Rock Chick (Rock Chick #1)(135)

I didn’t like that either, it was bossy. Way too bossy.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

Wilcox moved, Lee’s eyes sliced to him and he didn’t answer me.

“If you’re waitin’ for the cavalry to arrive, then you should know your boys outside are neutralized,” Lee said and I felt my breath catch.

So that was Wilcox’s secret.

And that was where Lee had been.

I wondered what neutralized meant, for, like, a second. Then I decided I didn’t want to know.

“Relax Coxy,” Lee went on, “Gino will be here soon. He’s had an earful from Marcus. But I’m sure, since you’re blood, he’ll give you the chance to explain.”

Uh-oh.

Gino was Wilcox’s blood. And Gino’s name was “Gino” which was a mob boss name if I ever heard one.

That meant the mafia was descending to do “clean up”.

Okay, time for me to leave.

“I’ll just wait in the car,” I said

Lee looked back to me. “Good idea.”

I started walking to the door at a loss for what to say. I felt a parting line was called for but I didn’t have one.

I stopped at the door and looked at Darius.

“See you later?” I asked.

He stared at me a beat, maybe attempting to determine my sanity. Then he grinned while shaking his head, but he didn’t answer.

“Get to the car Indy,” Lee ordered.

I ignored Lee and turned to Eddie.

“Later, Eddie,” I said.

Eddie was smiling flat out but also shaking his head.

“Later, chica.”

“Indy, get to the f**king car,” Lee repeated.

“All right, jeez. I’m going,” I muttered and turned to the door then mumbled under my breath, “So damn bossy.”

* * * * *

Lee drove us home in his Crossfire.

He was silent.

I was silent.

I was feeling a good deal of relief. There was the distinct possibility that my life was going to go back to normal. I’d never been a fan of normal, in fact, I avoided it at all costs, but now it sounded really good to me.

I kind of wanted to ask Lee if it was truly all over but I could tell Lee didn’t feel in the mood to talk. I could tell this because there were scary “not now” vibes bouncing around inside the car so I figured later would be better.

He parked behind my, now our duplex and I didn’t see any flashing lights or hear anyone running around or shouting so I figured the whole exploding car thing had been cleaned up and life was back to normal on Bayaud Avenue.

We walked in, Lee locking the door behind us, me flipping on the kitchen light.

I turned to him.

“You want a beer?” I asked.

He tossed his car keys on the kitchen counter and looked at me.

“What did you just say?” he asked quietly, face a little scary.

Um.

Uh-oh.

“Um… I asked if you wanted a beer.”

“That’s what I thought you said.”

I decided maybe it was time to go back to silence.

He watched me for awhile.

Then he said, “You left the house, where you were safe, and got yourself kidnapped. Again.”

I gave a little wince. “Yeah… well –”

He interrupted me. “My boys were busy, you’re f**king lucky Darius came to watch the house or who knows what the f**k would have happened.”

“I realize it was kind of an idiotic thing to do,” I admitted.

“Kind of?”

Jeez.

“Okay, it was a really idiotic thing to do… but –”

“Indy, for Christ’s sake!” Lee exploded, body tight, face beyond a little scary straight to semi-demented.

I did the only thing I could do.

I ran to him, one step, two, three, then I threw myself at him bodily. Jumping up, my arms went around his neck, my legs went around his hips, I bent my head, put my mouth to his and I kissed him.

I took him off guard, which was good. He went back on a foot, his hands went to my ass holding me to him. He resisted for, like, a second, then he kissed me back, hot, deep, lots of tongue, full of relief and something else.

Something that felt like promise.

It was the best kiss I’d ever had.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

So Damned Cocky

Two mornings after my third (and hopefully last) kidnapping, I slid back into bed, pulled the covers up to my chin and stared at the ceiling.

After a couple of minutes, Lee walked in carrying two cups of coffee. He put one on the nightstand and then stood beside the bed, looking down at me, sipping from his cup.

I ignored the coffee.

This heralded a momentous occasion. It was the first time I’d ever ignored a cup of coffee first thing in the morning.

“Well, the baby scare is over,” I told the ceiling, not sure if I was happy or sad my monthly visitor had showed up. Then I was not sure whether I should be happy or sad about the fact that I didn’t know if I was happy or sad. This was too confusing so I stopped thinking altogether.

The bed moved when Lee sat next to me. He leaned down, his handsome face filled my vision, his warm eyes melty-chocolate and his lips brushed against mine.

His head moved away an inch. “We have time.”