Delaney shuddered as she finished her tea, getting up to help Piper. “Just don’t get caught committing Sin One or Sin Two, Brooke. APS badass spankings arenofun.” Brooke snorted in turn, scrubbing the tears off her face with the heel of her hand.
When everyone had a fresh drink, Brooke then proceeded to tell them what Blake had said about Drew, ending with, “Blake is positive Drew’s femme will be as big of a badass as she is. While I know at a high level what Purgatory is—and that it’s totally Drew’s domain—Blake told me the criminal element that hangs out there isterrifiedof Drew. Which, frankly, I have a hard time seeing because Drew isDrew. She’s so good to us and so gentle. Quiet and kind.”
“Yes, but,” Rowan took a deep breath before blowing it out. “you didn’t see her when I was taken by Dino Coravani. When she was there right after they found me, I swear to you, there was murder on her face. I hadneverin my life seen Drew Hollister like that…and hope I never do again. She was beyond scary.”
“Blake says she’s the most lethal one of them all.” Brooke was contemplative.
Kelly took another swallow of her beer. “Don’t forget, I’ve been down in Purgatory. I’ve seen Drew operate firsthand. Scary doesn’t evenbeginto describe what she can be, especially if you are on the wrong side of her. And if her femme is just like she is?Holy fucking shit. Anything the two of them might tackle together would end up being a fucking bloodbath.”
“Hoo boy.” The APS femmes collectively shuddered.
Taking another handful of popcorn, Alyssa remarked, “None of us would have a thing to worry about, though. Not only are we femmes, we areAPSfemmes. If anything, I would worry about anyone who tried to pull any shit with us when they were around.” She grinned as she held up her bowl of popcorn. “We would need a metric fuckton of popcorn to watchthatshow. I’m sure it wouldn’t be pretty.” Kelly snickered.
Sabine, who had been quiet up to this point, mused, “This mythological sister sounds like someone I would very much want to spar with in Hades. Even with as much as I know, I betwe could learn a lot from each other and probably have fun doing it.”
“She has to materialize first.” Nova started to peel the label from her beer bottle. “And there’s no telling when the hell she’s going to show up. In the meantime, I think we need to focus our attention on Brooke’s little embezzlers. There isn’t anything we can do about the situation, not right now anyway, but fingers crossed Trill comes back with some info soon.”
“Let me ask you something, Brooke.” Rowan was pensive. “From your perspective, is there anything that would make Reflex Rebranding suspect you of being something more than a clueless graphic artist, if you’ve been pulling the naive act you said you are? Anything that could tip them off that you were something more than what you seemed to be?”
“I don’t know what could, Ro. These fuckers are so arrogant, they think I’m just a stupid woman who’s easily manipulated,” sniffed Brooke. “However, if they discovered I’m friends with the management team of Armstrong Protection Services? Thatcouldraise eyebrows and cause them to think twice, maybe start snooping around.”
Looking just as contemplative, Piper mused slowly, “You said they’ve only been in the area for about eighteen months or so, right?” Brooke nodded.
“But,” Kelly broke in, “if the Reflex dudesarecrooks—which, clearly they are—you know they’ve already slithered into Purgatory. If those four have any brains, which it sounds like they do, they ran reconnaissance before they started their scams, to get the lay of the land. And that means the criminal element in the area has for sure told them all about APS and warned them to stay out of their crosshairs.”
Nova finished peeling the label from her bottle. “My bitch, you need to beverycareful,” she said soberly, looking at Brooke. “Your friendships with the twins and the Seven aren’texactly a closely guarded secret around these parts. God forbid what happens when people start finding out you’redatingBlake Seibert, let alone if Reflex finds out. Holy hell. That could be all kinds of bad if those dicks put two and two together.”
Brooke was silent for a moment, then, “I already told Lys I have a huge feeling the APS management team is going to dig out some pretty scary shit with them. Yeah, the embezzlement piece of it already sucks giant balls. But I still can’t help feeling there’s something bigger going on behind that. Like I’ve already said, I have zero proof of anything and have no idea what that ‘something bigger’ could even be. You know as well as I do, though, that gut instinct is not something to ignore…and mine is firing on all eight cylinders.”
“Fucking lovely,” groused Kelly.
Delaney rose to start collecting tea cups, wine glasses, and bottles, everyone else jumping up to help. “It doesn’t sound like there’s anything we can do to help until Trill comes back with her information. We can touch base again afterward to figure out whatwecan do. I, for one, can’t wait to find out who these guys really are and what their real game is. However, until then—” She grinned impishly at Brooke, who rolled her eyes in exasperation, knowing exactly what Delaney and the others were going to say.
“Until then, someone needs to work on putting the moves on her butch and wrapping her up in her web.Get it, girl.” Nova started twerking around the room in glee as the rest of the femmes burst out laughing.
“Jesus. You are fuckingnasty, Dacanay.”
“Am not. However, you are well aware I’m married to an APS butch. We all are, or practically are. Which means we knowexactlywhat you’re getting ready to walk into, Marino.” Nova snickered as she stopped to collect popcorn bowls. “Ten bucks says you’re walking funny the next time we see you.”
“I’ll take that bet.” Alyssa and Kelly gave each other a high five as everyone else chimed in, laughing.
Huffing, Brooke glowered. “Seriously…you are some crazy ass bitches. It’s not like I’ve never had sex with a woman before. When I go to bed with Blake, it will hardly be some sacrificial virgin ritual, for Christ’s sake, no matter how spectacular it is. Knock it the fuck off.”
Rowan raised her eyebrows, a smile lingering in her eyes. “You’ve never been to bed with an APS butch, though, Brooke.” As if they were one, the femmes nodded vigorously.
“What Ro said.” Piper and Kelly put the dining room chairs back around the table. “Every one of us had been with other females before we fell for our significant other,” Piper said. “And I am here to tell you that how the APS team is with femmes, as opposed to how other butches or lesbians are, is indescribable. I’m not joking with you either, sis. None of us are.”
The look in Delaney’s eyes was soft. “All kidding aside, Brooke, I think you’re going to find out that when you and Blake finally connect in all ways, your very soul will scream that she is who you have been waiting for your entire life.” The room became quiet. “No matter how many years you have suspected it, even wished for it—and don’t forget, I was in the same place with Teagan—when it finally happens, I can’t even begin to tell you what that feels like. As if you have finally comehome.”
Moving in front of Brooke, Alyssa wiped the tears that had started to drip down her best friend’s face at the abrupt change in the conversation from playful to solemn. “Even though we give you shit, honey, you know how much we love you. Not one of your girls would stand by and watch you make a fool out of yourself if this wasn’t meant to be. Blake Seibertisyour soulmate, my bitch. We know that, andyouknow that. Despite the fact that she is aggravating as hell and can be atotalpainin the ass,” the femmes snorted through their own damp eyes, “Blake is everything you want and need. She always has been.
“And if there’s anything we can swear to, it’s that she will always protect you with her very life. Reflex Rebranding had best watch their skanky asses if they even think about hurting Blake Seibert’s woman. Because Blake and the rest of the APS management team will show them exactly what it means to be wiped off the face of this earth if they dare to put even one foot wrong when it comes toanythingthat has to do with you…you, your happiness, or your safety. And that is something we can promise you without any doubt. Bet onthat.”
Chapter 7
When Brooke arrived back at Blake’s apartment, she found the APS team lead already there, astonishingly cooking dinner for the two of them. Dropping her purse on the sofa, she sniffed the air, then moved to the breakfast bar that separated the kitchen from the living room space, putting her hands on her hips and arching a suspicious brow.
“I thought you said you were like me and didn’t cook,” she said, looking with surprise at the sizzling chicken breasts Blake had just pulled out from under the broiler.
