Rock Chick 03 Redemption (53 page)

When they were out of sight, I turned to Hank. “It’s over,” I said, my voice dripping with happy relief.

Seriously, if I wasn’t in a fancy satin dress, I would have done cartwheels.

His arms slid around me and he rubbed my nose with his. “Let’s get you home.”

I questioned him al the way to his house, finding out the two extra men in black suits were Marcus’s boys. At Marcus’s orders, they’d also been looking for Bil y and reported to Marcus that there was the possibility that Bil y had stopped fol owing me and started to fol ow Annette and Jason. Once Annette and Jason pul ed into the party, they’d seen Bil y circle several times and then, apparently, he found the courage to come in after them. He parked, exited his car, and then disappeared in the woods around The Castle.

Hank, Eddie and the Nightingale Investigation team had already decided that Bil y had declared, during his phone conversation with me, that he was ready to make his move and they weren’t taking any chances. Therefore, Lee had assigned Luke to Roxie Detail as added protection.

Vance was on Bil y’s tail, as were Desmond Harper’s boys, so they al knew he was at The Castle. Everyone was thinking Bil y would never be crazy enough to approach the actual party. They thought he’d wait to catch Hank and I as we left.

Vance caught Luke on the way into the party, warning him Bil y was there.

Coincidental y, at the same time, Marcus was tel ing Hank that Bil y was on the property. They made plans to gather the women and get us to a safe place in the house and then go (what Hank cal ed) hunting.

Bil y walking in had been a surprise. Vance was hanging back and saw Bil y slip in, that’s when he cal ed Lee.

The rest I knew because I was there.

Desmond Harper’s boys had been arrested.

Luke had stitches and had been released.

Hank had a phone cal from Detective Marker right before we left Daisy’s. Detective Marker reported that it was likely Bil y would never use his right hand again. I had to admit, this made me sad, but in a weird, detached, anyone-losing-a-hand-was-sad kind of way.

“One more thing,” I said, when we were in Hank’s living room. We had given Shamus his greeting and Hank had taken his jacket from my shoulders and thrown it over the back of a dining table chair.

He turned to face me. “Yeah?”

“You need to tel me about Shirleen and her nephew Darius. She said some things tonight –”

His hand came out, wrapped around my neck and he pul ed me to him. I put my hands to his chest and tilted my head back to look at him.

“Remember, I told you I knew good people who did bad things?”

I felt my stomach twist.

“Yes,” I said.

“And remember when I told you Jet and I had a conversation about people we both knew, people Jet refers to as ‘gray’?”

I remembered.

He said they ran games, dealt drugs and likely murdered people.

I felt my stomach twist joined by a heart squeeze.

“No,” I breathed.

“Yes,” he said.

I shook my head. I didn’t want to believe that of Shirleen.

I liked her.

“I’l tel you the whole story later,” Hank promised, correctly assessing I’d had enough for one night. He wrapped an arm around me and moved me toward the bedroom.

“I don’t think I want to know,” I told him.

“Then, I won’t tel you the whole story later.” I nodded.

That worked for me.

“Okay,” I said.

We walked through the kitchen.

“Let’s erase the night,” Hank suggested when we neared the bedroom.

My stomach twist eased and my heart started beating again, much faster than its normal rate.

“Okay,” I repeated.

* * * * *

Friday, Hank spent the day at work sorting through my mess with Bil y.

I spent Friday helping out at Fortnum’s and alternately dancing attendance on, running interference with and reassuring my mental stability to Mom and Dad, Annette and Jason, Daisy and a variety of other people who dropped by.

Indy was going to have to hire someone else soon, the crowds were getting fierce (especial y in the mornings) and we were al forced to pitch in to keep up with them.

Indy had the Bye-Bye Bil y Party (the name was Al y’s idea) at Fortnum’s Friday evening, opening it for the private soiree because it was the only place that would fit us al in.

Even with short notice, and an almost-shoot-out in the middle, word spread like wildfire that Indy and Al y were throwing a party. The party was wel catered with everyone pitching in, most especial y Kitty Sue and Eddie’s Mom, a lady named Blanca. In fact, even though I’d never met them, Eddie’s entire family came. In fact, everyone came (such was the al ure of an Indy/Al y party), bringing food and booze.

Uncle Tex and Dad had the Jet-caramel-layer-squares face off and Dad had to back down and admit Jet’s caramel-chocolate brownies were better than custard sundaes at Miriam’s Café. After this happened, Mom cal ed repeatedly to Sweet Jesus, swearing that Dad had never admitted to anything outside Brownsburg, Indiana being better and such an admission had to be divine intervention.

A couple of hours into the party, Vance walked in.

I noticed him immediately (not out of any heightened awareness gained through osmosis from the Hot Boy Brigade, but because the bel over the door went). I was standing with Indy, Al y, Jet, Annette and Daisy. Hank was across the room with Malcolm, Eddie and Lee.

I broke away from the Rock Chicks and approached Vance.

“Hey,” I said when I made it to him.

“Hey, girl,” he replied, his dark eyes doing a scan of my face.

I didn’t know what to say, so I said, “I don’t know what to say.”

“Nothing to say,” he told me.

Then I figured out what to say. “I’m sorry you had to do that.”

“Had to do what?”

I sighed. “Spend days hunting down Bil y, then having to shoot him. I’m so sorry, Vance.”

He watched me for a beat. “How much you got left?” he asked, what I thought, bizarrely.

“Of what?”

“Of whatever it is that’s pul ed you through this shit.” I shook my head, confused.

He got in my space.

“Maybe you should know somethin’ about me.” Oh no.

“What?” I asked, even though I didn’t know if I wanted to know. Every time one of these boys shared, it freaked me out.

“I’m not sorry,” Vance said.

“Excuse me?”

“That he’s never gonna use that hand again. I’m not sorry. Not only that but, Roxie, I’m glad I got to do it. Fuckin’

thril ed.”

Holy cow.

I held my breath.

He got closer and said low, “Justice.”

Holy, holy, cow, cow, cow.

Then, I felt heat at my back, an arm came around my upper chest from behind and I was pul ed into Hank’s body.

Vance moved back, his eyes shifting to look over my shoulder.

“Hank.” he said.

“Vance,” Hank said from behind me.

Vance’s shit-eating grin spread across his face as he took us in.

Then he said, “I’l let you two let life begin again, I’m gettin’ a drink.”

Good grief.

I closed my eyes and curled my fingers around Hank’s forearm.

When I opened my eyes, Vance was stil grinning at me.

“I’m not going to hear the end of that, am I?” I asked.

“Nope,” Vance answered.

He kept right on grinning.

I narrowed my eyes at him. “Don’t you need a drink?” I asked, sounding uppity.

Vance started laughing.

Then he said, “Yep,” and walked away.

After a few seconds, I realized that Hank’s body was moving and I was pretty certain it was with laughter.

“Don’t you start, Whisky,” I warned, looking out the window at the cars on Broadway, my back stil pressed against him.

He kissed the back of my head.

“We’l talk about it later,” Hank said.

“No, we won’t. We’re never going to talk about it. Never.

Never, never,
never
,” I announced.

Hank’s arm tightened and I felt his breath at my cheek.

“Later,” he promised.

Good God.

“Whatever,” I muttered.

He let me go and walked away.

When I turned back to the Rock Chicks, they were al smiling.

Jeez.

* * * * *

He looked none the worse for wear, in fact, just as good as ever.

“I’m sorry, I love Jason and al , but that man is fucking
hot,
” Annette said (and luckily Jason was across the room talking to my Dad).

I disengaged from the Rock Chicks again and walked to Luke.

I didn’t know what to say to him either, so, even though he was a badass and super cool, I just invaded his space, wrapped my arms around his waist, pressed my cheek to his chest and I hugged him.

I know it was a girlie thing to do, but a bul et sliced through his flesh while he was protecting me, I had to do something.

After a few seconds, his arms came around me.

Not surprisingly, he didn’t say anything.

Surprisingly, neither did I.

Then, quietly he said, “I know it hasn’t been that long for you, but…”

When he hesitated, I said to his chest, “What?”

“Feel like having your life begin again?”

My body went stiff but my head tilted back to look at him.

“What?” I asked.

“Just checkin’. See,
my
life could begin again. I’m thinkin’ about now,” he replied.

I blinked at him.

“Are you fucking with me?” I whispered, my body stil stiff.

He did his half-grin. “Yeah.”

I pul ed out of his arms.

“That isn’t funny,” I snapped.

“It’s fuckin’ hilarious,” he told me.

I was in the middle of growling my frustration when Hank’s arm went around my shoulders and he pul ed me to his side.

“Luke,” Hank said, his gaze was locked on Luke.

Luke’s eyes cut to Hank. “Hank,” Luke said back.

They just stared at each other.

This was making me supremely uncomfortable so I decided to butt in to the badass, super cool, hot guy staring contest.

“Wel , um… thanks for getting shot for me,” I said to Luke, then wished someone would shoot
me
.

Luke watched me speak then his eyes went to Hank again. “She’s cute,” Luke noted.

“I know,” Hank replied.

“Oh for goodness sakes,” I clipped out.

“My favorite part from last night, outside of the ‘my life began’ speech, was when she told him he was makin’ her dizzy,” Luke shared, feeling verbose for once in his life.

“Didn’t think it was funny at the time, but, in retrospect…” Hank to my shock agreed.

“The part about the dog and the Frisbee was a good touch too,” Luke clearly felt in a talkative mood.

I’d had enough so I cut in. “Don’t you need a drink?” I asked Luke pointedly.

Luke’s half-grin went ful -fledged. “Yeah,” he said but he didn’t move.

“Wel , why don’t you go get one?” I snapped.

He reached out and touched my nose with his finger.

Then he was gone.

I turned into Hank. “I’m beginning to regret my actions last night,” I told him.

“Final y,” he said, sounding relieved and slightly arrogant.

I frowned at him. “Not because I did the wrong thing, but because… never mind,” I stopped and tried to pul away because… never mind,” I stopped and tried to pul away from Hank’s arm but it tightened and I couldn’t move.

“Sunshine?”

I looked up at Hank. “What?”

“You think they’d tease you if they thought you’d done something to regret?” Hank asked.

I thought about it.

“Probably not,” I relented.

“You think they’d tease you if they thought you did the wrong thing?” Hank asked.

I thought about that too.

“I guess not.”

He watched me for a beat then he shook his head.

“Jesus, I can’t believe you hugged Luke Stark. Christ.

They’re probably laughin’ themselves sick in the control room.”

Oh no.

I’d forgotten about the control room.

“Maybe we should leave before I do anything else embarrassing,” I suggested.

“Feel like makin’ any heartfelt speeches?” Hank asked.

I narrowed my eyes at him. “Absolutely not.” His other arm went around me and curled me ful frontal into his body, then his head dipped low.

“Maybe, from now on, those are best just between you and me.”

“Hank Nightingale –” I started, but didn’t finish because he kissed me dizzy.

* * * * *

“Kids! You awake?”

We weren’t, or at least I wasn’t.

“Yeah Mom,” I cal ed my lie.

“Tex is here. We’re spending the day with him and Nancy. We’re taking you out to dinner tonight. Malcolm and Kitty Sue are coming too. Meet you back here at six o’clock.”

“‘Kay,” I shouted then I snuggled deeper into Hank’s warm body, deciding to think about the scary get-to-know-the-parents dinner some other time (or never).

Shamus jerked to his feet when he heard the movement in the other room and he started walking around on the bed, or, more to the point, on us and tried to lick our faces.

Hank’s arms went from around me to around Shamus and he wrestled him away, turning his back to me. Shamus didn’t give much of a struggle as Hank got Shamus to his side and pul ed the dog to his chest and started to rub his bel y.