Cashing Out

by Pierce, Nicolette

  “It’s fine,” I argued, slapping his hands. “I’ll need as much air as I can get. Last time, Charming had me running circles around the bus, and that was only for five minutes. I can’t imagine what he’ll do with more time. But, I have mace tucked in here somewhere. Just in case.”

  “That’s probably wise. Lenny, you know your job. Caleb, thank you for helping. You know your job, right?”

  Caleb grinned. “The princesses.”

  Frankie gave him a once-over. “In that outfit, you’ll have no problem. All girls like bad boys—especially princesses.” Frankie’s gaze raked over him again. “And me too.”

  I wasn’t sure about Frankie’s logic, but Caleb was dressed in fantasy garb that could be very convincing if he acted the role. The pirate costume was from Frankie’s chapel closet. Since Caleb is larger and more muscular, the costume fit snugly. Snug enough to give hot flashes to women passing by.

  “Turn around. Let me see how that looks,” Frankie said.

  I shot Frankie a look as Caleb turned in a slow circle. Frankie fanned himself.

  “Dear lord, they’ll be swooning like tweens at a boy band concert,” Frankie said, clearing his throat. Ripping his eyes from Caleb’s derrière with a whimper, he addressed Dani. “You know your job, right?”

  “Yes. This is the worst half-baked plan I’ve ever heard. I’m running as soon as the cops come,” she said with a snap of her bubble gum, which was the same shade as her orange hair. “I have enough dings on my record without adding this nonsense.”

  “Charming went too far. He has to be stopped,” Frankie said. “If Caleb is willing to tarnish his reputation, then you should be too.”

  Caleb leaned over to whisper in my ear. “I’m tarnishing my reputation?”

  “It’s already ruined,” I whispered back. “What’s a little added tarnish?”

  “I think these pants are cutting off circulation.”

  “They do look tight,” I said, trying not to stare. “Once we head to the chapel, change into jeans.”

  “And risk missing swooning princesses?”

  I rolled my eyes. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a person swoon.”

  “I could make you swoon, kitten,” he whispered, tracing his finger down the side of my neck.

  “Nadia!”

  I jumped at Lenny’s bark.

  “What?”

  “Stop making googly eyes. We’re heading out.”

  Chapter 13

  “I don’t see Charming,” I said, peeking through the bush we were huddled behind.

  “Muffin, get down. We don’t want them to know we’re here,” Frankie ordered.

  “I thought I was here to put my talent to good use, not hide behind a bush.”

  “You will. It’s a surprise.”

  “We don’t need to hide for the surprise,” Muffin tisked. “The remodeling unveiling will shock them.”

  “You ain’t kidding,” I muttered.

  “There’s a fairy!” Lenny spotted a fairy exiting the front door. “I’ll handle this!” He grinned, snatching his super soaker.

  “How is a super soaker going to keep the fairies away?” I asked.

  “I used your floor goop and thinned it so it can spray. It’s now the consistency of super glue. Once it flies, it sticks like the original goop.”

  I winced. “Don’t spray it on their skin. Or eyes!” I added.

  “Don’t worry. I got this! Dani, you’re on backup. Make sure to lead them away from the chapel. We don’t want anyone turning into statues on the front yard.”

  Dani pumped her super soaker. "Locked and loaded.”

  Lenny ran from the hiding spot with a warrior cry. Halfway to the fairy, he slowed as he wheezed to catch his breath.

  “I guess I’m up.” Dani shook her head as we watched Lenny stop and brace his hands on his knees for support. She bolted from the bush and descended on the fairy, luring him away with a squirt.

  It caught the other fairies’ attention. They filtered from the chapel to see their comrade fall as Dani blasted the super soaker. Lenny’s eyes widened as they circled him.

  “I can’t watch.” I buried my face into my hands.

  Caleb laughed. “He’s okay. He just soaked them. Their wings are stuck together. That worked better than I thought it would.”

  I peeked through my fingers to find the fairies stuck together like a giant log. Lenny used the super soaker to prod them away from the chapel. Their curses filled the air, drawing more eyes to the front.

  “Caleb, you’re up!” Frankie called.

  “I’m only doing this for you, kitten,” he said with a wink before sauntering toward the princesses in his sexy pirate swagger.

  “Damn,” Frankie and I said in harmony as we watched his retreating form.

  As he neared the princesses, two giggled, two gasped, and one tugged her bodice lower.

  “Look at him,” Frankie said in awe. “He’s stealing their breath and hearts with one sultry glance and a dimpled smile. I wouldn’t be surprised if they hike their skirts for him. If I could bottle his sex appeal, I’d make millions. I’d save myself a bottle too. Just a little dash to spice things up.”

  “He doesn’t have a dimpled smile. Though, I think you’re right about them hiking up their skirts. The one on the end is ready to pounce.”

  “He has a slight dimple,” he argued. “It comes out when he’s mischievous.”

  “You must have seen a shadow; he doesn’t have dimples.”

  “I don’t care if he has a dimple on his face or butt,” Muffin huffed. “I’m getting cramped hiding behind this bush like a hungry raccoon.” She fidgeted, shaking the bush with her movement. “That brings up a good point; I’m hungry.”

  “Only Charming is left. As soon as we flush him out, we’ll head in and order a pizza.”

  With one lumbering movement, I found myself on the other side of the bush.

  “Go get him!” Muffin called.

  “You didn’t have to push me through the bush,” I growled, picking a leaf from my hair . . . and one from my bodice. Geesh!

  I dusted off and made my way to the entrance where Caleb and the princesses stood.

  His eyes fell on me as he spoke with the princesses. They didn’t notice my approach, but he was tracking me. I used a hand signal to wave him away from the front so I could get inside.

  He flashed a dimpled smile at the princesses and wrapped his arm around two of them, leading them away.

  Where did that dimple come from? I was sure I hadn’t seen it before. However, before I could wonder more about the elusive dimple, Charming stepped out.

  “What brings you here, my lovely?” he asked. His eyes roamed the length of me. “Not that I mind your visit, but it seems my staff has disappeared.” He stepped close, cutting off the path to the door. His eyes flicked over my shoulder. “It seems I underestimated you. I’m not sure what your plan is, but leading my princesses away with a common pirate won’t make them forget their duties.”

  “I’m not sure what you’re talking about,” I said, inching back.

  A single eyebrow rose. “You wouldn’t happen to know why Frankie and a . . . is that a woman?”

  I glanced over to watch Frankie frantically attempt to keep Muffin at bay. She batted him, flinging him through the bush. As she barreled toward us, Frankie jumped on her back, which proved to be useless.

  “Get out of my way,” she said, plowing through to the front door. “I don’t have time to sit behind a bush all day. I’ve got business to take care of.” She stopped at the door and turned to Charming. “Where’s your bathroom?”

  “On the left,” was all he could utter.

  “Good. I hope you got a plunger. All that squatting behind a bush makes a person’s plumbing cockeyed.” She breezed through the door with Frankie still clinging to her back.

  Charming’s composure slipped. He no longer wore his veneered smile. His eyes were assessing.

  “What’s going on?” he asked,
turning his piercing gaze to me.

  “Muffin wants to remodel your chapel.”

  “Why?” he asked, stepping closer to effectively block my escape route.

  I scanned for an alternate route.

  “Don’t go in there for an hour!” Frankie stumbled out, waving his hand in front of his nose. “The stench could peel paint off a wall.”

  Charming whipped around to Frankie. “What are you up to, Garza?”

  “Nothing,” Frankie said innocently, sidestepping Charming.

  Charming cut off his path, allowing me to escape. I did. Hurrying to the parking lot, I turned to find Frankie and Charming glaring nose to nose.

  “You couldn’t win fairly so you thought you could sabotage me?” Charming growled.

  “You taunted me with those horrible billboard designs,” Frankie gritted. “What was I supposed to do?”

  “Lose honorably! And they’re not horrible. You just don’t like the fact that they’re true! My chapel is better than yours.” Charming poked Frankie’s chest. “My staff is better than yours!” Poke. “And I’m better than you!” Poke.

  “You only have one theme! I change mine daily!”

  “Ah, yes. Jack of all celebrities, master of none. But I am the master here!”

  “You think prancing around batting your eyelashes and calling every female a fair maiden is being a master? I could out charm you any day!”

  Charming’s eyes flashed. “Out charm me? You couldn’t charm a woman if your life depended on it!”

  “Yes I can! I can charm the socks off any woman or man! You can’t claim the same!” Frankie barked.

  “I only turn on my charm for women! Men don’t count!”

  “That’s because you can’t charm them! Admit it!”

  Charming blustered. “I could charm a rock if I had to!”

  I felt a hand on my back and turned to find a very sexy pirate standing next to me. With the scene unfolding at such a rowdy decibel, I didn’t hear him approach.

  “They’ve attracted quite a crowd,” Caleb said.

  I peeked around to find an audience filling the sidewalk and front yard. Even the fairies hopped back into the yard to watch the two chapel owners squabbling like children fighting over the last Popsicle.

  “Do you think they’ll start slapping each other with gloves?” Caleb asked.

  “That’s how we got in this predicament.”

  “You’re kidding!”

  When I shook my head, he chuckled. The sound tickled my senses.

  “How come you only have a dimple some of the time? I never noticed it until you smiled at the princesses, but then you just laughed and it wasn’t there.” I scanned his cheek, looking for the mysterious dimple.

  “If I tell you, you can’t repeat it.”

  “Why not?”

  “Promise first.”

  “I promise. Now tell me,” I urged, which earned another laugh.

  “I don’t think I could ever say no to you. The dimple is my one and only tell,” he explained, referring to the poker term.

  “How is that possible?”

  He shrugged. “It’s always been that way. If I’m not smiling sincerely, a dimple appears, causing the woman I’m not being sincere with to like me that much more. It’s a vicious circle. But it explains why you’ve never seen it.”

  “Does it come out at the table?”

  “Sometimes, but not often. Most of the time I enjoy my interaction with the other players. Luckily, most men don’t notice whether I have a dimple.”

  “Frankie noticed.”

  “He’s not like most men.”

  “You’re not kidding,” I muttered, turning my attention back to the argument that was growing louder and more animated until a resonating crack brought silence.

  “Frankie! Run!” I screamed.

  Frankie paled and grabbed Charming, diving to the side. Another crack sent a turret plummeting to the ground in a crash of splintering wood.

  I clutched my chest. “Frankie! Are you okay?” I jogged to the debris.

  Frankie poked his head up. “I thought we were goners!”

  Charming’s smudged face popped up next to Frankie’s. “What happened?”

  We looked up to find Muffin standing where the turret had been. “Did you know these turrets are fake?” she asked. “If I hadn’t already gone to the bathroom, there would’ve been a serious accident . . . of a different nature.”

  “You nearly killed us, woman!” Frankie bellowed.

  “I’m remodeling!”

  “You tore down my turret!” Charming roared. Veins were swelling and throbbing.

  “You have three more.”

  Charming shook with fury. “Stay where you are! I’m calling the cops!”

  Muffin scurried, searching for a way out.

  Charming whipped around to Frankie. “This isn’t over! This is between you and me. The new challenge has been accepted.”

  “What new challenge?” Frankie asked, backing away.

  “You and me. Tomorrow night.”

  Frankie raised his brows. “On a date?”

  “Don’t be absurd. The one that can charm a woman and a man wins.”

  “Stakes?”

  “We’ll keep them the same with one addition. The loser becomes the winner’s servant for a week.”

  Frankie’s eyes narrowed. “You’re on!”

  “Meet me tomorrow at seven. We’ll pick location and subjects.”

  * * *

  The next day, I called Remy. I was anxious to hear news, but I didn’t want to pester him either, since he promised he’d call if he found a lead. I wasn’t confident he would follow through with his promise, however.

  “Well?” I asked after he answered on the fifth ring.

  “No luck. I can’t make heads or tails of the postcards, and there are no leads on the Millers. Can you think of anything that Ian said before he left?”

  “He said, ‘Good morning, my sweet wife’ just before I ran out the door.”

  Remy exhaled. “Anything before that?”

  “Not that I can recall.”

  “Think on it and get back to me.”

  “Okay. Remy, did you get in touch with Greyson?”

  “I tried. Nothing has changed. The Dragon’s still keeping him hostage.”

  “I thought for sure he would talk to her.”

  “He very well could have. She doesn’t strike me as the type to give up control so easily. She’s had her way for months.”

  “Do you think Greyson knows?”

  “Don’t worry about Greyson. There’s nothing you can do.”

  I hesitated before saying, “Actually, there might be.”

  “I don’t like that sound in your voice. It reminds me of times when you did something stupid.”

  “I don’t do stupid things.”

  “Would you care for me to list them? I could start alphabetically or chronologically. Your call.”

  “It’s not that long of a list.”

  “So, you’re agreeing that there is a list.” I could hear him smirking on the other end.

  “I didn’t agree to anything. Are you going to listen to my suggestion or not?”

  He groaned. “I know I’m going to regret this. Lay it on me.”

  “It’s simple. We call the one person we can get a hold of . . . the one person who has the clout to get through to Greyson.”

  “I always assumed you had enough clout, as you say.”

  “Well, we were both wrong on that point.”

  “Who is this person who has so much power?”

  “Mrs. Miller.”

  Remy paused for so long I had to look at my phone to see if we were still connected. “Damn,” he finally said.

  “It’s a good plan, right?”

  “Hell, no! You can’t call a grown man’s mama on him.”

  “Got some mama issues?”

  “No. But that’s some cold, underhanded shit we’re talking about. You don’t call the
mama when you’re in the schoolyard, and you definitely don’t call when you’re an adult.”

  I couldn’t help but envision Remy as a young kid. He’d be smart-mouthed and tough. Perhaps he’d even have a head of hair. Remy with hair? Hmm.

  “What color is your hair?”

  “What?” he sputtered and coughed. He must have just taken a drink.

  “I had a vision of you as a troubled youth. Did you shave your head then, or did you actually have hair?”

  “Jet, you should thank your lucky stars you aren’t in front of me right now,” he growled. “Can we stick to the topic, please? You aren’t calling Greyson’s mom. You aren’t going to call me unless it’s important. And I have brown hair.”

  “Dark or light brown?” I asked just to needle him.

  I heard half a cuss before silence. He cut me off.

  I pocketed my phone.

  I don’t agree with Remy, I thought as I paced my beautiful wood floors in my peaceful apartment.

  I wonder where Muffin is? She didn’t return last night to steal my bed. Maybe Charming’s threat to call the police scared her off. I grinned.

  I still couldn’t believe how my floors turned out. I’m almost thankful Muffin destroyed them. Besides looking hot while shirtless and performing manual labor, Caleb did a killer job. I allowed a moment of eye-candy reflection.

  What do I do? This isn’t a simple schoolyard squabble. There are three people missing and a stolen necklace. Postcards were sent in hopes I could help or find someone to help. Without understanding the postcards, my only option is involving others.

  Do I call Greyson? Do I have any other options besides calling . . . or walking away?

  I’ll give him one last chance, I thought as I dug into my pocket to retrieve my cell phone. I took a deep breath and pressed Greyson’s number.

  Chapter 14

  “You’ve reached Mr. Miller’s cell phone. How may I help you?”

  Fiona.

  “I’d like to speak to Greyson, please.” I attempted politeness, even though I knew it wouldn’t be returned.

  “He’s in a meeting right now. May I take a message?” Fiona asked. The professional words were there, but the pleasantness was stripped from her voice.