Rock Chick Renegade (Rock Chick #4)(76)

One thing you could say for that, it sure was honest.

“Well, then you’ll be pleased to know we broke up today. We’re only going to the party together because we made a deal.”

I passed the torch and it was his turn to stare then for some strange reason he started to look a little angry.

“That didn’t take long,” he murmured as if to himself.

“Shit happens. Now, get off.”

The door opened and both of our heads twisted to it. Vance was standing there. He stood frozen for a beat, hand on the door knob.

Then his arms crossed on his chest, his eyes went hard and his face got scary. “What… the… f*ck?” His voice was low and as scary as his face.

Luke looked at Vance then he looked at me. Luke’s face was blank but his eyes were active and I could tell he was thinking about something.

I looked back at Vance. “He’s showing me some moves,” I told Vance.

“Yeah, I can see,” Vance replied.

Um.

Yikes.

Luke knifed off me and then grabbed my forearm and pulled me up to stand close to him. I didn’t move away because there were crackling-not-happy vibes floating around the room and I didn’t want to do anything to set them off. And anyway, I was feeling very weird around Vance. I’d broken up with him, he’d kind of accepted it yet we weren’t through. I’d become used to him being around, getting in my space, descending into what had become a familiar banter. This was just weird. It felt foreign, uncomfortable, wrong.

We all stared at each other.

Then Luke said, “You two over after the party?”

Vance’s eyes sliced to Luke. My lungs squeezed painfully, my eyes widened and moved to him too.

Vance didn’t answer. Neither did I.

“You’re through with Law then you won’t mind me movin’ in,” Luke said, clearly not worried about fanning the flames of the crackling-not-happy vibes.

Oh my God.

I continued staring at Luke with wide eyes but my mouth had now dropped open.

“You move in, we have problems,” Vance returned softly.

“You move out, don’t seem like it’s much of your business.”

The crackling vibes got red-hot.

It was time for me to say something. “Excuse me but I am in the room,” I snapped. “I thought you said not many men like their women roaming the streets looking for trouble?” I pointed out to Luke.

“Yeah, I did. Though I think it’s kinda cute,” Luke replied.

Oh my God.

“Well hurray for you but come tomorrow, you boys are off the job. I’m a single-act show again,” I returned.

“You’re in for trainin’ tomorrow, same time,” Luke shot back.

“No f**king way.”

“Only a girl would turn her back on a good deal just because she got f**ked in the process.”

“News flash, Luke, I am a girl,” I returned heatedly, hands going to my hips.

“Yeah,” he grinned, leaning back, “I noticed that.”

Vance moved. Luke and I swung our eyes to him and I realized too late the red-hot vibes went white.

His movement wasn’t distinguishable. He was still standing, arms crossed on his chest, but something about him went hostile.

I waited. Luke (thankfully) was silent. The room burned.

Then Vance said, eyes on me, “Five to eight.”

Then he was gone.

I whirled on Luke. “What in the hell was that all about?”

He just grinned at me.

“Stop grinning,” I demanded.

“Tomorrow, after training, you and I patrol.”

“I don’t think so.”

“I do. You aren’t going to learn shit on a mat. You gotta learn in the field.”

“I said no.”

He kept grinning. “You got a new partner now.”

I rolled my eyes to the ceiling.

These guys.

* * * * *

I wore a little black dress to the party.

And it was little.

It seemed like a good idea at the time, before the flowers, before my freak out, when I was in a happy birthday daze.

It wasn’t a good idea now.

I’d gone home from training, packed a backpack (better for the Harley), showered, done the whole makeup and hair bit. Subtle makeup, it was all I knew how to do and my hair was up in a messy twist, which I didn’t know how to do but luckily, after five tries, it worked.

During the mall extravaganza as birthday presents Roxie bought me this lotion that made my legs look shiny and ultra-smooth. Jet had given me three kinds of flavored lip gloss (I’d made the mistake of telling her about Vance’s “you smell of melons and taste of cherries” comment and she got a bit overexcited), bubble gum, grape and of course cherry (I went with grape for the evening).

My dress was clingy black jersey, to the knee, halter-necked, the front fell in a drape, low on my cle**age, the back also had a drape, super-low, exposing most of the small of my back. My shoes were spike-heeled, pointed-toe, open sides but with a full back and a thick strap across the very top of my foot, just under the ankle.

I went with bare (Roxie-lotion-shiny) legs, my new bracelet on my wrist and Auntie Reba’s diamond at my neck.

I was filling Boo’s food bowl, telling him he had to be a good kitty until I got home the next day when Vance walked in the backdoor.