Page 23 of Cocky Jerk

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“You’re pathetic,”Richie says, as he takes a seat on top of my desk. Slightly startled, I peel my eyes away from my cell phone and look at him. He lifts the cold, half-eaten slice of pizza from my paper plate and takes a huge bite.

“I was eating that,” I point out.

Chewing, he shrugs his shoulders and folds the slice. He drains the oil from it before taking another bite. With his mouth full, he answers.

“No, you weren’t. You’re too busy staring at your phone to bother with food.”

This is true.

After Soraya had a good laugh at my expense, a call came over the radio. Richie and I had to respond to a robbery in progress, so I hung up with her and switched into cop mode. I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy to chase a perp down Canal Street and it was a welcome distraction from the fact I had just coerced my friend into sending her intern a bouquet of fresh fruit.

When we returned to the precinct with the perp, I called Soraya, but she was on a conference call and couldn’t get on the phone with me. On top of that, the woman isn’t answering my texts, so I have no idea if she sent the arrangement. I wonder if the receptionist will hang up on me if I call the office again.

I lean backagainst my chair and fold my hands behind my head as Richie pops the last bite of crust into his mouth.

“Soraya isn’t answering me,” I explain.

“Do me a favor, if I ever tell you I’m bored with Tina, remind me of today,” he says, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “I don’t miss this nonsense.” With an exasperated sigh, he points a finger at the phone in my hand. “Stop being a pussy and ask for the girl you want to talk to and leave Soraya out of it. Cut through the bullshit and be a fucking man for Christ's sake.”

“To be fair, I’m not usually like this,” I defend.

“No, you’re not. Which tells me you’re either in over your head or you’ve met your match.”

I find the latter part of that sentence is disturbing.

“Bite your tongue,” I hiss, considering his first theory.

Antonia is a smoke show, but I’m overly invested and that might be why I don’t like the idea of her hanging around a guy like Hound. Just like the man in me can’t stop thinking about her sweet ass and perfect tits, the cop in me can’t ignore the fact she might be in trouble. I know she thinks she’s capable of handling a guy like that, but let’s face it, he’s a criminal. God only knows what he’s capable of.

I look back at Richie.

“You never answered me before when I asked you about the Corrupt Hellraisers,” I point out.

He raises an eyebrow.

“You were serious about that?”

“Contrary to popular belief, I don’t speak just to hear myself talk.” I drop my hands from behind my head and straighten in my chair. “When I dropped off her license a guy from the club showed up at Antonia’s house. She was pretty pissed at him and made it like we were on a date. That’s who gave me the shiner.”

Richie quirks an eyebrow and crosses his arms against his chest.

“So, you think this girl is mixed up with the club, that’s why you’re running in circles, ordering chocolate dipped fruit on a stick.”

I think about that for a second. Before I searched the database this morning, I tried to rationalize what I was about to do. I told myself I wasn’t looking to single-handedly take down a bunch of bikers. Hell, I’m not even looking to take down one. I’m just a nosy prick who doesn’t like the idea of another man sniffing around something I have an interest in.

Right?

Shaking my head, I picture her face. Those eyes. That mouth. All that wild hair.

The things I’d do to her.

One night.

That’s all I need.

“She’s hot as fuck too,” I add. “And she’s feisty. Light your shit on fire kind of feisty. But you don’t care because you know she’s one of a kind and you’re the lucky bastard who gets her, so you ignore the crazy.”

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