by Hope Stone
In a way, I was grateful for Sara. I should have learned earlier, but at least I learned. After that, things really did get better. I discovered bikes and the club and my career. I enjoyed plenty of women, but I steered clear from all the long-term nonsense.
And I never got hurt or humiliated again.
But somehow, being around my mom made me forget all that. It made me feel young and stupid again. She’d kept pestering me about why Sara and I broke up, so I ended up telling her what’d happened. My mother had actually patted me on the shoulder and told me that I couldn’t give up. The right girl was out there, I just had to keep trying.
I wanted to tell my mom that if trying to find Mr. Right was what she was doing, then I wanted no part of that. But I didn’t say that out loud. My mom had been through enough shit. Most of it of her own making, but I never could bring myself to say anything harsh to her.
I pulled up at the auto shop. I knew that a scowl was etched on my face, but it wasn’t my fault that I had woken up to annoying thoughts and memories.
It was Claire’s fault. Something about her adorable snub little nose made me think of relationships and how rotten most of them turned out to be. I needed to stop thinking about her nose being adorable.
Raul Lopez, our road captain, was loitering inside, but no one else was around.
“Where is everyone?” I asked.
“Ryder and Moves had to split,” Raul said. “Bit of trouble on the other side of town.”
I raised my brows.
“Las Balas shit,” Raul said. “What else?”
“They need back-up?” I asked, grimacing.
“Nah,” Raul said. “I think they just wanted to scare one of the guys who was dealing coke in our territory the other night. Nothing major.”
I nodded. It looked like the calm before the storm was starting to give way to drops of rain.
“I’m gonna split then,” I said. “Got some work to do.”
Raul waved goodbye, and I turned back towards my bike. Just before I hopped on, my phone buzzed. I yanked it out, thinking it might be from Moves or Ryder, but it was from Kim.
We’ve got a plan for Operation: End Trey.
I rolled my eyes at how dramatic Kim could be. I suppose she had the right since Trey was a liar and a cheat. I read the next text:
I’m meeting him for a date at Figo Wine Bar downtown on Thursday.
I want my girl Claire to have back-up, so you into play her fake date...
so she can blend in while she gets her evidence?
I stared into space for a moment. Seeing Claire again was a bad idea. Just one evening with her had tempted me to throw away all my rules about keeping myself to casual hook-ups.
Then again, Claire of all people understood that relationships were all shams. I could tell from the way she discussed Trey and other guys like him that she’d seen her fair share of cheating and betrayal. That meant maybe, just maybe, she understood how it was better to keep things casual.
Not that we would be hooking up. It was a fake date.
And Kim was right that back-up was necessary. A guy like Trey was not going to take kindly to being publicly humiliated by two women. Not to mention that I was pretty positive that Kim had some very public and very scathing words in store for him after Claire acquired proper evidence.
I was sure Kim and Claire could hold their own, but it wouldn’t hurt to have someone there to make Trey back off. To help everyone achieve a clean exit should things turn ugly.
My mind made up, I lifted my phone to text Kim:
I’m in.
Six
Claire
I have always believed in punctuality. In my experience, most bad things only happened because of poor timing.
So when it came to running my cases, I was a stickler for doing whatever necessary to avoid bad timing. Which meant that I decided Pin and I needed to get to the restaurant a good half hour before Kim and Trey’s reservation. We needed to be settled in an ideal spot by the time the doomed couple entered.
I had also taken no chances with the seating. I called the hostess ahead to explain the situation. The hostess, herself a past victim of a cheat, had been on board. She promised me that I would have a corner table with a great view, while Trey and Kim would be seated smack dab in the center of the wine bar.
It would still be tricky to get my camera out to snap photos, but I had pulled off similar maneuvers. Besides, I would have Pin to help cover me.
Kim had suggested the fake date. I had laughed it off, but Kim had made some good points. I was way less likely to draw attention to myself if I was sitting with someone.
And Trey’s reaction was an unknown factor. I had agreed that Kim deserved to let him have it once I got my photos, so I couldn’t say no to an extra body to help us out. I have my pride and I had handled many dicey situations, but I wasn’t stupid. I accepted help when it was offered.
At six on Thursday, I ran through my plan one last time to make sure I had everything. I was supposed to meet Pin at half past the hour for our reservation. I hoped he was on time. Then again, I doubted punctuality was something bikers valued as much as I did.
I ducked into my bathroom to swipe a final coat of lip gloss on and admire my outfit. I had to give myself credit: my look walked the perfect line between Date Night and Kick a Cheater to the Curb.
It was a dark burgundy dress with thin straps and a v-neck that showed my cleavage to its best advantage. But it wasn’t flimsy. The bodice was fitted and the satin skirt flared out around my hips, falling to my knees which allowed for moveability. I had opted for pointed gold shoes with only half-inch heels. I didn’t expect that I would need to run or move anywhere fast, but it was always good to err on the safe side. Just in case.
The truth was, tonight was just for the photos. With Kim’s help, I’d managed to build an airtight case against Trey. I had gathered text message screenshots, detailed schedules, and even a few emails. But the wife always wanted a picture. A high quality one too. Blurry photos didn’t quite do it.
I had explained to Kim that it would be best if she could be a little touchy with Trey. Maybe even get him to kiss her. Kim had agreed. She was a natural, to be honest. She’d been laser-focused on helping me get all the admin stuff in order so she could have a clear shot when she went in for the kill.
After shoving my notebook, camera, phone and pepper spray into my bag, I called a car. Fifteen minutes later, I was perched on a bench just outside the restaurant.
To my surprise, Pin hopped out of a cab at 6:25 on the dot. I almost didn’t recognize him. He had exchanged his leather jacket for a neat button-down with his hair arranged in a neat side part.
He cleaned up well, and was even more handsome away from the dim lights of a seedy bar.
I shook my head and greeted him with a smile. “Thanks for helping out.”
“No problem,” he said.
We stood in awkward silence for a beat. It wasn’t a date, but somehow my nerves were jangling a bit, as if it was.
I took a breath and turned to the door. “Let’s do this.”
The hostess was good on her word. She threw me a wink as she led Pin and me to a corner table. Pin took the seat with his back to the room so I could sit across from him. It was perfect. Pin’s broad shoulders would even conceal my camera. I made a mental note to slip the hostess a twenty before we left.
We ordered drinks – water for the both of us. I needed to keep a clear head and Pin evidently thought the same. I glanced at my watch. We still had thirty minutes. I opened my menu and glanced over the options.
“I’m honestly kinda nervous,” Pin said.
I looked up to see he was wearing a self-deprecating smile that really had no right to be quite so charming.
“I can’t believe you do this kind of stuff every weekend,” he said.
“Well, not every weekend,” I said with a coy shrug.
I ducked my head down to look at my menu. I told myself to stop fli
rting on the job, but then glanced at my watch again. We had so much time to kill, we might as well enjoy the wait. Besides, Pin wasn’t so bad to talk to. There was something about the way he looked at me with total focus. As if I was the only thing in the room worth observing.
“I actually have been getting bored with the cheating husband stuff,” I said. “It’s not exactly thrilling since these idiots are easy to catch.”
“I can imagine,” Pin said. “It also must get pretty depressing.”
I blinked.
“I guess so,” I said. “Honestly, I tend to disassociate. I don’t often involve the mistress like tonight; Kim’s an exception. And something tells me she doesn’t need my pity.”
“Don’t call Kim a mistress to her face,” Pin said with a grin. “She definitely won’t like that.”
I laughed as I pictured Kim’s outraged reaction to being labeled a mistress. “Noted. Thanks for the advice.”
Figo Wine Bar was trendy and right in the center of downtown La Playa. Even on a Thursday night, it was filled with couples gripping big glasses of wine and nibbling on tapas. I knew this wasn’t a real date, but something about the piano music in the background and the shimmering orbs hanging artfully from the ceiling for lighting made me feel all smiley and chatty, as if it was a first date with a really, really cute guy.
Because Pin was cute. More than cute. He was downright attractive. And I couldn’t help but steal a glance at his torso. I could see the shape of his shoulders and chest through the thinner fabric of his shirt and he was definitely fit. I flashed my eyes back to his face.
“So what’s next?” he asked. “Now that you’ve gotten bored with all the cheaters.”
“I’d love to bust a criminal ring or something,” I said. “Missing children cases can be really rewarding too. I worked one a few years ago with a coworker.”
“What happens when you don’t solve a case though?” Pin asked.
“Oh, I drink,” I said.
That shocked a snort of laughter out of him.
“Yeah,” I said. “I do not deal well with failure. I was always a very sore loser as a kid.”
“Isn’t failure unavoidable?”
“Of course,” I said. “And knowing when it’s time to close a file is part of the job. Doesn’t mean I like it.”
“But you love the job anyway,” Pin said.
It wasn’t a question. He could tell how dedicated I was to my PI work. I held still as I met his gaze and nodded. His perception made a chill run up and down my bare spine.
“What about you?” I asked. “How did you get sucked into the dubious world of biker clubs?”
“Trust me, Outlaw Souls is nothing close to dubious.” Pin gave a dry chuckle. Even his laughter was cute. “We’re a strictly above-board club. Bikes, security jobs, brotherhood, and that’s about it.”
“I didn’t know there was such a thing as an ‘above-board’ biker club,” I said.
“Well, there is,” Pin said. His tone wasn’t too sharp, but his face darkened and I could tell I had offended.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “I guess I’ve only been exposed to stereotypes.”
“Not your fault,” Pin said.
“Well, I don’t like being ignorant,” I said. “Tell me more about the club.”
Pin’s smile said he was all too happy to move on. He told me about a few of his brothers and the rides they went on before explaining his accounting work. Then he asked me more questions about how I got into the PI world, and what my favorite cases were.
He laughed out loud when I told him the story about a time I talked my way into a business conference at an exclusive LA hotel by pretending I was on the board of a Norwegian company because I was convinced a guy was meeting his mistress there. I discovered it was an actual work conference and the guy was there for business only.
“Rest assured, I got him a week later,” I said. “It just turned out he preferred cheap motels for his trysts.”
Pin was easy to talk to. A little bit serious, but he could be funny, in a quiet and slightly sarcastic kind of way. Then again, lots of guys I’d gone out with had been easy to talk with. Didn’t mean they weren’t boring after the first few dates.
Before I knew it, I caught a glimpse of Kim and Trey settling down at their table.
“Ok, don’t turn around,” I said to Pin, keeping a casual smile plastered on my face. “But our targets have arrived.”
Pin instantly stiffened.
“Please relax,” I said. “We’re just having a nice evening, ok?”
Pin nodded, and his shoulders eased slightly.
I kept my eyes on Pin, but stole glances over at the table. Kim was decked out in a silver dress with a slit up to her hip and sky-high heels. She looked like a million bucks. I smiled as I sipped my water and grabbed a fry from the plate Pin and I were sharing. She really was trying to torture Trey.
He was smitten too, I could tell. He was ogling Kim with that wide-eyed look of admiration mixed with a healthy dose of pride. I saw it all the time. Guys were so self-congratulatory when they convinced some young hot thing to choose them.
What killed me was that Olivia was no crone. I had seen the pictures. She took good care of herself. Probably had worked out like crazy to shed her baby weight after giving birth. She went to the hairdresser and did her makeup all while dealing with an infant.
But Trey didn’t see any of that. Guys like Trey enjoyed the chase. Once they had the woman all secure and in their bedroom, they lost interest. They started to look for something newer, younger, hotter.
“She’s doing a great job,” I said to Pin. “She’s got him wrapped around her finger.”
“I would expect nothing less from Kim,” he said.
Kim and Trey had ordered, but they were ignoring their glasses of wine. Instead, Kim was leaning forward while Trey ran his hand up and down her smooth brown arm.
“Ok, I’m gonna pull my camera out,” I said. “You just keep chatting while I set it up.”
“About what?” Pin asked.
“Anything,” I said. “Just act normal.”
“I did some freelance CPA work today,” Pin said. “Really interesting situation with their profit margins.”
I nearly laughed out loud as I pulled my camera up onto the table. “You’re really talking about accounting?”
“You said I could discuss anything,” he said.
“Fair enough,” I said. “Please tell me more about profit margins.”
Pin gave me a crooked smile and continued. While he talked, I screwed the lens in place and made sure the shutter wouldn’t clack with a noise when I took a photo.
Kim was facing me, so I had Trey’s profile, but he was unlikely to see me. I knew I could count on Kim to stay in it until I gave her the signal.
I got a series of photos of him rubbing her arm and then to top it off, he leaned in and kissed her neck.
“Perfection,” I muttered. “This is borderline art.”
Pin snorted. “I hope the wife agrees.”
“Oh, she won’t,” I said. “But her lawyer will love these.”
I set my camera down. I had more than enough. It was time for the signal. I quickly took apart my camera and slipped it back into my bag. “Ok, I’m good.”
I leaned to the side so Kim could see me past Pin. Then I lifted my hand up to the chunk of my hair that fell over my collarbone and flicked it over my shoulder with a toss of my head for emphasis.
“A hair flip?” Pin asked. “That’s the super secret signal?”
“You should turn around now,” I said. “You’re gonna wanna see this show.”
Seven
Pin
I twisted in my chair as soon as Claire gave me the ok. It had been agony keeping myself from sneaking a glance at Kim.
Well, not total agony. Claire was more than a decent diversion. To be frank, she was downright hot when she was in her investigation element. But I still was dying with curiosity to see what wa
s going on with Kim and Trey.
As soon as I turned around, Kim started to raise her voice so that it carried over to us.
“It’s so funny that you say that Trey,” Kim said. “Because I’ve heard I’m not actually the one for you.”
Trey didn’t look scared yet, just confused.
“In fact, I’ve had it on really good authority that you have a wife,” Kim said.
A few people in the restaurant gasped aloud. Trey looked terrified.
“Baby, calm down,” Trey said. “Who told you that?”
“Oh, do not call me baby,” Kim said, standing up so she could look down at Trey.
I glanced back at Claire. Her eyes were lit up with excitement. She looked like a kid on Christmas morning and it was totally cute. She wiggled her eyebrows at me.
“Told ya it would be good,” she whispered.
“Look, Trey, I’m not even angry,” Kim said. “Because I know you’re going to get what’s coming to you. I just feel bad for you.”
By this point, the whole restaurant had fallen silent while Kim’s voice only got louder.
“Seriously,” Trey hissed through clenched teeth. “Don’t even think about going to my wife about this.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t dream of it,” Kim said.
Kim had one hand on her hip with her leg stuck out just so Trey could get the best view of what he was missing. Then, her every movement part of her performance for the crowd, Kim picked up her big glass of fancy red wine.
“Oh shit,” I muttered.
“My thoughts precisely,” Claire said.
Kim dumped the entire glass of wine onto Trey’s crisp white shirt. The restaurant erupted into cheers and the hostess even let out a loud whistle.
“That’s our cue to leave,” Claire said.
I turned to see that she had already risen to her feet and packed her purse up.
“I gave my card to the hostess ahead of time,” Claire said, winking at me. “In my line of work, sometimes you gotta bolt fast.”
