Rock Chick 04 Renegade (21 page)

Wow.

I shook off my wonder at this news and focused on Roxie. “You said ‘us’,” I told her, getting closer but not touching her, “did you see that happen? The shooting?” She nodded.

“Roxie, that must have been tough,” I said softly.

She blinked at me. “I’m not crying because of
that
.” This surprised me. “Why are you crying?” I asked.

“I’m crying because of something Hank told me, the reason why Vance went after Bil y. See, when Bil y kidnapped me, he beat me up pretty badly, broke some ribs. When Vance found me, I was a mess. He didn’t take to that very wel , said any man who raised his hand to a woman had to pay. Hank told me he went after Bil y because Vance came from a violent home. His Dad put him out of the house when he was ten because Vance tried to get in between his Dad and his Mom when his Dad was beating her. This al fits together and it makes me happy he found you but it also makes me sad that he had to live through that before he did.”

“My God, I didn’t know that,” Al y said from behind me.

“I did,” Indy replied quietly.

“You went through a lot with this Bil y,” I said to Roxie, ignoring her words about Vance.

That was another thing I didn’t need. Knowing why Vance was turned out. Knowing he’d witnessed his mother’s abuse. Knowing he’d had enough strength of wil , sense of self and capacity for love at age ten to go against his father in an effort to protect his mother.

I didn’t need that at al .

So I rol ed it up in a big old bal and threw it in the high, chain link fenced compound that stood behind my emotional Rottweiler.

“Jules, did you hear what I said about Vance?” Roxie asked, taking me from my thoughts.

“I heard you. I know about Vance. I know he was a street kid and he’s an ex-con and recovering alcoholic.”

“Holy shit. I didn’t know that either,” Al y said again.

“I did,” Indy repeated.

“How do you know al this shit?” Al y asked.

“Lee told me,” Indy replied.

“That boy has a big mouth,” Daisy put in.

“He does not,” Indy defended Lee.

“He tel s you everything,” Jet entered the conversation.

“Of course he does. We don’t have any secrets,” Indy replied.

“Oh please. You lie to him al the time,” Al y returned.

“Okay then,
Lee
doesn’t have any secrets,” Indy retorted.

“Excuse me girls, but can we get to the topic at hand here?” May cut in and looked at me. “When’re you gonna see him again?”

“I’m breaking up with him tonight,” I announced.

May gasped.

Daisy looked at the ceiling. “Here we go again,” she said.

“What?” I asked.

“Jet tried to break up with Eddie,” Daisy told me.

“Didn’t work,” Jet said on a smile.

I turned to Jet in surprise. “Why did you try to break up with him? I saw him last night. He’s hot.” Jet just stared at me like she thought maybe I’d recently sustained a head injury.

“And Roxie tried to break up with Hank. That didn’t work either,” Daisy continued.

My eyes swung to Roxie. “You did? I saw him last night too, he’s lush.” I took them both in. “Are you two nuts?”

“Um… have you
looked
at Vance?” Jet asked me.

I shook my head. “It’s not the same thing. Anyway, it’s not I shook my head. “It’s not the same thing. Anyway, it’s not about the way they look. It’s about how they act.”

“Sugar, how… exactly… is Vance acting like someone you’d wanna break up with?” Daisy queried.

“He said ‘mine’, like he was claiming me. Like I was a possession or something,” I argued.

This was true. It was just like I was a possession, a highly-valued family heirloom with treasured, precious memories attached that had gone missing and was thought never to be found but, al of a sudden, it was back.

I didn’t tel the girls that though.

“Our boys can get kind of possessive,” Indy shared but she didn’t sound too upset by it. “You get used to it, I just try to ignore it,” she advised.

I persevered. “And, he tel s me what to do. Al the time,” I informed them.

“Yeah, they can be bossy too,” Indy said on a sigh. “I just go my own way and ignore that too.”

“Wait until you’re branded. Eddie branded me,” Jet added.

I blinked at her. “Branded you? Like they do to cows?” I asked.

She smiled. “Not exactly like that. He just made it known that if anyone touches me, they’l answer to him or any of his friends.”

“Lee did that with me too, in a way,” Indy threw in.

“Hank too,” Roxie said.

Damn.

“Vance has already done that. The whole Nightingale Investigation Team has thrown down on my side,” I shared.

“I knew that too,” Indy smiled.

“I didn’t! Dammit! Why am I so out of the loop?” Al y snapped.

May broke into Al y’s rant, she sounded exasperated too but at me. “Oh for goodness sake, Jules, you break up with that boy you’re off my Christmas card list.” I just stared at her, keeping my mouth shut.

She took my stare and then pul ed out the big guns. “And no birthday cake for you. I know you like your cake and your birthday is tomorrow and I had a good one al planned to make for you. But, you let go of Vance Crowe, forget it,” May went on.

“May, that’s not fair!” I protested and it was true, it
wasn’t
fair. It was cruel. I loved her birthday cakes. Everyone loved her birthday cakes. She made the best birthday cakes ever (even better than Auntie Reba but I’d never tel Nick that).

Last year, she made me German chocolate cake with that delicious condensed milk frosting with pecans in it. It was amazing.

I carried on my argument to May. “It’s my life. I know what I’m doing!”

“Mm hmm,” was al May uttered.

The rest of the girls were looking at each other.

“Your birthday is tomorrow?” Jet asked.

“Let’s have a party!” Al y yel ed.

“Great idea,” Indy said.

“No!” I broke in. “No party.”

“Too late, Sugar. Ain’t no stoppin’ the Rock Chicks when there’s a reason to party,” Daisy told me.

there’s a reason to party,” Daisy told me.

They started smiling.

Oh
crap
.

I took a deep breath.

Whatever.

Time to move on. It was obvious I wasn’t going to get anywhere with this pack.

“I have to get to work,” I told them.

“We’l get together tonight, plan the party,” Al y decided.

“Eight o’clock. Brother’s.”

“We should go together, since we live close,” Indy said to me. “I’d love to ride in your Camaro.”

Daisy was watching me closely, she was smiling.

I sucked in my lips. I real y didn’t need this shit.

“I’l pick you up, quarter to eight,” I said to Indy, “after I get back from the shooting range.”

“The shooting range?” Indy asked, eyes wide with excitement. “Cool! Can I go with you?”

I stared at her. Then I sighed.

“Yeah, give me your cel . I’l program in my number.” Told you I was a fool.

Indy and I pul ed up to Heavy’s house at five thirty.

The Rock Chicks and I had al exchanged phones and numbers and Indy had cal ed me that afternoon. When I told her I had to train with Heavy before the shooting range, she asked to come along to that too.

I’d said yes.

More fool I.

I pul ed my exercise bag out of the backseat and led Indy into Heavy’s house.

“Heavy!” I cal ed. “We’re here.”

“Who’s fuckin’ ‘we’?” Heavy came out of the kitchen and stared at Indy.

“Uncle Charlie!” Indy yel ed when she saw him.

“India Savage!” Heavy yel ed back, a huge, goofy smile spreading on his face. “Get over here, girl, give your Uncle Charlie a hug.”

They hugged each other. I stared.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

They ignored me.

“I didn’t know you were cal ed Heavy,” Indy told him, leaning back in his beefy arms.

“Long story, girl. God, I haven’t seen you in ages. Not since that FOP picnic, what? Two years ago? Hear you’re shacked up with Nightingale,” Heavy replied.

Indy got al girlie and showed him her ring, wiggling her fingers for effect. “We’re getting married,” she said.

“About fuckin’ time you two got together,” Heavy replied, letting her go, “luckiest boy on the planet.” I was stil staring.

Heavy had never given any indication at al , whatsoever, that he was the kind of man who would al ow anyone to cal him “Uncle Charlie” without a swift upper cut leading directly to a KO.

Boy, I real y did
not
know Heavy.

I should probably learn a lesson from this and research my benefactors a bit more in future.

“Hel oooo?” I cal ed.

Heavy grinned at me. “This is Indy Savage, Tom Savage’s daughter,” he said this like I didn’t already know it already. “Tom and I worked together when I was on the Force. I’ve known Indy since she was yay-tal .” He held up his hand to about thigh level.

Then something occurred to him, his grin fled and he blinked at Indy.

“What’re you doin’ with Jules?” he asked, morphing into Father Bear at the thought that Indy was turning vigilante and joining my crusade.

“We’re going out tonight for dinner after she trains and shoots,” Indy told Heavy. “I heard she’s good. I wanted to watch.”

Heavy kept staring at her.

“Honestly, Uncle Charlie,” Indy assured him, “I’m not getting involved with Jules’s other business. Lee would handcuff me to the bed again.”

Again?

I didn’t get to ask the “handcuff to the bed
again
” question because Heavy’s stare sliced to me and it was my turn to get the Father Bear treatment.

“Speakin’ of that, what’s this I hear of you goin’ hand-to-hand with Jermaine and Clarence?”

“I took Jermaine down,” I told Heavy.

“Word is you went in after ‘em, confronted ‘em. What I train you, girl, is for defense, not offense. Got me?”

“They had a couple of runaways,” I explained.

“Shit, Jules. Now you’re gonna have every fuckin’

asshole on the street cal in’ you out. It’l be like the Wild Fuckin’ West. You learn quick and you’re gettin’ strong but you go up against one of them motherfuckers without surprise on your side, they’re gonna wipe the floor with you.”

My back went straight. “Heavy, don’t worry about it,” I said.

“I
do
worry about it,” he retorted.

“Wel , don’t,” I told him.

“I know you got Nightingale’s team at your back. They’re good but they got business to attend to, they can’t protect you every minute of the fuckin’ day,” Heavy went on.

“Vance won’t let anyone hurt her,” Indy decided to share, her face happy. Then she confided, leaning toward Heavy,

“They’re going out.”

I looked to the ceiling, took in a deep breath and let it out on a loud, long sigh.

Damn.

When I looked back at Heavy he was staring at me again. “He fuck you yet?” Heavy asked.

“Uncle Charlie!” Indy snapped.

“Heavy!” I said at the same time.

Heavy kept his eyes on me. “Girl, that boy is a player. P-l-a-y-e-r. It wears a skirt, has a pretty face, long legs and a sweet ass, he’l charm it then he’l fuck it. You got al ‘a those in abundance.”

Indy was glaring at Heavy with her hands on her hips.

My eyes narrowed on Heavy. “Do
not
refer to women as

‘it’,” I warned. “This conversation is over.” Heavy opened his mouth to speak.

“Over! O-v-e-r,” I snapped in my word-is-law voice, using his own word-spel ing tactic against him to make my point and then I walked toward the garage door. “Let’s train.”

* * * * *

The display said “Unknown cal er”. I flipped it open.

“Hel o?”

“Where are you?” It was Vance.

My heart did a funny flip. I mental y told it to behave.

“Wel , hel o to you too,” I replied.

“Where are you?” he repeated.

“At the library,” I lied.

“You’re sittin’ outside Zip’s.”

At his words, I looked around but didn’t see any Harleys or black Explorers.

I caught Indy’s eye and she mouthed, “Who is it?” I mouthed back, “Vance.”

“Jules,” Vance said in my ear.

“Where are
you?
” I asked.

“Where are
you?
” I asked.

“I’m standin’ in your living room, waitin’ to take you out to dinner.”

Whoops.

“Um…” I said.

“What’d I say about how I felt about bein’ stood up?”

“You said you’d cal ,” I told him.

“I got busy but our plans didn’t change.”

“Vance, I hate to tel you this but they were
your
plans.” He was silent. I didn’t take this as a good sign.

Final y, he warned in a low, quiet voice, “Don’t make me come after you.”

Yikes.

I bugged my eyes out at Indy. She bit her lip on a smile.

“How did you know where I was?” I asked, deciding to change the subject.

“I planted a device in your car,” he told me.

I sucked in breath and this time, my eyes, stil on Indy, went wide in shock.

Her smile faded and she mouthed, “What?”

“You planted a tracking device in my car?” I said slowly.

Indy put her hand to her open mouth.

“And in your bag,” Vance said.

“I do not believe you,” I hissed.

“Jules, get home.”

“I’m shooting then I’m going out for drinks with the girls,” I told him.

“Jules –”

I cut him off. “When’s this meet with Darius?”

“God dammit, Jules –”