Page 3 of Bulletproof Love

Maybe I should stop by a church to show my thanks because an engine suddenly squeals, drawing their gazes away from me. I know I only have a split second, so I make the best of what I can and shove Growler hard in the gut, knocking him into Big Guy.

“Fuck!” one of them bellows. I don’t hang around long enough to see who. Taking a breath, I sprint around the corner as fast as my out of shape ass can carry me.

There’s no gunshot ringing out in the dark. No thunder of footsteps behind me. Only distant sirens and mumblings of conversation coming from a few drunks smoking cigarettes across the street.

Hell yeah. I’m in the clear.

My phone vibrates yet again and I finally answer it, hitting the speakerphone icon. “Fal… in,” I force out between panting breaths. “You oh… kay?”

The next block is up ahead and I try to remember if that’s where I need to turn. Come to think of it, maybe I should find somewhere to hide out. Leading them back to the apartment is asking for trouble.

“Christ, you finally answer the damn phone.” She sounds thrilled to speak to me, as usual. I can almost see her eye-roll.

“Kind of busy at the moment,” I say, my words bouncing with each pound of my feet against the pavement.

“Yeah, I know. I’m trying to save your dumb ass.” I hear faint clicking in the background as I take in her words. There’s no way she knows. How could she?

“Don’t know what you mean.” Wind whips at my face, stealing what little breath I have. I lean against a rough brick wall and bend at my side, heaving.

“Don’t stop, they’re not as far as you think they are,” Falin says. “See the old phone booth up ahead? The one with the flickering light?” She doesn’t wait for me to answer. “When you reach it, turn left.Left,” she repeats. “Not right. You go right and you’ll run right into a cop car.”

“I thought Damon was the stalker,” I say, clocking the phone booth. It’s close. Maybe I’ll make it home unscathed.

I take off running again, keeping my phone in my hand at my side. Falin repeats “Left,” again.

Whatever she’s doing, I’m grateful for her. I’d never tell her that though. It doesn’t fit the little game we’ve been playing. I like to call itwho can get under the other’s skin the most? I think it’s a tie so far.

“Okay, see that door with the barred up windows?” I glance around and spot exactly what she’s talking about.

“Yes,” I pant out.

“The door should be open. Go inside and stay there for at least an hour. I’ll monitor those cops and let you know when it’s safe to head home.”

“But where?—”

“Just listen to me. You think I’d go out of my way at almost 2 AM to prank you? That’s something you’d do, not me. I’m a mature adult.” She sounds so smug. I know the exact face she’s making. The one that gets my dick hard. Fuck, she’d look incredible hovered over me, that bratty look on her face, while she berates me for being a bad boy. I could come in my pants just thinking about it. “Jasper?” she asks when I don’t answer.

“10-4, boss. I have one question though.” I reach the door and yank it open, covering my nose at the invading stench of cat piss and rotten garbage. Now I know why this place is vacant.

“What’s that, dummy?”

“You still got access to cop uniforms? I’m picturing you in those starched linen pants and it’s giving me a semi.” A smirk spreads across my face, but it’s short-lived. It smells God awful in here.

“Wouldn’t you love to know,” she teases. “I’m hanging up. Don’t get yourself arrested. Or killed. Blake would be sad.”

“What about you? Would you cry for me, sweetheart?”

“I might shed a tear or two… when I see all the extra work I’d have to do to cover for you.”

“Damn, that’s cold. What did I ever do to you?” I make my voice smooth as silk, laying on the charm.

“Goodbye, Jasper. Keep your phone on. I’ll tell you when it’s safe to leave.”

With that, the line goes dead and I’m left to find a spot to sit in this hovel. From the empty shelves and faded signage, I’m guessing this place was a store of some kind. Wonder what happened. I kick old used cups and empty trash aside and spot a semi-clear looking place to sit in the corner.

Catching my breath, despite the cat piss stench, I play the events of tonight back in my mind. Where the hell did it go wrong? My hands shake and now that I’m “safe”, that aching hunger takes over. This is perfect, fucking perfect. I thought I found a legit plug here. It was going to be my last time.Scout’s honor. And now I feel like shit in more ways than one.

I vibrate my leg, restless energy coursing through my muscles, and hum this Sleeping With Sirens song that’s been stuck in my head all day. I wish I had my guitar. I’d play it and get it out of my system. I wonder what Falin would say? She likes that band. In fact, she’s the reason the song is stuck in my head to begin with. Her incessant humming can drive a person to insanity. Just proves how much of a nuisance she is in my life. To put it poetically, she’s my personal buzzing earworm.

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