“Remorse, an emotion I don’t think I’ve seen the King of Vegas display before.” Snapping his head up, he glares at me, making me suck in a tight breath. The way his hair falls into his eyes, and the intense way his jaw clenches. His shoulders rising as his arms flex, it’s scary.
“I wouldn’t even be here if it weren’t for trying to keep you safe.” His words hit me hard, like a punch to the gut knocking the wind right out of me. I don’t know how to take his comment, because although I didn’t ask him to keep me safe I am glad that it is him keeping me protected, and I don’t want him to regret doing it at all.
“You think he’s really going to help?” I ask, switching the subject.
Shaking his head, he rests his hands on the steering wheel.
“We don’t have anywhere else to go.”
The music is blaring from down the block, half naked chicks and stumbling men walking around. Seems like a big party is going on. There’s so many people walking up and down the street you’d think there was a concert going on instead of a small party.
“I don’t think tonight is the best night to waltz in there,” I state, eyeing the scene more carefully.
“And why’s that?” he questions, looking out the windshield.
“People have been drinking, probably doing drugs. When they see you, they won’t be thinking clearly, and everyone will side with the Devils leaving you and I without a chance.” I point across the way at a silver Crown Vic about a block away from the club in the opposite direction. “Plus, they got heat on them.”
Zeek’s head whips in the direction of my finger. “Seriously? How do you know?” His tone frantic.
I shrug, and continue on.
“It’s a popular car among law enforcement, it looks out of place, and it has a coffee cup on the dash. Looks like a classic stake out.” Memories of my first stake out with my dad come to memory.
“Dad who are we watching?”
My dad replied, reaching for his coffee.
“A criminal, honey,” he said, not looking at me as he took a sip. His tone of voice mimicked the sound of voice he made when a sneaky snake slithered into the garage. I looked around the car, hoping for something to do while I sat there. Dad took me on a lot of his shifts when my mom was helping the church. He didn’t want me home alone, even though I felt being ten years old was plenty old enough to be left at home alone.
“What did he do?”
“Get down!” my dad whispered loudly, slouching in his seat. I dropped to the floorboard, knocking the box of sprinkled donuts to the floor as I tried to contain my giggles.
Headlights splashed across the headliner of the car, before disappearing. “This man has been dealing drugs to kids, he’s very good about not getting caught though. He never touches the product. I’m watching to see who he’s in contact with, see if I can use any of them as an informant.”
I picked at the vinyl seating, still hunched down in the floorboard, one of my knees smashing one of the donuts that escaped the box. “So they will tell on them?” I questioned, wiping the icing from my knee with a finger and bringing it to my mouth.
“Exactly.”
“Why would they tell on their friend?”
“Because,” he looked down at me, his brows narrowed. “I always find a way.”
“Shit. We can’t go in there, that guy could be in Frank’s pocket, you’d never know and we’d play right into his hands.” Zeek’s masculine voice pulls me from my trip down memory lane.
“Yeah, exactly what I said.” Sarcasm drips from my tone, earning me a sideways glance from Zeek.
“You whore, you know you blew him!” A half-naked girl hollers, catching up with a group of girls.
I lower my head, my lips pressing into a thin line. I would never fit in at a motorcycle club’s party. The way these girls just flaunt their bodies without a care in the world, it’s a courage I wish I had. I, on the other hand, pick at every flaw I have when I’m completely clothed.
I can feel Zeek staring at me, but I continue to look forward.
“You know you’re way sexier than them, right?” Tucking my bottom lip between my teeth I hide the smile wanting to slip through my insecurities.
“I’m nothing like them. They wear those sexy clothes, and make-up, I could never pull that off.” I hate how pathetic I sound.
“That’s exactly what I love about you. You’re everything they’re not.” My heart thunders in my chest, and my face warms with adoration. I hate how he can be a complete asshole one minute and then know exactly what to say the next. It hooks me every time.
“So now what do we do?” I cross my arms, ignoring his compliment. I’m too afraid if I respond he’ll say something even sweeter and I’ll melt into his arms. I need to resist him, for the sake of my father’s memory, if anything.
He rubs at his chin. “I have a friend who lives around here, I’ll hit him up and see if he can hold us up for a while, at least until that car disappears. Tonight we’ll stay here.”
“Here?”