“I do on occasion when I think someone really wants to learn. I’m too busy to waste my time with posers.” My nail tapped on my bat. “I know that’s not why you’re in here. If you’re not interested in the merchandise, I’ll have to ask you to leave. Nothing else is for sale here.”
Lanky had shifted while I spoke. Now, he was standing in the opening at the side of the counter, essentially blocking my path to the rest of the store. From the knowing expression on his face, this move had been purposeful. My fingers curled around the bat.
Deacon nodded and held his hands up, the picture of innocence. “You’re right. You’ve caught me. We heard from sources there was a pretty girl with long brown hair and red lips who works in a skate shop and has the hookup for the finest weed. Since you’re a pretty girl with long brown hair and red lips, I’m going to assume that’s you.”
My nostrils flared. It was true, I did have a weed hookup. What was also true was Deacon and Daniel were creeps. There was no way in hell I’d be doing business with them. Even if I was inclined to sell to them, I’d never cross that line at Savage Wheelz. I respected Preston far too much to put his business in jeopardy.
“Someone’s been talking out of turn,” I replied.
Daniel’s hands went to his hips. “Maybe. Are you saying it’s untrue? Or are you just being a bitch because we have money and you don’t?”
I held up a finger. “First, I’m the only one allowed to call me a bitch. Second, what makes you think I don’t have money?”
He burst out laughing. “Are you serious? Just...look at you.”
“Jesus, Daniel,” Blue Eyes groaned. “Let’s get the fuck out of here. This is done.”
I picked up my bat and rested it on the counter for all to see. “Listen to your pal. He’s right.”
Deacon clucked his tongue. “You’re making a huge mistake. I could’ve brought you a lot of business.” He leaned in, ignoring the bat. “You want to know how easy it is to tell you’re poor?”
I lifted my chin high. “Educate me, big man.”
He sneered. “You might be pretty, but it doesn’t make up for the desperation dripping from your pores. You’re saying no to us, but I can practically hear you panting at the thought of taking our money. The Target T-shirt and dollar lipstick don’t help.”
Blue Eyes moved swiftly, grabbing Deacon’s shoulder. “Time to go.”
I picked up the bat. “Listen to your friend. It’s past time to make an exit and slip back into the primordial goo you crawled out of this morning.”
Blue Eyes—Theo—snickered as he dragged Deacon backward. I met his gaze. He grinned at me. I snarled. That made him laugh again. It was deep and gritty, contradicting his blue-eyed sparkle.
Weirdo.
Movement at my side had me whipping my head to the left. Lanky had crowded into my space behind the counter while I’d been distracted.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” I pointed my bat at him, keeping him back from me. “You need to leave with your friends. This is over.”
He smirked. “If you don’t want to sell us weed, maybe you’ll sell something else.”
“You’re kidding.”
He shook his head slowly. “You look cheap, but I bet the head you give with those big red lips feels expensive. I can get it for free, but I’m curious how good it is when you pay for it.”
My entire being was set aflame. I may have been poor. I may have lived in a trailer park with my drunk of a mother. I may have been going nowhere fast. But I definitely wasn’t a rich boy’s whore.
“Get out,” I gritted through clenched teeth.
He laughed. “Come on, pretty. I’ve got a fifty burning a hole in my pocket. I’ll even let you spit when you’re done.”
Seeing red, I shoved him in his bony chest with the end of the bat. “I’d never take the cash you earned from licking your daddy’s boots. Now, get the fuck out before I put this beauty to use.” I shoved his chest again, and he stumbled back a step, hitting the wall behind him.
Pure fury colored his face. “Who the hell do you think you are? Just a dumb bitch who’ll be begging for my cock in a year or two after you’re all stretched out from birthing a couple bastards from men who couldn’t pay you child support, even if they wanted to.”
As it had a tendency to do, my anger got the better of me. I lunged at him with the bat over my shoulder and took a swing. He jerked to the side at the last second, and the bat connected with the wall where his head had been.
“Fuck. You’re not just a dumb bitch, you’re a crazy bitch,” he shouted.
His friends were at his back, tugging on his shoulders, and he was letting them.
“Don’t ever come back here.” I prowled toward them, the bat raised as they backed up. “You are not welcome to set foot in this store. Take your daddy’s money and wipe your pasty white asses with it. It’s no good here.”
Deacon narrowed his medium eyes on me. “I don’t know what happened. We just wanted some weed.”
“Yeah…well, tell your friend not to be so rape-y and maybe lose the narc look.”
They’d backed all the way up to the door. Daniel’s face was bright red. Deacon’s brows were set in waves of confusion. Theo…well, he looked pissed until our eyes met. Then he softened a fraction, and his perfect lips curved into a small smile.
I did not smile back.
“I’ll make sure they don’t come back,” Theo vowed.
I said nothing.
They shoved out the door, and seconds later, the three of them disappeared down the sidewalk. I exhaled a long, heavy breath and pressed a hand to my chest, trying to manually calm my thrashing heart.
Wow. I didn’t like that. Not one bit.
“That was quite an entertaining show.”
My head jerked toward that quiet, quivering voice. A woman stood in the corner near the front window. She was bony and frail, her eyes dancing with amusement.
She giggled like a teenager even though she couldn’t have been younger than thirty. It was a nice sound, especially after being subjected to the three boys I’d just tossed out.
“I’m sorry if I frightened you,” she said.
“It’s fine.” She’d definitely startled me, but she also looked like a slight breeze would knock her over, so I wasn’t going to give her a hard time. “Is there something I can help you with?”
“Maybe.” She straightened and walked toward me. Her steps were slow, and something about the way she held herself told me they were also painful. From her clothing and the way she carried herself, this woman was clearly wealthy, but money didn’t buy good health. “I’m hoping we can help each other.”
“Oh?” I was wary of what she’d say next. If I had to chase this poor, frail lady out of the shop, I’d be done for the day.
“I’m Madeline McGarvey.” She held out her hand, and I took it reluctantly, giving it the slightest shake so I didn’t knock her over.
“Helen Ortega,” I replied. “Everyone calls me Hells.”
“Helen’s a pretty name.” When I didn’t reply, her dry lips tipped at the corners. “Well, Hells, I really liked the way you handled those boys. I’d like to offer you a job.”
My breath caught in my chest. I didn’t know what I’d thought she’d say, but it wasn’t that.
“A job.”