Page 45 of Petty's Crime

Bart holds up his hands. “Both you and I know that while the Devils are relatively cheap, we’re bleeding money that we don’t have. It’s taking almost all that you earn just to keep you alive, RoseLyn. And I, for one, don’t want to see you end up dead.”

“I agree I should get out of town, but maybe I can go somewhere else?”

“You’re due a visit with your parents. I thought you’d want to go home. And the Devils have checked out their security, and are happy you’d be secure enough at their house.”

“If they get a sniff that something’s wrong, they’ll want me to move to Texas.” And with Dad’s health, it would be hard for me to deny them.

“You’re a twenty-five-year-old woman, not a fucking child.” Bart’s eyes flash with rare annoyance.

But he doesn’t understand. As far as offspring go, I’m all they’ve got. I was the late baby, the one they didn’t expect to have. And while he’s right, they have no control over me, they’ll worry themselves into an early grave if they even suspected I was in danger. I couldn’t have that on my conscience.

Biting my lip, I wonder how to proceed. Surely Petty must have cracked up with laughter when he’d heard the proposal or at least raised his snooty nose in the air. There can’t be any way he would have agreed.

That gives me an idea. I should talk to Petty who probably thinks as little of the idea as I do myself, and maybe the two of us can convince everyone the plan won’t work. Though who would make a good substitute, I’m not sure. Sarge is a nice guy, but his problems probably rule him out, seeing as he sleeps during the day and paces at night.

“You going to agree?” Bart picks up his jacket and stands. “It’s only for two days, RoseLyn.”

I shrug. Until I speak to Petty, I’ll make it look like I’m going along with their plan. Inwardly I grin. I’m absolutely certain he’ll have plenty to say about the suggestion and none of it in support.

Bart calls Roller back into the room and tells him I’ve agreed. I try to read the expression on Roller’s face, but clearly he’s following instructions given by his prez, and his personal thoughts remain hidden.

Bart leaves and I’m given no time to process what’s going to happen, as almost immediately he closes the door behind him, Petty arrives.

I’m not surprised he scowls when he sees me, though he greets his brother pleasantly enough, with back slaps and a laugh. Then Roller waves to me and leaves us together.

No. This will never work out.Even if I’m a good enough actor, I doubt Petty will be able to slide into the boyfriend role. From the expression on his face, he’s hating the idea as much as I do myself, and I doubt I’ll have much trouble persuading him there’s no way this will work.

As, for once, he and I will be on the same side, I summon a small smile as he approaches. But when I open my mouth to voice the cons, he pre-empts me.

“Flights are booked,” he growls, suggesting he’s getting no pleasure from this. “Are your bags packed?”

For the second time this morning, my mouth gapes like a fish dragged onto land. “Hold on a moment. Bart’s only just raised the idea with me. I haven’t even spoken to my parents to see whether a visit is convenient to them.” Thoughts about getting Petty on my side are quickly abandoned.

Petty frowns. “Well you better get onto it.”

Bristling, I straighten my back. “I don’t think this is a good idea.”

“Fine.” He shrugs. “Our objective is getting you out of Vegas so we can keep you safe while we bring Saul down. I’ll call your parents myself and explain the situation to them. They’ll want you home as they’ll be worried about you, and I’ll go as your bodyguard.”

“You can’t call them,” I cry out.

In response, he raises an eyebrow and leans his arm against the doorframe. He gives me a moment, then announces, “Our flight leaves in two hours and a half. You going to get a move on, or am I going to make that call?”

For a moment I’m frozen, as my brain calculates what I can do. With no doubt that he’d carry out his threat and knowing that a stranger ringing with news I should have relayed to my parents myself would send them straight off the deep end, I quickly consider that if I at least pretend to go along with him for now, that I may still have a chance to dissuade him.

Petty has no good side, so it’s no use appealing to it. Try as I might, I can’t find any option but to put aside my misgivings and capitulate. “I’ll pack.”

To his credit, he just lifts his chin, and doesn’t smirk like he’s put one over on me.

The first thing I do is place a call to my parents, hoping they’ve got plans. But of course, Mom says they’ll be delighted to see me. And when I said I wasn’t coming alone, I knew she could hear wedding bells ringing. I try to explain that my ‘boyfriend’ just had a hankering to visit Austin but know that didn’t take root. Fortunately it’s not the first time I’ve made a spur-of-the-moment decision to visit them, so no alarm bells were raised. However it is the first time I’ll be bringing a male companion with me, and so now I’ll have to work out how to manage their expectations.Maybe arrange a falling out in front of them?I’m sure that won’t be hard. A fool would be able to see Petty and I aren’t compatible, and Mom and Dad certainly aren’t fools.

It only takes me a few moments to throw some bits into a carry-on which will tide me over for spending the night with my parents—which begs the question, will Petty expect to sleep with me? My parents aren’t religious. If I bring home a boyfriend, they’d expect him to be in the same room.

It’s not that I don’t trust Petty, he’s got a wife for goodness’ sake. It’s the thought of having to be in close proximity with a man that I really don’t like. I remind myself it’s good that he’s got an awful personality, else otherwise I could be in trouble. He’s so damn good looking and appeals to my lady parts, but he’s obnoxious and married, and just one of those facts should be enough for me to cool my jets.

When he takes my bag from me and wheels it to the car, somehow he makes it appear that he’s doing a poor weak female a favour rather than acting gentlemanly. Rolling my eyes, I get into the passenger seat and fasten the seat belt as he gets into the driver’s side and starts the car without saying a word.

While I’m trying to think how to begin a conversation about how this is the worst idea that anyone living, or dead for that matter, has ever come up with, Petty flicks the indicator and turns into a gas station.

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