by J. Daniels
“Working,” I tell her, lifting my eyes before I punch a hole through my jeans. I tuck my phone into my back pocket, adding, “Trust me. I can see plenty from where I’m standing.”
Isn’t that the fucking truth.
Riley blinks, then looks to my chest. “You’re not wearing your uniform,” she observes.
I squint at her mouth.
I got what she said, but I can barely hear her over the music. I don’t like that.
I want to hear her.
“Come on.” Grabbing her elbow, I pull Riley with me to the back corner of the room, stopping beside the hallway that leads to the restrooms and crowding the wall.
It’s as far from the speakers as I can get her unless I take her outside, and I’m not sure I want to do that.
Only `cause I know I’ll want to leave with her. Meaning I absolutely want to do that.
Shoulder pressing to the wall, I release her elbow after tugging Riley close. I pull my arms across my chest. “Not typically something I wanna advertise when I’m staying undercover,” I say in response to her observation.
“Oh.” She looks up at me, smiling and lifting her shoulders with a jerk. “Cool,” she says.
I can see Riley better where we’re standing now. The hallway light is shining on her, making her skin glow.
I look her over.
She wearing more makeup than I’ve ever seen her in. Black lines her eyes and her lashes are darker. Thicker too.
I like that.
Her cheeks are flushed from the dancing she was doing. That combined with whatever she’s got on her face is hiding her freckles from me.
I don’t like that. But I don’t tell Riley. I keep looking.
Red lips, full and shiny. Cock sucking lips. I know that from experience.
Shit. Don’t go there. I focus on her eyes again.
Blue and black, fading out to grey. Like a storm coming . . .
“You totally still look like a cop,” Riley shares, jarring my focus. The corner of her mouth twitches. “You’re not fooling anyone, CJ Tully.”
My brows raise. “Yeah?”
She nods, laughing. “You look scary and pissed off. Smile a little.”
I don’t smile. Not even when she amps hers up and gives it to me, pairing it with another soft giggle.
I get straight to the point with her, because getting off point with Riley is going to lead to this shit getting even more complicated, and fuck, I’ve looked enough tonight to run the risk of major fucking complications.
Plus, she’s laughing. Smiling. Looking like she’s thinking the same things I’m thinking.
Get to the fucking point, Tully.
“Are you going to answer my question?” I ask.
Her brow furrows. “What question?”
“I asked you if he was here.”
“Oh.” Nodding, Riley looks behind her in the direction of the bar, then meets my eyes again. “Yeah, he went to get a drink. He doesn’t really want to be here. I kinda dragged him out.”
“Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why’d you need to drag him out?”
Riley tilts her head. “Because . . . he doesn’t really want to be here?” she repeats slowly, looking puzzled. “I just told you. He doesn’t like The Killers.”
“So?”
“So?”
“Yeah, babe. So.”
She straightens her head, but her eyes narrow as if she’s thinking hard. “You’ve lost me,” she shares.
“Forget it,” I mumble, looking away, knowing I got no business getting up in her shit the way I’m doing. I need to back off.
“No. What? Tell me.” Riley reaches out and places her hand on my forearm.
I look down and watch her black painted fingers wrap around and curl under. I feel them squeeze.
Our eyes lock.
“Tell me,” she pleads, looking close to begging for this.
My blood starts running hot. Scorching. Hot.
Fuck it.
I’m getting up in her shit.
“I’m here because I’m working for extra cash, not because I’m digging the music,” I share, staring into her eyes and seeing hers staring back, like what I’m revealing is something she needs to hear, not just something she’s curious about. “Don’t hate it. I listen to stuff like this on occasion but it’s not something I’d pay money to see. That being said, my woman wants to come to a show like this, crowd this size, booze flowing, other shit possibly going on, she isn’t coming alone. No discussion needed. I could hate this music to the point it makes my fucking ears bleed and I’m still going with her.”
“Why?” Riley asks. “To protect her?”
“That.” I jerk my chin. “And `cause she’s mine and a real man can deal with shitty music for a few hours if it means putting in time with his woman.”
Riley drags her teeth along her bottom lip. Her chest starts working harder, moving stricter with her breaths.
I should stop now. The way she’s looking at me . . .
I should stop.
I don’t.
“Saw you dancing and thought you were here alone,” I add, smirking. “Already hate that motherfucker for what he gets to touch every night. I thought I was going to have to kill him.”
Riley stares up at me. She doesn’t blink. Doesn’t breathe.
“Babe,” I probe.
“You shouldn’t say that,” she says, face serious.
Her hand squeezes tighter. She’s anxious now, maybe. Or pissed. I don’t know.
I decide to ease her mind if it’s nerves getting to her.
“I wouldn’t really kill him.” My smirk grows into a smile. “Mess him up though.”
“No. Not that.” She shakes her head. “The other thing. What he gets to touch. You shouldn’t say that.”
“It’s true.”
“Even so. We’re friends. You shouldn’t say it.”
I bend to get closer. “You might wanna take your hand off me if we’re friends, darlin’,” I warn.
Riley’s eyes flicker wider. She yanks her hand back in a way it’s like she forgot she even had it there, her movement driven by panic, but before she can lower her arm to her side, I’m grabbing onto her wrist and keeping it between us.
“What are you doing?” she asks.
I step closer, keeping my hold.
Her resistance is weak.
“You wouldn’t be dragging me anywhere,” I inform her, need vibrating in my throat so bad I can fucking taste it.
I run the risk of her hearing that need, but it’s funny.
I just don’t care.
Riley blinks. Her lips part.
And that resistance she’s putting up goes from weak to non-existent.
“CJ,” she murmurs under the sound of the music.
“Not anywhere, darlin’. Are you hearing me?”
I don’t know why this is so important. I don’t know why I need to make sure this sticks with her, but I do.
Hesitation keeps her still for a beat, or those damn nerves, I don’t know, but she eventually nods.
“I’m hearing you,” Riley mutters.
Good. It’s sticking.
“We’re just hitting a bump,” she adds with a quick voice, suddenly looking uneasy. “It happens to everyone. We’ll be better soon. I know we will.”
My brow pulls tight.
They’ll be better soon?
“What the fuck’s that mean?” I ask her, not liking the way she’s sounding or looking right now.
Riley opens her mouth to respond, but then her eyes dart away and focus over my shoulder. I watch them widen and fill with alarm.
“Hey. What the fuck is this?” a voice bellows at my back a second before a hand is shoving at my arm, trying to turn me.
My frame goes rigid. Unmovable and alive with awareness.
I turn when I want to turn, and it’s right then to get a look at the dumb motherfucker trying to start something with me.
&nbs
p; “Might wanna back off, friend,” I warn, watching the guy step closer and recognizing his reaction. He’s sizing me up.
I do the same.
He’s tall, but I’m taller. Got some muscle to him but nothing I’m worried about. And his eyes are fixated on Riley in a way we can go ahead and skip the introductions.
My jaw clenches.
“Why are you touching my girl? Get your hands off her,” the guy bites out.
Riley spins to face him, pulling her arm away that I was still holding, and wraps her hand around his bicep. “It’s okay. He knows Reed,” she says. Her other hand flattens on his chest. “Calm down, okay?”
“Listen to her,” I suggest, glaring when he looks at me again.
He sniffs, then narrows his eyes, which are jumping between mine like he’s chasing something.
“Fuck you. Why were you touching her?” he hisses through his teeth. “Huh? Why were you touching her, asshole?” He steps closer, bringing Riley with him since she’s still holding on.
I don’t move.
“Richard! Stop!” Riley yanks him back. “Calm down! What’s wrong with you? I said he knows Reed. He’s a friend.”
“Yeah?” Richard turns his head, bends lower, and gets in her face. “He a piece of shit like Reed too? A worthless little bitch, like Reed?”
“Back off. I’m not gonna say it again,” I warn, gaining his attention. He straightens up.
My voice draws some eyes from the crowd around us. I can feel them on me.
Richard bares his teeth. “Or what?” he asks, moving closer. “Huh? Or what? What are you gonna do?”
“He’s a cop!” Riley yells, pulling his arm. “He’s going to arrest you. Stop it!”
Richard stops, body going rigid and eyes swelling. The color drains from his face as he stares at me.
I figure he’s just reacting to the threat of being arrested so I don’t think much of his panic. Instead, I decide to fill him in on one of the issues I got with him right now.
“I know you got beef with Reed, but on top of him being her brother, something that should keep you from running your mouth the way you’re doing out of respect for her, he’s also a good friend of mine. You already stepped out of line with me once. Calm your shit.”
Richard laughs. It sounds nervous. Then he sniffs a couple times and wipes at his nose with the back of his hand.
I narrow my eyes on him. That’s when I start noticing more.
He can’t stand still. He’s shifting his weight around, rocking his upper body, cracking his knuckles. Constantly sniffing and darting his eyes all over the place like he can’t focus on one thing too long. He looks wired.
My jaw flexes again. The muscles in my back and shoulders tense up.
The other shit that sometimes goes on at these things has definitely been going on.
Richard is on something. Coke, by the looks of it. I recognize his behavior all too well.
Jesus fucking Christ.
Letting his woman out of his sight, looking the way she does in a crowd like this so he can score some blow.
Wasn’t lying after all. I am going to kill him.
I move in so I’m standing in his space. “I’m going to ask you once and if you lie to me, this shit is going to end a helluva lot worse for you,” I inform the prick, watching his eyes dart all over my face. “You got it on you or did you score it from someone?”
Richard leans back. “The fuck you talking about?”
“CJ . . .”
Riley’s voice is at my shoulder. It’s full of questions.
That I’m not surprised about.
I ignore her for now and stay on Richard. “The blow,” I elaborate. “Did you bring it?”
He shakes his head, blinking fast. “What?”
I lean in. “Last time,” I growl.
I’ve dealt with people on drugs a lot. I know their reactions can be unpredictable. You gotta be ready for anything.
I’m fucking ready.
Richard smiles like he knows something I don’t, then he steps back, laughing and shaking his head. “Man, what the fuck? You’re crazy. Come on, Ri.”
He grabs her hand and tugs her away from me, wrapping his arm around her waist, but it barely lands before I’m stepping up and separating them. I get Riley behind me and put myself between them.
“CJ!” she calls out, pushing up against my back.
I ignore her and get up in his face.
“Hey, man, what are you doing?” Richard tries to move around me to get to Riley. I side-step with him. His face turns red. “What the fuck, man? Move!”
The crowd around us starts stirring. Bodies knock into me and move past in a herd, fast, like they’re all gathering for something. All three of us start getting pushed around the floor and separated.
I watch Richard. His eyes are all over the place, but I think he’s looking for Riley.
“FIGHT!” someone yells from behind me.
“Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!” others start chanting.
Chaos breaks out. People panic and rush in to see what’s going on.
I turn my head to make sure Riley isn’t anywhere near it, but I don’t see her. I do see the fight that’s broken out. It’s coming from the hallway leading to the bathrooms. Three guys all throwing fists, some landing, some not, charging at each other and knocking into people who aren’t sticking around to watch, but who are just trying to get away from it. Innocent people who don’t want any part of it.
Shit like this can get out of control fast. People can get hurt.
Luckily, I don’t need to intervene.
Security moves in, and I’m guessing the other guy working undercover, all of them swarming on the three jerkoffs and anyone else trying to get involved, locking that shit down quick.
Seeing that and knowing they got it handled, I turn back around to keep with what I’m doing.
Richard isn’t in front of me anymore. I look above heads and behind others. I search the crowd.
Nothing. I don’t see him.
I don’t see Riley either.
“Fuck,” I growl.
I charge ahead, scanning faces as I push my way toward the floor where I first spotted Riley, thinking maybe she made for here when the fight broke out and knew I’d come looking for her.
The band is still playing. People are still dancing and oblivious.
I search, looking all over. Moving people when they don’t clear for me and ignoring their bitching when I need to move them.
I don’t see her.
Pushing toward the stage, I keep searching.
Nothing.
I check the bar, thinking maybe that asshole took her over there so he can get another fucking drink.
Nothing.
I head back to where we were standing and check near the restrooms, pushing through more people. Maybe I missed her and she’s over here scared `cause of the shit she’s seeing.
I don’t see her. Then a thought hits me as I look toward the entrance.
He’s got her outside. He knows I’m onto him and he’s trying to leave.
He’s trying to leave with her.
Jaw clenching so hard my teeth fucking ache, I make for the door, heart pounding, nerves on edge, fists forming. I’m shoving people out of the way and knocking them to the ground. I don’t care. I don’t stop. I keep moving.
She’s with him. And he’s fucking high.
Getting outside, I scan the sidewalk, whipping my head left first and seeing the patrol cars parked along the curb. Two of them. The officers are standing on the sidewalk talking to some guy who looks pissed about something. He’s yelling about his ticket.
I glance further down the sidewalk, thinking maybe Richard’s moving with Riley and they’re not near the door.
That’s when I hear it.
“Stop! You’re hurting me! Let go, Richard! What’s wrong with you?”
My head whips right. I look past a crowd standing in front of the venue and see her.
> Riley struggles in Richard’s grasp. His hands are gripping onto her arms as he tries to move her further down the sidewalk. He’s shoving her. He’s making it so she has no choice but to go with him.
Fuck that. She has a choice.
“Hey!” I yell out, stalking in their direction.
“Move, Ri! We’re fucking leaving! Go!”
He shoves at her again. Then he grabs her arm and forces her to walk.
“Get your hands off her!” I roar, gaining the attention of the other people on the sidewalk, just not the one person who needs to be hearing me. Richard doesn’t even turn his head.
I shove at people to get through the crowd. They’re slowing me down. They won’t let me get to her.
“I don’t want to go yet, Richard. Please!” Riley begs, stumbling as she tries to get away. “Let go of me! Why are you acting like this?”
He freezes. “Jesus, all you do is bitch, you know that?” Richard grips both of her arms, yanks her against him and gets up in her face. “I’m gettin’ the fuck outta here. You wanna stay? Fine. Fucking stay, you stupid cunt.”
Richard throws Riley to the ground. Her body hits the concrete. Hard. I hear her cry out.
My heart drops to my fucking stomach.
I push the last asshole standing in my way so hard he stumbles and then falls over. I run at Riley.
I should be running at Richard. I should be remembering my job, my fucking duty, the fact that he put his hands on her. I should be reacting to that but I only see Riley.
On the ground. Possibly hurt.
I see the tears in her eyes when I get a foot away. I reach out to grab her, to hold her.
Riley. Only Riley.
In a crowd of people or just two, I’m only seeing her.
Richard charges at me when I’m nearly at her side and it’s too late. I’m not expecting it. I’m watching her. All of my attention is on the girl I can’t get out of my head, and because of that, I can’t brace. I can’t react to him.
His shoulder connects with my ribs, fast and with all of his weight behind it, sending a shooting pain up my side and knocking the wind out of me, then we’re both sailing through the air until I hit something hard. It gives, shattering into pieces all around us.