Page 21 of Hallow’s Eve
“Who else sings here every night besides the hired bands?” Riff asked.
“Grady and Celie.”
“Him and his ex-wife?”
I nodded.
“They say you’ve not dated anyone in two years,” Riff said, narrowing his eyes like he didn’t believe it.
“That’s true.”
“Why is that? Pretty, young girl like you?”
Lifting my shoulder, I showed them my palms. I certainly wasn’t about to tell them about my nerves. About my stage fright and date fright. I thought I’d been getting over it with Hallow. That ship had certainly sailed.
“Your friends assume it’s because you’re secretly seeing your boss.”
“What?” I exclaimed and started to stand.
Hallow’s nails dug into me as he held me down.
I hugged myself. “I ain’t sleeping with Grady. I wasn’t.”
“You’re in his phone as Eve Angel.” Riff pulled out Grady’s phone. I recognized it from the grey case with a Bootsies sticker on the back.
“That’s really my name, not a term of endearment.” I looked to Hallow for some help. “Tell them that’s my name.”
Hallow didn’t say a word. Ass!
“The last text he sent you was a doozy. Dear Angel,”
“What in the Sam Hill? I didn’t get no text like that.”
Riff went on, “Last night you made me harder than… Well, I’m not sure I should go on. This is quite racy. Says he can’t wait to bust your sweet cherry.”
“What?” My voice cracked.
“Your text to him before that reads, I need you now. Did you send that text last night at three-thirty a.m.?”
I had to think for a moment. “Why yes, I did, but I didn’t need him like that.”
Hallow let go of my shoulder completely.
Talking a mile a minute, I relayed the story about almost being abducted last night and texting Grady when he didn’t pick up his phone. “Then I called him again and he answered because I needed him to go check on Ford. Didn’t Ford tell you all about this?”
Riff rocked his head. “Not a word.”
“Ford said it was probably y’all who tried to kidnap me.”
Riff smirked. “Sounds like something my boys would do. Didn’t you see this girl last night Hallow?”
“Last night?” I echoed Riff, confused.
“Yeah, I saw her,” Hallow answered.
I looked at him sideways, my brow creased.
Riff asked him, “You try and take her then?”
