“No, you saidtoo. Like you’ve already sold them a story.”
The look that flashes across her face is the epitome ofoh shit, I got caught.But because she’s the type of woman she is, Brandy decides to lie.
“I didn’t do shit. You can’t prove nothin’. My bitch cousin is brainwashing you.”
“Shut your mouth. You don’t say her name. You forget she exists. Understand? Because I can already guess what you did. You sold the story that I spent the night. Makes perfect sense now. After you shook me down for a grand and probably blew it on stupid shit, you stooped even lower to make a buck.” I take another step toward her, and Brandy shrinks back instinctively before squaring her shoulders and jutting out her chin.
She drops the innocent act real quick.
“I’m not scared of you. You can’t touch me. I got the number of a guy that’ll pay for anything I bring him, and if you lay one hand on me, I guarantee he’s gonna get the story of a lifetime.” She sneers, and it’s clear she feels like she has the upper hand in this situation. She’s wrong.
“You think you’re the first skank to threaten me with bad publicity and bullshit stories? I don’t give a shit what you say about me. Go ahead and try it. I willburyyou.”
I don’t know where she finds the balls, but she says, “You might not care about your reputation, but I guarantee Ripley will. You want more stories out there about how you made her your whore just like Gil Green did with her mama? Good luck gettin’ her to spread her legs for you after that,Boone.”
My temper turns my vision red. I’ve never put my hands on a woman in anger, and I won’t start today, but I’ve never met someone who pushed me this close to the limit.
“You’re lucky you’re not a man. I’d knock your teeth down your throat for that.”
“And then I’d own your ass. Watch your step, big shot. You don’t want to piss me off again.” Then she decides to change her tactic. “Besides, if you’re nice to me, I just might show you how much better I am than my cousin. If you want a woman who knows what she’s doing, then you picked the wrong one.”
Between her threats and talking shit about Ripley, I’m done holding back. “You’re just a cheap slut looking for a free ride. You know how many girls like you I’ve met in this town? Hundreds. You’re a dime a dozen. Easy come, easy go. Not worth the price of a condom I’d have to slide on my dick to make sure I don’t catch whatever crotch rot you came home with last night.” I lower the stand to the floor and reach into my back pocket to yank out a few hundreds before tossing them in her direction.
“That’s for the bird. It’s more than you’d get for a fuck, and the last cash you’ll ever get out of me.”
She sucks in an outraged breath, but I’m done with this bitch. I shove open the door and I’m gone.
Try selling that to the tabloids.
I work on calming my temper down, but with only fifteen feet from the back door of the bar to my truck, it ain’t happening.
I yank the truck door open, shove the stand inside next to the bird who is still squawking nonsense, and slam it before climbing into the driver’s seat.
“Everything okay? You were in there for longer than I thought you’d be.”
“Ran into your cousin. She’s fuckin’ delightful. And when I say delightful, I mean I’d rather slam my dick in a door than talk to her again.”
Ripley’s face pales as I throw the truck in reverse. “Oh shit. What’d she say?”
“A whole lot of bullshit that ain’t worth repeating.”
“So it was bad? That doesn’t surprise me when it comes to Brandy.” Ripley’s hands curl into two balled-up fists, and the bird also chimes in.
“Dirty whore.”
I shift into drive and pull forward. “For once, that bird has it completely right.”
Ripley’s gaze cuts to mine. “What do you mean? Did she ... did she—”
“Offer to fuck me? Not exactly.”
Another sharp inhale from the passenger side of the truck. “Thatbitch.”
“We’ll give her two more minutes of our time, and then we’re done talking about her because she ain’t worth it.” Ripley nods and I continue. “What the hell happened between you two for her to be so damned bitter and vicious?”
Ripley’s shoulders hunch forward and she wraps both arms around herself. “I wish I knew. Her dad walked out a few months after she was born, and her mom, my aunt on my mama’s side, wasn’t exactly a model parent. She had the same attitude—that life owed her something and didn’t deliver.”
“Fair enough. Subject closed.” I glance in the rearview mirror and add, “Time to get this bird home.”