“I don’t care. I don’t need this shit. Both of you get out and don’t bother coming back.”
Sasha points at him. “This is really messed up and you know it. Just wait, karma is a bitch with a really long memory. And she has your address now.”
Sasha holds out a hand to Emma. “We’re going to get our stuff from the back.”
I follow them, standing guard at the entrance to the dressing room and keeping an eye on Lattimer and his goons. They watch us but don’t attempt to come closer or prevent the girls from getting their stuff. Sasha emerges wearing black leggings and an oversized red sweater. Emma has changed into a plain white blouse with ruffles on the front and hip hugging jeans.
“Come on. Let’s get out of here.”
I follow them out to the parking lot.
Emma stops in the middle of the gravel lot. “Crap, I forgot that I didn’t bring my car today. I need to call my sister for a ride. She wasn’t expecting me to be out this early.”
Sasha holds up her keys. “I can take you.”
“I don’t want you to have to drive out of your way.”
I stop next to my bike. I’m suddenly grateful that I bought the extra helmet. “Where do you live? I’ll take you home.”
Emma regards me warily. “In Norfolk. Near the shipyard.”
I wave her over. “That’s not that far from me. We’ll follow Sasha home to make sure she gets there safely. Then I’ll take you home.”
“Okay. Thanks.” She adjusts the strap on her bag and then takes the helmet I hand her. I adjust the strap for her and then climb on the bike. She eyes it like some strange beast she’s never seen before.
“Climb on. It won’t bite. And neither will I.”
Her eyes narrow but she climbs on the back. She’s holding me gingerly around the waist. I start the engine and she squeals and grabs me tighter.
Now that’s better.
We pull out, following Sasha’s car. I already know her address from when I was on her friend Kaylee’s security detail but it’s been a while since I’ve been there. Plus it’s harder to concentrate on directions when I have Emma snugged against my back, her thighs gripping mine. She catches the rhythm of riding quickly, leaning with me on the turns.
All too soon, we pull up in front of Sasha’s apartment building. Emma climbs off and then removes the helmet. Her cheeks are flushed.
“Your first time?”
She looks startled for a moment then her cheeks go red. “Yeah, I’ve never ridden before.”
“If I could only read minds right now.”
She flushes again and turns to follow Sasha. I know I should stop teasing her but I can’t help it. It’s so easy.
Emma pointedly turns her back to me. “Are you okay, Sasha?”
Sasha shrugs. “I was expecting him to fire me, but I wasn’t trying to get you fired, too. I’m really sorry.”
“I don’t care. I can find another crappy job.”
Sasha turns to me. “Tank, do you mind coming in for a minute. I’m still pretty rattled. I don’t want to be alone just yet.”
“Of course.”
We step inside and Sasha locks the door and slides the chain in place. Then she turns to Emma. “Em, your mascara is running. Why don’t you use my bathroom? I have makeup remover beneath the counter that you can use.”
As soon as Emma turns the corner out of sight, Sasha grabs my arm and drags me into the kitchen. “Look we don’t have long so I just needed to warn you. Em lives with her sister but I think something happened. She’s crashed on my couch a couple of times but I think she’s worried about being here too much. It’s a pride thing. Knowing her she’ll probably let you drop her off at home and then leave as soon as she thinks you’re gone.”
A door opens in the hallway. Sasha lets go of my arm just as Emma turns the corner into the kitchen.
“Wow, I really did look like a raccoon. Thanks for warning me, Sasha. I would have hated to go home looking like that. I’d never hear the end of it.”
“Why don’t you stay here? You can crash on the couch and then I can drive you to work in the morning.”
Emma smiles tightly. “No, I need to get home. Ivy will worry otherwise.” She glances at me. “Ivy is my older sister.”
“Oh, well, okay then. I guess you guys should get going then.” Sasha gives me a look as soon as Emma turns around. I nod, so she knows that I got the message.
I’m not sure if Emma would try to trick me but if she does, she won’t get far.
CHAPTER FIVE
EMMA
As soon as Sasha closes the door behind us, I stop walking. Tank stops too and stares at me. I cross my arms and try to drum up some bravado.
“You’re not going to tell Mr. Stevens, are you?”
“What? No, why would I do that?”
Relief sweeps through me. It’s not that I thought he would tell, it’s just that I can’t take any chances. Mr. Stevens is a conservative guy and he’s already gone out on a limb by hiring me in the first place. The last thing I want to do is give him any reason to question that decision.
“I don’t know. I just had to be sure. I need that job. Especially now that I just lost my second income.”
Tank’s face doesn’t change but somehow I sense that I’ve offended him with the question. “I wouldn’t do that, Emma. It’s your secret to keep. Although you haven’t done anything wrong and have nothing to be ashamed of. Now where am I taking you?”
Sasha points at him. “This is really messed up and you know it. Just wait, karma is a bitch with a really long memory. And she has your address now.”
Sasha holds out a hand to Emma. “We’re going to get our stuff from the back.”
I follow them, standing guard at the entrance to the dressing room and keeping an eye on Lattimer and his goons. They watch us but don’t attempt to come closer or prevent the girls from getting their stuff. Sasha emerges wearing black leggings and an oversized red sweater. Emma has changed into a plain white blouse with ruffles on the front and hip hugging jeans.
“Come on. Let’s get out of here.”
I follow them out to the parking lot.
Emma stops in the middle of the gravel lot. “Crap, I forgot that I didn’t bring my car today. I need to call my sister for a ride. She wasn’t expecting me to be out this early.”
Sasha holds up her keys. “I can take you.”
“I don’t want you to have to drive out of your way.”
I stop next to my bike. I’m suddenly grateful that I bought the extra helmet. “Where do you live? I’ll take you home.”
Emma regards me warily. “In Norfolk. Near the shipyard.”
I wave her over. “That’s not that far from me. We’ll follow Sasha home to make sure she gets there safely. Then I’ll take you home.”
“Okay. Thanks.” She adjusts the strap on her bag and then takes the helmet I hand her. I adjust the strap for her and then climb on the bike. She eyes it like some strange beast she’s never seen before.
“Climb on. It won’t bite. And neither will I.”
Her eyes narrow but she climbs on the back. She’s holding me gingerly around the waist. I start the engine and she squeals and grabs me tighter.
Now that’s better.
We pull out, following Sasha’s car. I already know her address from when I was on her friend Kaylee’s security detail but it’s been a while since I’ve been there. Plus it’s harder to concentrate on directions when I have Emma snugged against my back, her thighs gripping mine. She catches the rhythm of riding quickly, leaning with me on the turns.
All too soon, we pull up in front of Sasha’s apartment building. Emma climbs off and then removes the helmet. Her cheeks are flushed.
“Your first time?”
She looks startled for a moment then her cheeks go red. “Yeah, I’ve never ridden before.”
“If I could only read minds right now.”
She flushes again and turns to follow Sasha. I know I should stop teasing her but I can’t help it. It’s so easy.
Emma pointedly turns her back to me. “Are you okay, Sasha?”
Sasha shrugs. “I was expecting him to fire me, but I wasn’t trying to get you fired, too. I’m really sorry.”
“I don’t care. I can find another crappy job.”
Sasha turns to me. “Tank, do you mind coming in for a minute. I’m still pretty rattled. I don’t want to be alone just yet.”
“Of course.”
We step inside and Sasha locks the door and slides the chain in place. Then she turns to Emma. “Em, your mascara is running. Why don’t you use my bathroom? I have makeup remover beneath the counter that you can use.”
As soon as Emma turns the corner out of sight, Sasha grabs my arm and drags me into the kitchen. “Look we don’t have long so I just needed to warn you. Em lives with her sister but I think something happened. She’s crashed on my couch a couple of times but I think she’s worried about being here too much. It’s a pride thing. Knowing her she’ll probably let you drop her off at home and then leave as soon as she thinks you’re gone.”
A door opens in the hallway. Sasha lets go of my arm just as Emma turns the corner into the kitchen.
“Wow, I really did look like a raccoon. Thanks for warning me, Sasha. I would have hated to go home looking like that. I’d never hear the end of it.”
“Why don’t you stay here? You can crash on the couch and then I can drive you to work in the morning.”
Emma smiles tightly. “No, I need to get home. Ivy will worry otherwise.” She glances at me. “Ivy is my older sister.”
“Oh, well, okay then. I guess you guys should get going then.” Sasha gives me a look as soon as Emma turns around. I nod, so she knows that I got the message.
I’m not sure if Emma would try to trick me but if she does, she won’t get far.
CHAPTER FIVE
EMMA
As soon as Sasha closes the door behind us, I stop walking. Tank stops too and stares at me. I cross my arms and try to drum up some bravado.
“You’re not going to tell Mr. Stevens, are you?”
“What? No, why would I do that?”
Relief sweeps through me. It’s not that I thought he would tell, it’s just that I can’t take any chances. Mr. Stevens is a conservative guy and he’s already gone out on a limb by hiring me in the first place. The last thing I want to do is give him any reason to question that decision.
“I don’t know. I just had to be sure. I need that job. Especially now that I just lost my second income.”
Tank’s face doesn’t change but somehow I sense that I’ve offended him with the question. “I wouldn’t do that, Emma. It’s your secret to keep. Although you haven’t done anything wrong and have nothing to be ashamed of. Now where am I taking you?”
