“My sister and I are basically best friends, Detective.” I give her an extra squeeze, just tight enough to piss her off. “We tell each othereverything. So, feel free to say whatever you’ve gotta say.”
“O-okay.” He gulps.
Lawd, I kinda wanna bring him along to my tournament and toss him in the cage for funsies. It would be a bloodbath of the best kind, and wildly entertaining.
For me, anyway.
Scratching the back of his neck, fidgety and awkward, the poor fuck’s face turns beet-red.
“What is it, Carter?” Anna slips out from under my arm andmanages a whole step forward before I grab her shoulder and pull her back against my chest.
Why?
I dunno.
She’s pretty, Carter wants her, and she has no interest in returning his affections. That’s all I need to know.
“Is something wrong?” She rasps. “Has something happened?”
“No.” Dropping his hand, he searches her eyes as rosy splotches bloom on his cheeks. “I have this charity dinner thing coming up for work. It’s a fundraiser for youth sports in the inner city, and I was wondering… I… uh…”
Come on, little buddy. Commit. You can do it.
“Well… d-did you wanna go?” he stammers. “It’s a formal event, so I’d be wearing a suit, and you would wear a gown. It’s a fun night out, and I know you don’t really make a lot of plans the week leading into Christmas, so?—”
“I’m sorry.” Anna cruelly shakes her head. “I can’t?—”
“We wouldloveto go!” I wrap my hand around her hip and drag her firmly against my chest. “Anna wasjustsaying how she wished she had an opportunity to practice pretty hair and makeup before the wedding, and I’m all about youth sports. It’s literally my job.” I ignore Anna’s burning glare and smile for the prick whose blush transforms into something a little more ghostly. “I know you technically only invited her, but since I’m her brother, and I’m only in town for a short while, I bet you could get a ticket for me too, right?”
“Uh…”Mayday! Mayday!“Well… It might be a bit tricky, since this event is so soon.”
“Dang. That really sucks.” Clicking my tongue, I scoot around to Anna’s left and drape my arm over her shoulder. “Iguess that means we’re both out, huh, sis? We get so little time together, and there’s no way you’d wanna spend most of a day wrapped up in this other stuff with Detective James while I’m at home all al?—”
“I can ask my buddy,” Detective Desperate cuts in. “He has two tickets, but he and his girl broke up a few weeks ago. Technically, I guess that means we have a spare.”
“Perfect! I can’t wait.” Squeezing Anna extra tight, I drag her back a step and break Detective Decompose’s heart. “We should head inside now. Gotta find her a dress. And I’ll need a suit. Do you think I should get a haircut, Sissy?”
SIX
ANNA
“I’m going out,” I call across the house, swinging my coat on with fast, shaking hands, and charging toward my front door while Dean cleans our breakfast dishes, stacks the dishwasher, and hums.
He won’t stop humming Christmas songs!
“I’ll be back in a while.” I grab the doorknob and yank it wide, only to shiver as an icy blast of wind races through my bones. “Don’t rob me or anything while I’m gone.”
“Wait!” He darts out of the kitchen and skids into my living room. His chest is still bare. His face is still bruised. His entire freakin’ body is a cornucopia of red and purple and what I’m pretty sure is the shape of my headlight stamped into his ribs.
He looks me up and down, his gaze an infuriating slow sweep that touches my legs. My hips. My belly. And worse, my eyes. “Maybe I could come with you?”
“I thought you were in hiding?” I dig through my pockets and find my scarf from the last time I wore it. Tugging the softmaterial out, I wrap it around my neck.If I keep wrapping and give it a little tug, this whole nightmare might end.“The point of hiding is tonotbe seen, no?”
“I never said I was hiding.” His lips quirk into a playful, lopsided grin. “Youassumed. And call me crazy, but I kinda wanna hang out with you. You’re prickly and mean and not very tolerant. Which is the weirdest thing, cos I like my women prickly and mean and not very tolerant.” He takes a single step forward, smirking arrogantly. “What can I say? I’m a competitive man by nature.”
You’re a wanted felon—probably—and I’m losing my mind.
“I’ll be back later. We can hang out and bask in our intolerance then.” I turn through the front door, smiling a smile that invites a man tofuck off, then I yank the door shut and face the rest of the world.
