Rock Chick Renegade (Rock Chick #4)(29)

“Where do you stand?” I asked.

“Got your back when you’re on the street. The rest of the time I’ll be tryin’ to talk you out of it.”

I put my hands to my hips. “I thought you just said I knew what I was doing?” I asked.

“He gave you a classic opening and you took advantage of it. He thought you were a joke. You kept your cool and did well but word’ll get around. Somehow, with your shit, it gets around faster than most. People will begin to take you more seriously. Maybe take you as a challenge and look for you. You won’t get the same opening again.”

“I’ll be ready for it,” I said. “That’s not my only move.”

Vance’s shit-eating grin made an appearance. “So, what you’re sayin’ is, you wanted to lose this morning when we were wrestling in bed?” Vance asked.

I opened my mouth to speak (or probably yell) when Luke materialized at our side.

He was smiling huge, no half-mouthed grin this time and I knew he heard what Vance said. Vance dropped his hand from my neck.

“Hate to break up this lover’s chat but we gotta take these boys in. You gonna speak for Law or you want me to do it?” he asked.

“Speak for me?” I asked.

“I’ll do it,” Vance said, ignoring me.

“Speak for me?” I repeated.

“You givin’ her your protection?” Luke asked, ignoring me too.

“Speak for me?” I said again then I hesitated, my eyes narrowed and I went on. “Protection?”

“Yeah,” Vance answered Luke’s protection question.

“Um… protection?” I asked.

Mace arrived at us. “Tell them she’s got mine too,” he said.

“Excuse me… boys?” I cut in.

Vance looked at Luke. “What about you?” he asked.

“I’m in,” Luke replied.

“Helloooooo?” I called.

“You want to call Lee, make it official?” Mace asked.

I gave up, crossed my arms on my chest and tapped my toe.

“Yeah,” Luke answered on a short laugh. “He’s at dinner with Indy, Roxie, Hank, Ally, Tex and his parents. Welcome to Denver for Roxie. He’s probably ready to murder someone about now. He’d kill to get a high priority call.”

The guys looked at each other with amused faces.

“Um, pardon me but it is after midnight. I doubt they’re still at dinner,” I informed them.

They all looked at me.

“Shit,” Mace muttered.

“Probably shouldn’t call him then,” Luke half-grinned.

These guys.

“Does someone want to tell me what you’re talking about?” I asked.

“We’ll leave that to Crowe. Later,” Luke said then he de-materialized, poof, gone.

Same with Mace.

I didn’t ask how these boys seemed to appear and disappear without apparently moving. I had more important things on my mind.

“What’s that mean, speaking for me and protection?” I asked, turning fully to Vance.

“Jermaine and Clarence work for the same guy. Not good to have your boys in a showdown with a white woman in an alley and they get bested. Normally, Princess, you could expect retribution. Someone’s gotta talk to him to convince him not to send someone to put a bullet in your brain. That someone is me.”

I didn’t say anything partially because I didn’t want to think about a bullet in my brain and partially because he called me “Princess”.

“At the same time I make this rumor of you and me bein’ partners true. I give you my protection and they’ll take that into consideration before they, or anyone, thinks to move on you. It’ll mean a f**k of a lot more with Mace and Luke in. It’ll mean even more if Lee throws down.”

I knew he was saying serious stuff but the only thing I could think to say was, “Princess?”

He got close, his hands went to my h*ps and pulled them to his and he looked down at me. “You understand what I just said to you?” he asked softly.

I nodded but said, “Princess?”

He grinned and got closer, his shadowed face blocking out the small amount of light.

His voice still soft, he said, “You sleep in that big bed, wearin’ soft, lacy nightgowns, all those fancy sheets and pillows and fancy furniture in the living room. You live like a f**kin’ princess.”

“I’m not a princess,” I whispered.

“You are to me.”

Oh my God.

I didn’t say anything, couldn’t say anything. I just stood there and stared at his shadowed face.

He kissed my forehead and said, “Get your kids home.”

And then he, too, vanished into the night.

Chapter Seven

Wear Something Nice

The minute I swung into King’s the next morning I knew the night’s escapade had already made the rounds.

There were twice as many kids there than yesterday. They all looked at me when I walked in and the room went wired.

“God dammit,” I muttered under my breath.

“Hey Law!” Curtis shouted from across the room.

I walked to him, ignoring the eyes that followed my progress. “How’s your head?” I asked.