He looks like all his Christmases came at once as he straightens up, like standing taller gives him an edge. Ick. “I am gonna be there, and if you pretty little things say you’ll come, I’ll make it worth your while.” Why he feels the need to wiggle his eyebrows I’ll never know.
It feels dramatic to act like this, but we hit the jackpot with the idiot on patrol. He really does think we’re into him and this whole gross scenario. I peer behind him, but I don’t see anybody else.
“Ooh, we’d love that!” I clap my hands together. “You’re a life saver, Rick!”
I can’t believe it’s this easy. There has to be a catch…
“I’ll give you another card. You just need to register, and tomorrow you’ll get a text?—”
“Shoot, I’ll have to try and buy some credit.” Luna bites on her lip. “Times are tough right now. And then an Uber to get across town, it’ll be downtown, right?”
He looks around, for the first time it looks like he’s got some nervous energy going on. “I can’t really say?—”
“But you know?” I give him a wink. “Maybe we could meet you there, earlier? Make it worth your while for helping us.” I bite my lip for good measure and his eyes dart to my mouth.
He palms the back of his head.Is it normal for men to sweat so profusely?“I’m not supposed to give the location out,” he whispers, his eyes darting over our heads as if someone could walk in any moment. “But you won’t tell anyone else right?”
“Of course not,” Luna purrs as I continue to smile at him mechanically.
He clears his throat. “There’s a motel off the interstate with a conference room, we’re gonna do the meet and greet there—Motel Six, but don’t tell anyone I told you.”
Oh, my god. They’re having this thing at a motel? Dear god. It’s hard not to slap this man across the face and pummel him to death with my fists.
“Oh, so we get straight to work?” Luna looks between me and Rick. “I thought we were just meeting?”
“Well, it’ll be like a pre-mixer.” He has the audacity to smirk. “If some of the girls want to, they can. The rules are meant to be broken, right?”
They canbecause there will be assholes there to buy slaves. I try not to outwardly cringe, but I’ve no idea how I’m doing.
“What about you?” I ask. “If we wanted to meet up beforehand…” And my hands literally shake when I say this next part… “To show our appreciation for the heads up, could I get your number?”
I need something to give Sawyer.
He looks surprised, his eyebrows shooting up as he grapples for his phone. “Well, that sounds like a mighty fine idea.” He reels off his number, not even asking me for mine, thank god, and I punch it into my phone.
“We’ll call you, Rick.” Luna blows him a kiss. “We’re so grateful for your help.”
“Well, anytime, I’d take off now if I could, but I’ve gotta help in the back.”Of course you do, because you help transport people for a living.
“Shame,” I mutter. “Well, bye Rick, let’s goLouise,we need to go get some new clothes for the mixer.”
We turn, my heart racing as if we’re gonna be found out any moment, and we leave the shop. Just as we exit, a man in a suit rushes by, bumping into us. “Watch it,” he says, disappearing inside.
I peer through the window once we’re outside and he walks behind the counter. Not a customer.
Forest?Well, whoever he is, he just showed his face to the MC and we’re done here. I’m not going back in there.
“That was intense,” Luna says as we scurry down the street.
Sawyer wanted to give me an ear piece, but Cash said no in case someone saw it, which would make sense. I spare a glance across the street, but I don’t see Sawyer. His truck is there, but his windows are too dark to see inside.
A second later, my phone rings. It’s Sawyer. I pick it up. “We got it,” I say. “I can’t be sure but that could’ve been Forest going inside.”
“Keep walkin’, we don’t want that jerk face bragging about you ladies and given’ himself away.”
“I doubt it,” I reply. “He seemed pretty happy to have us interested in him, pass me a bucket by the way.”
“The audio wasn’t great, where is the meet up? I’m in Luna’s truck by the way, with Payden.”