Page 73 of Rock Chick Bonus Tracks

She shook her head. “No. He was cool. He’s patient. It wasn’t like I fucked up. It’s just…he’s such a natural at this shit. He thinks five moves ahead. He’s so intuitive, it’s like he knows what someone is going to do before they know they’re going to do it.”

“Again, he’s been doing this longer than you. You’ll get to that place.”

“I—”

He cut her off gently. “Don’t.”

She shut her mouth.

“This is what you want,” Ren reminded her. “This is who you are. You’re going to have times like these. Times where you question yourself. You gotta shake that off and keep going.”

She held his gaze for long beats.

Then she whispered, “My champion.”

“Fuck yeah,” he whispered back.

She smiled the famous Nightingale smile at him.

The microwave binged.

Ren walked across the hall and entered Ally’s offices to see if she wanted to head out and get a quick lunch.

He stopped inside the door when he saw Tex’s enormous back, seeing as Tex was standing in front of Daisy’s desk, all but obscuring it.

And Daisy didn’t have a small desk.

He also looked to Ally’s office, which had a wall of windows.

She wasn’t there.

“It’s not like she’s gotta pay my insurance,” Tex boomed, bringing Ren’s attention back to them. “Indy’s got that covered. She’s just gotta throw me some action once in a while. In case you haven’t noticed, woman, shit around here has gotten boring.”

“I hear you, sugar,” Daisy replied. “But it isn’t like her cases all have high-speed chases and shootouts.”

Thank fuck, Ren thought.

“A lot of times it’s staking someone out and waiting for your shot to close in and take pictures of someone doin’ the nasty,” Daisy went on.

“Want no part in that,” Tex mumbled (but somehow, it was still a boom).

Daisy’s tinkling laughter sounded. “I hear that too. I see the pictures. Me and my Marcus went to this place that had a lot of mirrors once, and I was sure to get prepared. Good hair. Full face of makeup. Glitter dust on my skin. The nasty is justnastyif you don’t go in prepared.”

Tex’s hand shot up. “Too much information,” he growled.

Ren agreed.

He also walked forward.

Tex swung around and Daisy smiled at Ren. She did it the way only Daisy can do it…huge. “Hey there, honey bunches of oats.”

“Hey, Daisy,” he replied, and looked to the big man. “Tex.”

“Zano.”

“I take it Ally isn’t here?” he asked Daisy.

“Due back soon. Want me to send her over?”

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