her what really went down, on the whole me going for his jugular. And then I waited because it was complete silence at the table afterwards.
She took a breath, blinked a few times, and then drained her second brandy. “Damn again.”
“Yep. Again.”
“He’s gone?”
I nodded.
Her eyes slid sideways to me. “And you have his phone?”
I met her gaze, also sideways. “I mean, it’s at Cut’s house.”
“You’re saying that we can get to it?”
“Why?”
“Because I might know his passcode.”
My mouth dropped.
I had no words. I didn’t know if I should be excited or wary.
Forget that.
Excitement. All day every day.
“What do you want to do?”
“What do you think?” Sasha just gave me a knowing grin.
Oh yeah. We were about to get into some trouble.
“Are we too old to do stuff like this?” I said this as I was sliding out of the booth.
Sasha was right behind me. She snorted. “Two words: toilet paper. Let’s fuck this guy’s life up a bit.”
*
Me: You at your place right now?
Cut: I headed to Hendrix’s. You done already?
Me: Nope. I think it might be a late night.
Cut: Okay. Have fun.
*
We were in Matilda, and I put my phone back in my purse just as the light turned green.
I was driving this time, and I glanced at Sasha. “I feel like I should tell Cut what we’re going to do.”
“Plausible deniability.”
Right. That was a good way to think of it.
I added, “I’ll tell him later.”
Sasha’s head bobbed up and down. “Later.”
Like next year later, maybe.
“You know the code to get in?”
My stomach dipped. “Yes. And I know where they keep the extra key.”
A smile from her. “Excellent.” A beat later, “Plausible deniability.”
“Plausible deniability.”
*
Koala Sister: Um.
Koala Brother: Um what?
Koala Sister: Um um.
Koala Brother: OMG, Cheyenne. Just say it.
Koala Sister: Nothing. Love you. Miss you. How are you?
Koala Brother: Dude.
Koala Sister: DUDE!
Koala Brother: Same, by the way.
Koala Sister: Dude.
42
Cut
“That was your girl?” Hendrix asked, coming back with a beer in hand.
He handed it over, sitting down on his couch.
I took it. “She’s doing a girls’ night.”
Hendrix frowned, taking a sip of his beer. “I had a buddy who always thought ‘girls’ night’ was code for ‘I’m going out drinking with my girls and I’m going to cheat on you.’”
“I don’t think that’s what this is. Cheyenne’s not like that.”
“Still.” Another sip and he shrugged. “He found out after they broke up that his girl had been cheating on him the whole time. Screwed him up for life.”
“That’s a seriously depressing story.”
Another sip. Another shrug. “Just saying it how it is.”
“Girls’ night for them is at Sasha’s club. Where other girls dance.”
He grinned. “That’s awesome. You got a cool chick.”
“Speaking of—”
“Nope.” Beer in hand, he pointed at me, shaking his head. “Don’t go there.”
“Where?”
“I’m into the Not-Russian, but we’re not those guys. We don’t talk about chicks with each other, or our feelings about them.”
“I was going to ask if you wanted to go down to Come Our Way on Friday for a volunteer day. We’re back then and have a half-day. You mentioned doing an extra day.”
“Don’t I feel like a dumbass now.”
I grinned. “I never did it the first round. Thought it’d be cool to go before the charity event.”
“That’s Saturday night, isn’t it?”
“Yeah.”
His eyes narrowed and he took a slow sip from his beer. “I’m in.” Then, he eyed me. “Be honest, dude. You’re going to check out that Dean guy, aren’t you?”
I never answered him. It wasn’t that I didn’t trust Cheyenne. I did, but he was there and he worked with her and … I’d be checking this guy out.
He laughed. I didn’t have to answer him.
We went over to the hockey setup he had in his apartment.
I went first, hitting the puck into the net and the sirens lit up.
43
Cheyenne
The mission was set.
Get inside the house, get Chad’s phone, and fuck up his life. Those were more Sasha’s words, but I was along for the ride. I was an eager accomplice. We pulled up to the house. The lights were off. Everything seemed easy enough, right?