“Turn the car off!” I yell as I get out of my side of the cruiser. Leaving my door open to use for cover, I wait, just like everyone else does.
I listen as the engine of the car shuts off and watch as the driver puts their hands outside the window. “Drop the keys on the ground,” I instruct, voice firm, hands strong as I watch him follow my instructions.
Havoc takes over and starts giving them motions to get out of the car. Once they’re out and we have them cuffed, we get IDs and sit them against the door. My gaze hones in on the driver of the car. A quick flash goes back to where I’ve seen him before. I could have sworn he learned his lesson the first time.
“I know that kid,” I tell Havoc as we meet in the middle. “He was the one Caleb was with the other night. The driver.”
“Well then he shouldn’t be driving again, because his license should be suspended.”
When the license does come back as suspended, Havoc gets irritated.
“Damnit, go ahead and search the car, there’s a reason he was running.”
“Do I have consent?” I ask both the driver and the passenger. When the driver does nothing more than nod, I have to wonder what’s caused the change in him.
Before I get started, I give them the respect of asking what’s in it. “Is there anything you want to tell me about before I search it?” I ask as I put gloves on, to protect me in case I don’t want to touch something. Luckily I’ve never been poked by a dirty needle, and I don’t feel like having it happen today.
The kid sitting next to him is shaking, sweating profusely, and not meeting my eyes. The driver is stone cold. There’s something in this car, and there’s been an emotional change in the driver. He’d been amenable when I pulled him over before. Today he doesn’t even glance at any of us. His dad had been apologetic when he came to get him, saying it was the first time he’d ever been in trouble. When I pulled him over the other day, he’d been almost polite, and quick to offer information. Today he’s not. He’s offering nothing and looking pretty fucking guilty.
Neither one of them have offered me any information, so I search thoroughly, expecting to find any number of things stashed in the vehicle. But when I find nothing in the front seat or back seat, I wonder if maybe I was quick to judge. Wouldn’t be the first time, and definitely won’t be the last.
However, as I open the trunk, I have a tingling at the back of my neck. I’m going to find something in this car. The question is what, and how is it going to affect the kids sitting here. “What am I going to find back here?” I ask one more time, giving them an option for an out. Neither one of them give me an answer, so I open the trunk, and whistle loudly when I get a good look at what they were transporting.
It’s a trunk full of moonshine. Couple this with the rumors about what’s going inside the school? I call Havoc over, wishing I didn’t have to. I wish the person wasn’t preying on the innocent, I wish there were some way we could stop this for good, and I hope like hell these kids are smart enough to realize how dangerous this is. All we need is another kid to die, and it’ll tear a hole in this community as big as it’s ever seen.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Violet
I feel like I’ve gone through every piece of clothing I own, but nothing feels good. Frustrated, I reach over to my phone and quickly FaceTime Leighton. If anyone can help me, it’s going to be her.
“What’s going on?” her smiling face asks as the connection is made.
“I have nothing to wear for a date with Anthony,” I complain, as I show her the mess behind me. “I’ve tried on every piece of clothing I own and nothing looks or feels right.” I plop down on the bed with a sigh. “Take pity on me and help me out.”
“You’re going out with him!” she screams.
“Yes,” I laugh.
“Tonight?” She questions, more excited about this than I am, I think.
“Yes tonight.” I roll my eyes. “Focus, Leigh.”
“Right,” She shakes her head. “Okay, you have plenty to wear, Vi. You have dresses, jeans, everything. Where are you two going?” I can see her situate herself on the couch, her stomach more visible as she enters her sixth month. My eyes watch with a soft smile as she caresses the bump in the tight shirt she wears.
“Out to eat and maybe dancing is where he said we were going.”
Leighton’s eyes light up, and I can almost feel her excitement through the video screen. “Then oh my God, Vi, wear a dress. Can you just imagine it? He pulls you close on the dance floor, pushes his hands up your thighs and grabs a handful of flesh? Sexiest thing ever.”
Leighton and her dirty mind are starting to affect me. I’m completely and vividly imagining just what she’s described. “You don’t think that’s too presumptuous?”
“You shared a bed with him at Whitney and Ryan’s wedding. I mean either you want to be close to him, or you don’t. And I kinda think you want to be close to him.”
God, if she only knew. If she only knew how far we’ve come and how close we’ve gotten.
“I do have that black dress. Do you think that’s too dressy?” I think back to the dress in the back of my closet, it could work.
“Oh hell no, it’s sexy. Pair it with some fuck-me heels or some boots and you’ve got it. Curl your hair the way you do, or fishtail braid it, and he won’t be able to keep his hands off you. Do that dramatic makeup look you’re so good at.”
I can’t believe I’m talking to her about this and planning what I’m going to wear on a date with Anthony. For so long it’s never seemed like it would be an option. My reality was darker, depressing, and didn’t include this amazing guy in it.
Crazy how things change.
“Okay, I need to be shaving my legs then.”
She winks at me through the screen, holding her lip between her teeth. “Shave it all girlfriend. Never know what you might be showing him tonight.”
“You’re a really bad influence. Talk to you later.”
As I disconnect the call, she’s giggling, and I’m shaking my head.
Sometimes I sit back and wonder why I was led to Laurel Springs, why I chose to stay here after the situation with Brent, even though it might have been easier for me to go somewhere else.
Every time, I come back to this being the place I’m meant to be. No other place I’ve ever lived has felt like home, and just maybe I’m finally ready to lay down some roots. The thought doesn’t scare me as much as it once did, and that in itself is a powerful feeling. Glancing up at the clock, I realize I don’t have much time before Anthony gets here. Letting out a little squeal, I run to the bathroom to shave my legs and hurry through my routine of getting ready. No way I want to be late.
* * *
My hair is still damp when I glance back at the clock again. I don’t have time to dry and curl my hair like I’d wanted to. Curls would allow him to move his fingers freely – if we got around to it – but they don’t look like they’re gonna happen for me tonight.
Instead, I think back to my conversation with Leighton and remember what she said about a fishtail braid. Because I wear it on a regular basis, it doesn’t take me long to do it. The look, however, gives the impression that it took hours to create. I have layers, and not all of them will go in neatly. A few well-placed bobby pins and I’m good to go.
Grabbing hold of my makeup bag, I go to work on my face. Typically Anthony see’s the bare-bones version of my look. Tonight I want to be the girl he would take home from the bar if he saw me there. I do my eyeshadow with a much heavier hand than I normally do.
Just as I’m swiping on the last coat of the first metallic lip stain I’ve ever used in my life, there’s a knock at the door. Inhaling deeply, I slowly let the breath out, not recognizing the person I see in the mirror. Having finally gotten around to getting all the new makeup products I wanted to try, my look is darker, more mature, and…alluring, if I had to give a description. I’m still messing with the braids, but this one is much more intricate,
and I’m quite proud of myself for mastering it. Twirling in the mirror, the skirt flairs, showing off my thighs. Maybe Leighton was right.
“Coming.” I slip into low-heeled ankle boots, ones that I’d bought on a whim a couple of months ago, but never wore. They’re rose gold glitter and the flashiest things I’ve owned. I love them. One of the first things I bought when I realized my money was my money and no one could tell me how to spend it.
Checking the peephole, I make sure it’s Anthony, and when I see his chiseled jawline, I realize tonight is a game changer. But this is a curveball in my life I’m willing to accept, swing at, and hopefully hit over the fence.
Ace
It’s taking her a while to come to the door, and for a split second I wonder if she’s changed her mind. Are we moving too fast? Have I pressured her into something she didn’t really feel ready to do? I’m five seconds from reaching into the dark jeans I’m wearing and pulling out my cell phone to give her a call and tell her this is a bad idea, when her door opens. And my jaw hits the damn ground like a cartoon character from when I was a kid.
“Do I look okay?” she questions, looking shy. God, I hate that she even questions what she looks like. The woman standing in front of me is a wet dream and is so different from the woman I first met.
Somehow, I find my voice. “You’re fucking gorgeous.”
The black dress she’s wearing skims her thighs, showing off surprisingly long legs for someone on the short side, encased in the sexiest pair of shoes I’ve seen her wear. Her eyes are dark and sultry. The lines around her lips are perfect in a way that’s teasing me to smear the color. I hope whatever she’s wearing on them is long-lasting. I definitely want that option later on tonight.
Her cheeks pinken, and I love the fact I was able to bring color to them. I’d like to bring color to many other parts of her body if she’d allow me to. We’ve been figuratively dancing around one another for a long time.
“Thank you.” She smiles, her brown eyes moving up and down my body. “You’re pretty hot yourself.”
Those four little words please me in a way no others have. Hearing her admission does crazy things for my self-esteem. “These are for you,” I remember the flowers I’m holding in my hands. They’d almost caused me to be late, but there’s one thing I learned when I was first dating, and that’s to make a good impression, even if you were friends to begin with.
“They’re beautiful, you didn’t have to.” She steps aside, walking back into her portion of the duplex.
My feet follow of their own free will, watching as she walks in those shoes with a heel. Her ass sways as she balances and then takes another step. If Violet ever truly worked on strutting her stuff, she’d be a force to be reckoned with. And I’d be a fucking goner.
“Ready?” she asks after putting them in the water. “I’ve not been out on a date in a really long time. I’m kind of excited. I told myself not to get too excited, because I didn’t want to be overbearing, but I can’t help myself.”
The smile she gives me is wide, full of promise, and unabashedly happy. I can’t help but lean in and capture her lips with mine. She curls her hand around my wrist, where I hold her neck, but we keep it chaste. I want to coax her lips apart, push my tongue into her mouth, and get drunk on her taste. But I also want to take her out on the town and show her off too. Pulling back is one of the hardest things I’ve ever made myself do. Her lips chase me, but I stop her by pressing my thumb into her cheek with a little bit of force.
“We can do that later, right now, let’s hit the town and show you off.” And show her off is what I want to do. I’m not immune to the whispers and stares if someone sees us out together. While many people are happy for her, and for me, this is still the small-town south. There are upstanding members of our community who would rather see her stay with a man that abused her, than divorce and be happy. There are other women who would turn their back on her, tell her she deserved everything she got, and that in the eyes of the Lord she’s still married to Brent. I’m here to give those people a great big fuck you when they see us out together.
Her eyes are clouded with what I hope is passion, but then a smile spreads across her face.
“Show me off?” Violet shakes her head. “Nah, we’re gonna show you off. I don’t remember when was the last time someone saw you around here in something other than faded jeans, a t-shirt, or your uniform. Remember, not many people came to the wedding. I’m excited to be on your arm tonight.”
I wish I could tell her how lucky I am to have her. In fact, I would tell her, but I don’t think she’s ready to hear it. Instead, I give her a grin and offer her my arm. “Feeling’s mutual.”
We quickly lock up her side of the duplex and when we make our way to the truck, I open the door for her and lift her up. Deciding to throw caution to the wind, and see how far she’ll let me go, I step up on the running board, spread her legs, and sneak my fingers beneath whatever pair of underwear she has on to give her a bit of a thrill. These are the types of liberties I’ve wanted to take with her, and I want Violet to be completely okay with them. Her eyes dilate, her legs spread a little further, and judging by the moan that resonates deep in her throat, she’s totally down for this.
Later, I tell my libido. And as I step down, close the door, and make my way around to the driver’s side, I hope like hell I can make it through this night.
No one has ever affected me the way she is right now, and if given the chance, she’s the last one who will. Standing outside the driver’s door, I take a deep breath, before I open it, and climb in.
“You good?” I ask as I buckle up and turn the truck on, putting it in gear.
“I’m great,” she answers, reaching over to grab my hand.
And with her hand tucked in mine, we take off on this new adventure. I know where the end will be, have known since she moved in. The journey getting there? Worth all the time we’ve waited.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Ace
“I’m getting dizzy.” Violet giggles as I spin her around the dance floor.
This particular giggle is something I haven’t heard from her before, not this carefree noise that bubbles up from her throat and explodes into a sound that puts goosebumps on my forearms. She’s breathing heavily as I pull her into my arms, every part of our bodies touching. I’m breathing hard too, and as we share a breath, I push her away and then bring her back in. Sliding my hand down her back to cup her ass.
The song ends, and we break apart to clap. The house band that’s playing announces they’re going to slow it down a little bit. It’s welcome, I’m getting tired. I haven’t had a workout like this in a long time.
“You need to sit or are you good?” I put my mouth to her ear so she can hear me over the background racket.
She shakes her head, smile never leaving her face. “I’m good.”
A slower tune starts playing from the band on the stage, and she easily slips into my arms. The sounds of everyone around us seems to quieten down as well as we sway to the beat. When I speak again, it’s in a normal voice, and she’s actually able to understand.
“You having a good time?”
“Best time ever.” She slips her arms tighter around my neck. The laughing shine is gone from her eyes, and now she looks more serious, more passionate than I’ve seen her look. The beat the band is playing is a sexy rhythm, and as she starts circling her hips to it, I grit my teeth.
All night I’ve wanted to have my hands on her, and now that it’s happening I’m not sure what to do. Violet’s more receptive to my touch than she’s ever been, and I insinuate my leg in between her thighs as we’re making our way along the dance floor. As we approach a spot that’s heavily shadowed, she releases one of her arms from around my neck, dragging her hand down my chest, and abdomen, hooking her hand along my waist. Subtly I can feel her starting to grind against my thigh.
“Ace,” she whispers as I move us farther into the shadows, away from any pry
ing eyes that may be watching. “Tell me to stop playing with fire.”
I’m the wrong person to tell her to stop. There’s a devil on my left that influences the next words out of my mouth. “Do whatever makes you feel good, baby.”
“I can’t here,” she whispers back, running her hands up my chest.
My eyebrows are in my hairline as I look down at her. Am I mistaking what she’s trying to tell me? I have to be completely sure, I don’t want to make an assumption and have it set both of us back. “Where do you wanna go?
“Take me to your side?” she questions, a tilt to her head.
“C’mon.” I grab her hand. “Let’s get out of here.”
Violet
The scenery as we drive back to the duplex we share passes by without me seeing much of it. I’m not questioning my decision. I knew tonight when I put this dress on, shaved my legs, and slipped into these heels where I wanted it to go. But I haven’t slept with anyone else – ever – other than Brent. Not saying that’s how this night will end up, but I’ve never done any of the other stuff either, and Anthony is the only other man I’ve ever kissed. I’m going into unchartered territory here, and I would be lying if I pretended I’m not nervous.
Anthony must have caught onto my nervousness, because he reaches over, grabbing my hand, bringing it up to his lips. He drops a kiss on our fingers. “Hey you know we don’t have to do anything, right? Just because we’re going back to my side doesn’t mean I expect anything from you.”
I slowly let out a breath, I’m expecting something from myself. “I know, and I wish I was one of those women who never second-guesses themselves, never lets the doubts in, and completely believes in every decision they make. But I’m not, and while I’m not second-guessing it, I’m kind of questioning it,” I admit.
“Then let’s talk it through.”
My face burns as I open my mouth and try to put into words about what I’m feeling. Turning so I can see his profile in the dim glow of the dashboard, I close my eyes as I speak. “What if I’m not what you want? I’ve only ever been with one guy. What if I’m a disappointment to you? I don’t think I can take it, Anthony. You’re one person I don’t want to exclude from my life. If I can’t see you every day it’s going to kill a little piece of my soul.”
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