Page 11 of Savage Temptation
“The detective is irritated. You’ve got her repeating herself.”
They bicker back and forth but I’m stuck on two words that make them sound like old frenemies.
His girl.
My brain grabs onto those two words and feeds them to my heart one at a time. They make my insides quiver and my heart race. I peer around his shoulder and lock eyes with the detective who has closed the door behind her. She’s pretty, younger than I expected now that I’m really looking at her. Her blond hairis pulled back in a messy braid and she has a no nonsense mask plastered across her heart-shaped face. And if I didn't know better, there is pity in her eyes. Actually, it’s borderline understanding. Had she been in love once and they were taken from her?
“You know damn well I know about love, Jagger. So screw you, you insensitive bastard. Don’t start giving me shit when I have enough to put you in the House for the weekend.”
She reaches for the knob on the door and her gun is already in her palm.
I shift my hands from Jagger’s shoulders to his biceps and look him square in the eye, my mouth firming into a tight line telling him not to answer the way I can see he wants to. Which is with a snide remark and to force her out the door.
For a second it looks like he’s going to actually listen and button his lips shut.
“You can try, Lafleur,” he hisses. “You have nothing to hold us on.” I can’t tell if he really hates her or if there’s some kind of frenemy friction going on between them.
“Doesn’t change the fact I would like to see you behind bars.”
The gun in her hand has me side-eyeing them both.
This is it. We are going to be hauled into the NO precinct. My booking photo is going to be me looking like a large yellow bird with ragged feathers sticking out of everywhere thanks to this stupid costume.
At least I will be alive. That Russian and my manager won’t be able to touch us there.
Wait. This is a good thing. “I think we should go with her.”
“That’s not why she’s opening the door, baby. Is it Detective?”
“Sadly, not tonight, asshole. You two need to get out of here and get her somewhere safe. I’ll be in touch. We can talk about the Savages and Euphoria later. I still have questions.”
My brows pull together. Odd. Don’t cops usually want you to come with them? But she’s sending me off into the night with someone she clearly has a beef with.
She steps out the club’s side door, weapon raised and checks both directions of the alleyway.
Jagger turns us around and I shimmy down his massive body wanting my feet firmly on the floor when the cuffs get smacked on.
I wince the second my bare feet hit the cold floor. I suck in air through gritted teeth. I lift one seeing a smear of blood left behind. I must have cut them up while running here.
“What the fuck?” Jagger’s lips press into a white line of anger. Thick brows pull into a frown and I’m hauled right back into his arms and wrapped around his muscular body.
“Clear,” the Detective offers and moves deeper into the darkness ahead of us.
Jagger carries me to a bike I missed the first time I was in this alley. Nearby streetlights catch on the polished black and chrome parts. I know next to nothing about bikes or cars for that matter, but I do know that machine is Jagger’s baby.
I sigh with relief when he places me on the back. The detective comes up beside us and flips out a card, handing it to me.
“Use this if you need it. You, not him.” Her hand comes down on my shoulder and that one connection my full attention swings from Jagger to her.
“I know love when I see it. This man is trouble top to bottom. But he won’t let you get killed. At least not tonight. You need me, call.” I take her card and stuff it into my sequin bra.
“Thank you.” I think. Honestly, she is confusing the hell out of me. Does she hate Jagger or not?
“Before you can ask, we used to be best friends.”
She juts her chin toward Jagger. I wind my arms around his middle and rest my cheek on his shoulder.
“What happened?” I ask them both. It is obviously not the time for a long conversation, but nutshell stories work too. And that is what I get.
