by V. A. Dold
Richie raised his cup in salute to her. “It was nice to meet the new posse, too. They’re going to be a lot of fun. Thanks again for that, cher.”
“New posse?” Piper asked.
“The new crew of ladies from college. Pam Altman, Amy Holcomb, Jessie Clinton, and Jackie Allison. We hang out with Richie and keep him company so he doesn’t get lonely. They’re sitting over there.” Billie pointed out a table in the second row.
Piper laughed and shook her head. “I can see you ladies are a lot of fun.”
Richie rolled his eyes. “You have no idea.”
Karen ignored his comment and continued the stories of their last night of partying. “Oh, it gets better. After we finished the non-vampire tour, we went to the Cat’s Meow to sing Karaoke. Richie’s Y.M.C.A. was a riot.”
Piper’s eyebrows rose. “You sang?”
Richie hung his head in defeat. It was no use trying to shut his friends up when they were on a roll. “Yes.”
“He did all the arm gestures, too,” Helen quickly added.
Then all three girls broke out in the Y.M.C. A. song earning their table strange looks. By the end of the song they were laughing hysterically. Even Theresa joined in from the head table.
Breathless from laughing, Billie said, “He got us back though, and made us sing two songs.”
“What did you have to sing?”
Karen pulled her phone out of her purse and found the video Richie had taken. “Here, you can watch it. Richie is such a brat, he posted it to YouTube.”
Piper watch as the girls sang “We Are Family” by Sister Sledge and then followed that up with “It’s Raining Men” by the Weather Girls. They danced and pranced their way through both songs having a blast.
Piper laughed and started to hand the phone back when Karen said, you have to see Etienne and Billie, too.” She scrolled through videos until she found the right one.
Billie was grinning ear to ear the entire time Piper watched Etienne sing “Love Me Tender” and “I Can’t Help Falling In Love With You.” During the second song, she’d joined him on stage.
“Holy crow, he’s really good.”
“I know, right. And isn’t Etie cute!” Billie squealed.
“Yes, he is,” she agreed as she handed the phone back to Karen. “Is he your boyfriend?”
Richie let out a soft growl. His mate didn’t need to notice how nice looking other men were.
“We only met that night. I gave him my number and he’s called me almost everyday since. We haven’t really defined our relationship though.”
Helen patted her friend’s hand. “I hope it works out, Billie. I liked Etienne a lot.”
Billie sighed. “Only time will tell.”
Dinner was over and people were beginning to mingle. Richie had spent most of the time the girls were rehashing their last night together, trying to figure out how to get Piper alone.
As he pushed his chair back to stand, Piper sprang from the table like she’d touched a live wire.
“It was great meeting all of you. If you’ll excuse me, I need to say hello to my cousin.”
“See you around,” the girls chorused and went back to talking.
Richie’s eyes narrowed, tracking her. He watched as she stopped next to the groom and hugged him. Then, with a glance around the room, she slipped out the door.
The manner in which she monitored her surroundings raised his hackles and had a low growl rumbling in his chest. Exactly how close was the danger that worried her?
He lifted his nose to pull her scent deeply into his lungs, and used it to track her to the bar. The closer he got to her location, the tighter his fists clenched. Males. There were several men in the same location as his unclaimed mate. Pausing outside the entrance, he took a moment to calm his wolf. If he found his mate with another man, he’d lose what little control he held onto by the skin of his teeth.
He forced his fists open, took one last breath, and stepped into the darkened bar. A quick sweep located her at a far table, deep in the shadows.
Piper narrowed her eyes. What is Richie doing here? Is he following me?
“Hi, there. Mind if I join you?”
She studied him, hesitating. He interested her like no man had, but she was in no position to start anything with anyone. Although, Qball hadn’t shown his ugly face so maybe…
Finally, she gave him a small smile. “Sure.”
He took a seat and smiled brightly. His focused attention a little unnerving. Piper sat quietly while he ordered a drink.
She would have bet good money that the management turned up the heat in the bar. There was no other explanation for her feverish body, at least none she would admit to. She was hyper aware of Richie’s proximity and his leg pressed against hers beneath the table. Her libido really wanted her to get up close and personal with this handsome man.
Then she thought about it. Other people gave into their urges all the time. There was no denying, she was unbelievably attracted to him. As long as Qball was keeping his distance, did it really matter she was on a job? She decided to go with the flow and see where the night went.
Then a thought crossed her mind, trying to derail her momentary confidence. Don’t guys like him go for ditzy bombshells with huge fake breasts and fluff for brains? If he was like all the rest of the men on the planet, she was screwed.
As if on cue, a blonde wearing more makeup than Piper used in a year, sauntered over to the table. If her dress were any smaller she would be arrested. Smiling brightly, she looked right past Piper and leaned over Richie. Good lord, how is she not falling out of that dress?
Richie leaned away from the bleached blonde. She was so close, all he could see was massive cleavage. He forced down a cough before it escaped from his throat. Holy mother! She must bathe in perfume.
“Buy me a drink, handsome?” the blonde asked in a high little girl voice and giggled.
Richie cleared his throat. “I’m sorry, but that wouldn’t be appropriate. My fiancée sitting beside me wouldn’t appreciate that.”
Piper looked at him and raised an eyebrow.
The blonde clutched her bosom, and feigned surprise. “Oh. I didn’t see her there.” With that, she turned and zeroed in on her next victim.
Piper grinned and suppressed a chuckle. Richie was a really nice guy, and exactly the kind of man she would like to get to know better. But he was a puzzle she wasn’t sure she had time to figure out. At least not until Qball was behind bars. Then she considered his fiancée excuse. Maybe she had a chance after all, unless she was reading too much into it and she was just an easy out with Miss Boob-a-lot.
She glanced around the bar and noted every woman in the place was eating Richie up with hungry eyes. Maybe she should give up now before she made a fool of herself?
He was Prince Charming and she was the frog. Like every young girl, she had dreamed of being loved and cherished by her prince, a man not unlike Richie. But at the same time, she wanted to be the only thing on her man’s mind and the way Richie drew the attention of the opposite sex, she knew that wasn’t ever going to happen.
Silence engulfed them, making her hyper aware of his scent. What an odd but totally sexy cologne. It smelled like gun cleaner and patchouli. The scent drew her like a magnet. She was tempted to press her nose against his neck and breathe deeply. It would be so easy to lean into him and take a good long whiff.
Holy moly, Piper. Get a grip.
Richie was in a panic. Piper’s thoughts were way off base. He had no interest in any other woman and he intended to set her straight on her misguided conceptions.
“Sorry about that,” Richie apologized, as he reached for her hand and smoothed his thumb across her knuckles. He was pleased when she didn’t pull away.
“It’s quite all right. Obviously she inhaled too much hair spray when she shellacked her hair into submission and became confused,” Piper replied straight faced.
Richie barked out a laugh. He liked his mate already.
F
or the next hour they made small talk. He flirted with her shamelessly and at the same time tried to wheedle out a clue about the danger surrounding her, but she was an expert at dodging questions. He was no closer to protecting Piper from whatever it was she feared than he was the first instant he’d met her.
He glanced toward the bar to order another round when a woman he knew from New Orleans caught his eye. Shit. What is that bitch, Lori doing here? He quickly looked away and tried to blend in.
Too late.
“Richie? Richie, is that you?” an intrigued voice from across the bar yelled.
Her high, whiny tone grated on his nerves. What had he seen in her? Oh, yeah. She was easier than getting a beignet at the Café Du Monde, and willing to do anything. That was a long time ago and now, she made him cringe and he felt like he needed a bath in lye.
“Lori. What brings you to St. Louis?” Richie asked in a frigid tone that could have frozen hell over.
“I met a new guy at the Backwater. I thought he was a really nice guy; boy, was I wrong. That shit brought me here and abandoned me,” she spat.
Piper cocked a brow. What was he? Bimbo crack? This one wore a long, tight, black dress with plunging neckline to her navel, and a slit that went so high on her thigh it ended only inches from her waist. She watched, strangely intrigued, as Richie expressed zero sympathy for the woman – hooker – whatever she was.
Who is this guy? Don Juan?
“Call your sister. I’m sure she’ll help you get home.”
“I already did. She’s driving up in the morning.” The bimbo’s head turned and she fixated on Piper. “Who’s the broad?”
Piper crossed her arms and raised both brows.
Time seemed to slow as he first glanced at Piper and smiled warmly and then turned his attention to the woman standing before him. Richie’s eyes narrowed and his lip curled back. “Leave Lori. Now. Before I forget I’m a gentleman and throw you out.”
Lori’s eyes bulged in fear when he flashed his wolf fangs at her. As always, he was careful. No one else saw his display of aggression. Next time she insulted his mate, he wouldn’t warn her, he’d just heave her ass out the door.
“Yes, of course,” she stammered. As she stumbled over her dress and backed away, never taking her eyes off his very sharp white teeth now hidden discreetly by his tightened lips.
Once Lori was out the door, he turned back to Piper. Concern shot through him as her eyes glazed over like a person in the throes of a memory or daydream. His brows pulled tight. What had he done to trigger such an odd expression on his mates face?
Piper was shocked, she’d never had a man make it blatantly clear to another woman that he was with her and not interested. They weren’t even on a real date and he’d behaved more honorably than any man she’d ever known. His eyes hadn’t wandered over her body like men normally did to a woman. She’d never seen anything like it.
When she first met her ex-fiancé, Jeff, he’d been sweet, romantic, and loving. He was good looking, but not what she classified as hot. He was just a regular guy who treated her like a princess. That was what made the difference for her.
The problem was, as soon as he had his ring on her finger, his true colors emerged. He criticized everything she did, wore, or said. Every hint of romance evaporated like he hadn’t a clue what the word meant. Then the secret phone calls and late nights began. She should have seen that coming a mile away. But as they say, love is blind. She had been trusting, never expecting a law-abiding man to be as violent, manipulating, and secretive as the bounties she often tracked.
She’d used her numerous tracking skills to follow him and a short two weeks later sent him packing. Apparently Jeff had an insatiable need to share his manhood with any willing woman that crossed his path. And there had been a shocking number of willing ladies to accept his offer. Thank God for best girlfriends and her little brother. They came running the minute she told them what happened.
She could still hear his voice as he shouted, “I’m going to destroy your life for this.” Evidently, he was much more consistent in his follow through of a threat than maintenance of their relationship. No one said no to Jeff and now he was obsessed with destroying her private life.
Over the past nine months, the few dates she’d gone on, mysteriously ended in inexplicable cancelled dinner reservations, a keyed or towed car, a threatening gang of hoodlums following them, or all of them combined. Once, the sick bastard left a gutted cat on her front porch. To her date’s credit, he hadn’t let it end the evening.
After that, she’d gotten a restraining order to keep him away from her and her house. The problem was, that didn’t limit him from damaging her date’s car away from her property.
When messing with her dates began to bore him, he added rumors to the mix. He even went as far as to contact her boss at the organization claiming she was a drug mule. Fortunately, no one believed his dribble, which really pissed him off. Unless she could catch him causing damage or collect evidence of it, she would have to wait him out. That brought her back around to Richie and how utterly polar opposite he was from her ex. She may have only met him, but she saw his inner radiance, he was the real deal.
Shaking her head, she shrugged her memories off and laughed softly. “What did you do? You scared the crap out of her.”
He shrugged. “I guess I can be a scary guy.”
“Sure you can,” she snorted.
To her utter surprise, he flashed a charming grin and leaned toward her to kiss the tip of her nose. Then he settled back to continue gently stroking his thumb across the back of her hand. “I don’t understand why a woman would degrade herself like those two do.”
Piper shook her head. “For the most part, many of the women who use sex for attention were either abused mentally or physically growing up. They have no idea how to get positive attention because no one has ever given them any.”
His lips thinned. “What is wrong with parents these days? How could anyone treat their child with less than unconditional love?”
She drew a breath, sighed. “It happens much more often than most people realize.”
“Now I feel bad. Next time I see Lori, I’ll try to be nicer.”
Piper studied Richie closely and looked for his inner radiance. After seeing him with his friends and now Lori, a person he disliked, she was curious what she’d find.
When she wasn’t on a job, she tried very hard to see the world in a positive light. Too long with the nasty dregs of society, where most of her bounties hid, and a person’s attitude could become skewed. And not for the better.
Shortly after she started bounty hunting, a mentor taught her to look for the inner radiance people possess. The unique inner energy or soul, whatever you chose to call it, that made a person good and shone from the inside. She once was told it was an aura, but she didn’t care what label was attached to the phenomenon.
Some people were modest, others assertive, a few were compassionate. Her favorites were the people who honestly loved everyone. Somehow those people found a little bit of good everywhere.
Lately she struggled to see a person’s inner light. That scared her more than any bounty could. She was losing herself piece by piece. She shouldn’t even be on this job. She needed to end this chase quickly and find a soothing, peaceful place to live before she was completely lost.
A smile tugged at her lips. Richie was one of her favorite kind of people. I could really like this guy. This wedding may not be a bust after all.
She’d never dated a man who so completely ignored other women, especially when said women threw themselves at him. This one definitely deserved a closer look. She wasn’t in a position to date today, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t have a little fun. If Qball showed up, she would gently let Richie know she needed to take care of a few things and she would call him when it was finished. And then once her tag was in police custody where he belonged, she would be more than ready to put everything she had into the kind of re
lationship a man like him would offer.
She looked at him with new interest, really looked at him. Yeah, she wanted to get to know this guy in more ways than one. He’s not a Don Juan at all. I wonder what he would do if I invited him to spend the night?
The two of them spent a few more hours, talking and laughing. As time passed, she found herself flirting outrageously. She couldn’t believe how at ease she was with him. But tomorrow was the wedding, and she needed to head to her room. It was now or never.
“I have really enjoyed meeting you and getting to know you, Richie.”
“And I as well. We seem to be the only ones left in the bar, perhaps we should relocate before the bartender tosses us out?”
“I would like that. We could go to my room. I have a little time yet before I have to get to bed. If I don’t get enough sleep, I wake up with the most unattractive bags under my eyes,” she laughed.
“I can’t imagine you ever looking less than beautiful. Come on, I’ll keep you company until you turn into a pumpkin.”
Piper smiled and nodded. “All right.”
Richie was on his feet and at her side before she could stand. She looked at him speculatively for a moment before taking his outstretched hand. How had he moved so fast?
He retained his hold once she was standing and they rode the elevator hand in hand. The exhilarating calm that descended over her during the short trip to her room with Richie felt – right. “This is me.” She pulled her keycard from her purse, then glanced up to see him gazing into her eyes.
Slowly, he bent until his lips were a breath from hers and waited. There was only a moment’s hesitation before she closed the gap and kissed him. The kiss was only a light graze of lips across lips.
Before she could open the door, he wrapped one arm around her waist and tunneled the fingers of his other hand into her hair. Tipping her head just right, he coaxed her lips to open to him and deepened the kiss.
A fire was about to ignite in the hallway from the heat they were creating when a wolf whistle broke them apart. Whoever had seen them was already slipping into their room.
With a gleam in his eyes, Richie lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles gently. “I guess we better take this someplace more private.”
