Page 85 of Jingle Belle's Biker

“To the tree?”

“Yeah.”

A smile breaks out. “If it won’t ruin your reputation.”

“I’ll survive.” I go to her, kiss her. “I’ll be back.”

“Oh good,” Lance says, gaze shifting over me as he motions me out of the foyer and past his office to some stairs. “Saved me chasing you up.”

We take the stairs and out a side door, into a tiny courtyard. I think it’s the back of the building, as I can hear street noise, and high rises are around us—high rises for Sweetwater, anyway—but I’m looking at the backs of other buildings.

“If this is some kinda execution,” I say, “I’m warning you I’m bigger and meaner than you.”

It’s a joke but Lance actively jerks away, going pale. “No, no. I was going to call you. Everyone’s probably at that idiotic tree.”

“Couldn’t stop it?”

“Why would I? I’d have thought most people would be too busy trying to make money and make ends meet than go look at a damn tree.”

“Fuck the holidays?”

He nods, missing my pointed little joke at his expense. “It’s not my fault times are tough.”

“Actually,” I say, leaning against the wall as he comes to a stop at another door and starts fumbling for keys, “it’s exactly your fault. Trying to throw people out of their fucking homes.”

He shoots me a sharp look, the first real sign of teeth on him. His ruthlessness is really starting to show. “Times are tough. The economy’s hitting us all.”

Fuck, he’s a dick. Class A. All the fucking awards.

“You could’ve put in for the tree?—”

“What are you talking about?”

“Someone told me it’s later this year.”

“Who are you, some kind of biker Santa?”

I laugh. Sliding metaphorical knives into him’s fun. “Making conversation, rich boy.”

“You’ve been talking to Belle. Not that she’d look at you, but she’s mine. We’re going through a patch, but that twenty k ring I got her is perfect.” He pats his pocket, like some kind of stalker creep who has the ring on him at all times.

He probably fucking does.

“That’s up to the lady if she wants your ring.”

Lance takes a step closer but stops just shy, his finger pointing at me. “Had nothing to do with that idiotic tree. Council money is tight. We need to inject funds into this city. Make it shine bright. Speaking of shining, it’s time for you to step up your job. Some of those idiots will take a real hand to help out come the twenty-fourth.”

I look at him as he veers around me and unlocks the door. With a sigh, I follow him into the cool dry of a basement.

I can’t help thinking of Belle. If she were here, the jokes about a murder basement would fly.

“Or they might pay up.”

He snorts a laugh as he flicks on a light. In among the boxes, old file cabinets, and broken or discarded furniture is pretty much a haul from a Z-grade action movie.

I stare at the baseball bats, the chains. The spiked gloves. The nunchucks. Honestly, I would be shocked to find some knives and guns in the mix.

The man would earn more points from me if there were.

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