Page 64 of Blue

Armed with her list of potential mentors, her resume, and her portfolio, Blue sauntered toward her car. She was in control of her life. She had choices. Her destiny wasn’t decided. She didn’t need bikers.

“I can do this,” she whispered to herself as she turned the key in the ignition. “I can do this.”

Vertical Horizon crooned, “Everything You Want,” and Blue scoffed.

Nope, definitely not. She would not be listening to any sappy love songs. She jabbed the preset radio buttons, searching for something else to listen to. She needed something harder and definitely edgier.

Once she found her heavy metal station, she read the name of the band. “Lilith Czar.” She hummed. “A kick-ass female singer. I’m down.”

So, she turned up the volume on “100 Little Deaths.”

Bopping her head to the music and singing the refrain, Blue put the car in gear and headed out of the lot. Time to face her future. She didn’t need Mooky to lead her anymore. She would forge ahead and create her own path.

Glancing to her right, she spotted the papers poking out of her purse from her release. Narrowing her eyes, she felt the rage building in her chest.

Snatching them from her bag, she crumpled the documents into a ball. She opened the glove compartment and stuffed them inside.

Red. Blue. Red. Blue. Red Blue.

The fuck?Confusion flurried in her chest.

The lights flickered in her rearview mirror and drew Blue’s attention.

Oh, hell no.

Anger boiled over as she gripped the steering wheel, causing her knuckles to lose color. An unmarked police car had its lights on.

This was not the day.

She was not the one.

The idea of leading this cop on a high-speed chase crossed her mind. An amused chuckle bubbled up from her throat.

But no.

She couldn’t turn her bad situation into a worse one. The poor lawyer guy was up to his ears in bullshit. She didn’t need to make things worse for him. With a flick of her wrist, she threw her blinker on and turned into the parking lot of the strip mall.

Shaking her head at her own misfortune, Blue grumbled while digging through her purse for her wallet and license.

Keep the snark to a minimum. This guy wasn’t the reason you were arrested. He might not know about the whole prostitution mess. Innocent until proven guilty, right?

She tried to tell herself anything to keep calm while waiting for the officer to come to the car. Glancing in her side mirror as she pushed the button to roll down her window, the sun glared in Blue’s eyes.

All she could see was the dark outline of a man stalking toward her car. Just her luck, another fucking guy. Were there even any lady cops anymore?

What did he have in his hand?

Blue squinted into the bright sunbeams bouncing off the mirror to get a better look. Leaning out the window slightly as he approached, she gasped.

Black, long, and circular. It came toward her quickly. With a flash of pain, everything went dark.

CHAPTER 22

Mooky

Mooky should probably check in with the shop. Yes, he trusted Stella and Mammoth. He’d rescheduled his appointments for the following week. He didn’tneedto be there, he justshouldbe. It was his shop, after all.

Payroll wasn’t due for a few more days. Hecouldput it off. He’d neglected his kids for bullshit lately. If he had prison time coming up for whatever Officer Shouty McAssHat pulled out of his ass this week, then he needed to make what he had left count.

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