Rock Chick Revolution(130)

“Yep,” I answered, examining them closely.

Total badasses-in-training. Their faces gave nothing away.

“We heard you’re workin’ the Smithie gig,” Sniff stated.

Oh man.

I tensed and repeated, “Yep.”

“The guys were talkin’ at the offices,” Sniff went on. “Overheard them sayin’ you’re workin’ the bouncer angle.”

I wasn’t working anything just yet. But I didn’t tell them that. I just nodded.

“So we’re lookin’ at the girls,” Roam declared.

I fought rolling my eyes. They were both seventeen, nearly eighteen. So I was not shocked that they’d take this stripper job opportunity to “look at” a bunch of strippers.

“Boys—” I started.

“Just listen, Ally, yeah?” Sniff coaxed.

I studied him a beat and nodded.

“We still got school so we can’t do much, but Sniff took some, I took others, and after school we followed them,” Roam told me.

I didn’t know if this was good or bad. I just knew they’d been around the Hot Bunch not a little but a lot, so they probably weren’t doing stupid shit.

I also wanted to know what they saw.

So I prompted, “And?”

“And, I saw one hand over an envelope to your bouncer guy,” Roam stated. “Had binoculars, saw the guy look through the envelope. Lots of bills. Ones, fives, tens.”

“Tip money,” I said quietly.

“Can’t get in the club so don’t know her take, but my guess, yeah,” Roam replied.

Why would a dancer be giving this guy her tip money?

“He’s got somethin’ on ‘em,” Sniff answered my question and I focused on him. “Don’t know what and Roam only saw that one hand over her cash, but that’s what we reckon.”

“You see these women do anything else?” I asked. “Anything that he might be making them do? Anything that he might be holding over them?”

I got two negative shakes.

Crap.

“You want us to stay on ‘em?” Sniff asked.

“Only if Shirleen knows you’re doing it and she’s cool with that,” I answered.

They looked at each other then they looked at me.

Sniff grinned.

Roam looked focused.

But I knew from their reactions that Shirleen would say it was okay. Then again, she was raising badasses who she would prefer used their badassness for good rather than evil, so she wouldn’t say no.

I lifted my hand and waved it out in a “move along” gesture. “Go forth, get permission, keep your eyes on these girls and report in to me frequently. If you don’t already have it, get my number from Shirleen.”

This got me nods.

“And keep Darius in the loop,” I added.

More nods.

“Thanks, guys,” I finished.

Another grin from Sniff. A chin jerk from Roam.

Jeez.

Roam chin jerking.

Save me.

They took off.

I hit the bar.

I’d just downed my tequila shooter when an arm wrapped around my belly from behind, a pair of lips touched my neck and my man’s voice sounded in my ear, “Havin’ fun?”

I turned in the curve of his arm, looked up at him and nodded. “Yeah. You?”

“Mm-hmm,” he mumbled and his eyes slid down to my chest. “Best part is watchin’ you in this dress.”

It was a wedding, but still, I went clingy, baring and sexy.

It was my way.

This time though, not black. Lavender

“I aim to please,” I told him.

“You do well,” he replied.

I smiled.

He bent in and touched his lips to mine.

“Herb!” we heard snapped (loudly) from across the yard.

Good news.

Trish felt the need for round two.

Leaning into Ren, I turned my attention to the Midwestern contingent of our posse just as Tex boomed, “Jesus Jones, woman, leave him be!”

“Ugh! Why am I surprised? You men stick together!” Trish shouted back.

“My people are Italian, loud and f*ckin’ crazy,” Ren whispered to me. “And still, your people beat mine by a mile.”

I looked up at him. “I know. Aren’t we lucky?”

Ren shook his head.

Then he smiled.

* * * * *

Since most people had plastic cups, three hours later when Blanca wanted everyone’s attention, she held up a filled margarita pitcher and tapped it with a long thin spoon.

As the crowd quieted and turned her way, she announced, “Lee has something to say.”

Standing in the curve of Ren’s arm, having just been shooting the shit with Stella, Mace and Shirleen, we all turned our attention to Lee, who was holding a bottle of beer in one hand, Indy close to his side in the curve of his other arm.

Incidentally, Indy had a can of Fresca.

Lee didn’t delay.

“Two years ago, I met Tex while he was assisting my now pregnant wife with a B&E.”

There were giggles and chuckles and out-and-out laughter, but Lee kept going.

“Not long after that, he saved her life.”

Everyone quit laughing.