“It’s not really your business who I’m with,” I say.
He examines the floor, the broken glass catching his attention. “Redecorating?” he asks.
A muscle feathers in my jaw. “What kind of suspicious activity are you accusing me of?”
“Said she heard screaming,” the cop answers.
I scoff, my mouth curling deviously upward at the corner. “What can I say? My girl gets excited,” I say, though the cop doesn’t find it as humorous as me.
“And where is she?”
“Carter?”
Andi’s voice rings out from a few feet behind me. She's clearing away some of the broken glass from the floor with the broom. However, upon recognizing the cop, she appears in the doorway at my side, a small smile on her face.
The officer’s stare softens upon seeing her. “Little Andi Matthews?” he asks, his tongue darting out over his lips as he gives her a once over—eyes staggering a moment too long on her tits.
My fist tightens on the edge of the wood.
I fucking hate this.
“What are you doing here? I didn’t realize you were in town,” Carter, the cop, says. His smile is wide, and he takes off his hat as if it’s the gentlemanly thing to do. Arms open, Carter steps forward to her like he expects a hug.
I shift my stance in front of her, feet planted firmly against any advancement.
I want to tell him to piss off.
“Just for the weekend,” she replies, staying far enough away to escape Carter’s attempted embrace. “I wanted to see the old place. It’s been years for me.” Her hand presses to my arm, squeezing me like she realizes how much this exchange is killing me.
“You remember Maddox Keynes? Reed’s best friend? He was doing me a favor by letting me in and using some of the old things left behind as batting practice,” she says with a laugh.
Carter suspiciously considers her before his eyes move to me. “That true?” he asks.
“Thinking of opening up one of those smash businesses where people pay to go in and break things,” I say, and Andi pinches my arm.
I can’t help it.
“Thank you for checking, Carter,” Andi cuts in. “We’re okay, though. Probably be out of here soon.”
Carter’s gaze darts between us and puts his hat back on, nodding as if he trusts her. “Ms. Matthews,” he says. “Mr…” He squints at me.
“Keynes,” I reply. “K-E-Y-N-E-S. Since I know you’re going to look it up.”
And probably come knocking back on the fucking door when you see the other name that comes up with Keynes.
I’m getting tired of hiding, though.
The cop gives me a ‘hmph’ and then turns his attention back to Andi. “Have a good night. If you need anything…”
“We’re fine,” Andi says, and thank fuck she presses her hand to my chest so that I don’t do anything irrational.
It takes everything in me not to make a smart-ass comment back. Instead, I flip him off when he turns his back on us, and Andi shuts the door before Carter can pivot and see all the obscenities I’m flashing.
“That actually went a lot better than I thought it was going to,” she says as her back hits the door.
“Yeah. Lucky the shit bag likes your tits,” I say with a jerk of my chin. “He can fuck off.”
Andi smiles. “Sounds like you’re jealous.”
