Page 80 of Rest In Pieces

I spot Nevaeh heading toward us with her bag over her shoulder.

“Okay, I’m off. Call me if you need anything, and I’ll come right back.”

“I managed alright without an assistant for years. I think I can handle the afternoon without you, even if I have gotten used to you spoiling me.”

She sticks her tongue out at me and heads off with a wave to Jack.

“She’s sweet and nothing like you at all.”

“Why, Jack, are you saying I’m not sweet?”

His eyes widen, and he steps back, making me snicker. “What? No, of course not. I meant that she’s quiet and timid, and you’re…” His voice trails off as he winces.

I can’t help it. I crack up. “Relax, I’m just messing with you. I know exactly what you mean. The funny thing is, she’s actually the crazier one out of the two of us.”

He looks at me skeptically, probably because I threw myself out of a window earlier.

“It’s true. I’m an open book—what you see is what you get. But Nevaeh… She’s sweet as sugar on the outside and crazy as shit on the inside. She’d have to be to put up with me.” I smile.

He lets out a laugh, believing that last part at least. “Honestly, in my experience, most women have a crazy bitch button somewhere.”

“That might be true, but it’s only men that find that button and push it real hard. If men put that much effort into finding a woman’s g-spot, they’d get blow jobs instead of blowback. Funny how that works out, huh?” I walk away. I know I’m being a bit harsh, but I’m dealing with a misogynistic motorcycle club, and Jack just accidentally pushed my button.

“So, food?” he calls out, making me roll my eyes.

“I’m gonna shower off the sugar glass and nap until I’m needed, but thanks anyway.”

He mutters something, but I don’t catch it and don’t ask him to repeat it. I just keep walking toward the RV.

I’m just a few feet away when Monica steps in front of me, dressed exactly like I am but without the shards of glass in her hair.

“Yes, Monica?” I’m usually pretty chill, even when I want to shove someone’s face into a blender. But today, my tolerance for bullshit is at an all-time low.

Maybe I’ve been exposed to assholes for too long and need a detox. Or maybe it was the talk with Jack. Either way, it’s taking all my strength to stand here and plaster a fake-ass smile on my face.

“Those guys who were here?”

“There are a lot of guys here, Monica,” I say, crossing my arms. “You’ll need to be more specific.”

“The criminals,” she says, her voice dripping with disdain,

I drop my arms. “You mean the Raven Souls Motorcycle Club members? I’d be careful throwing around accusations like that. They might not appreciate it. Then again, guys like that probably don’t even know who you are.”

“What’s the matter, Amity? Feeling a little threatened? After all, I’m the star. You’re just the understudy.”

I blink, letting her words sink in. “I’m your stunt double, Monica. I make sure you don’t break a nail or lose your weave. This is a movie set, not a Broadway show. There are no understudies,” I explain before stepping around her.

“Your attitude will leave me no choice but to talk to Stefan.”

I shake my head. “Go ahead. You’ll have to do your own stunts because finding someone else at such short notice who looks close enough to your height, weight, and coloring isn’t as easy as you think. But that’s fine. I’m sure you’ll have a blast when you have to climb the mountain pass or do the fight scene on top of a runaway train.”

She blanches. Monica might talk a big game, but she is terrified of heights. She can’t even climb a ladder without passing out. There’s no shame in that, but if she wants me to step in and do it for her, she can damn well keep her mouth shut around me unless it’s about work.

“Just keep them away from me. I don’t need to get caught in a drive-by.”

“In a drive-by? Really? They’re a motorcycle club, not a street gang. You should know better than to judge people by how they look. After all, you’d hate it if people treated you like a slut just because you dress like one.”

She hisses at me, her eyes narrowing, but I continue before she can say anything else. “They’re good men who protect people, both in physical security and cyber.”

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