Page 108 of Apex of the Curve

My stomach turned into lead as groans and boos erupted all around me.

“Shit, gotta go,” Mace muttered and disappeared inside the club while there was still enough confusion and the cops had yet to get out of their vehicle. Maverick stepped up beside me, taking Mace’s place, a hand down low, reaching back to clutch my wrist.

“The only thing you say is ‘I don’t answer questions’ period. Okay?”

“I don’t answer questions,” I said, and he turned his head, flashing a feral grin at me.

“Atta, girl.”

“Whoa, what’s going on out here?” the first officer demanded.

No one said anything.

“Alright, everyone get your IDs out,” the second one ordered. I looked to Mav, and he gave me a nod. I extracted my phone with its little silicone wallet on the back that held my debit card and ID for when I didn’t want to carry my purse around.

I swear, it was like the cop made a beeline for me to check mine first and I frowned slightly.

“Aspen Lawson,” he read, and I said nothing. He eyed me critically and asked, “What are you doing out here Ms. Lawson?”

“I don’t answer questions,” I said firmly.

“Really now?” the cop asked.

“I don’t answer questions,” I repeated, and I gave him a look that told him he might as well stop trying, I was not going to be that bitch.

Fenris fixed me with a look across the open ring of people and sniffed, wiping at the blood under his nose.

The cop caught the look between us and went over to Fen, snatching his ID roughly out of his hand and squinting at it. “Okay, Mr. Lars Elstad. You want to tell me what’s going on here?”

I blinked, realizing that this was the first time I had actually ever heard Fenris’ legal name. My next thought being he didn’t look like a Lars or an Elstad. He looked like a Fenris.

“I don’t answer questions,” he said with a smirk.

“What about you?” He pulled Tic-Tac’s license out of his hand but didn’t say his name.

“I don’t answer questions,” Tic declared and spit on the ground at the deputy’s feet.

“Well clearly somethin’s going on out here.”

No one said a word. We all froze them out.

Another Sherriff’s office vehicle pulled into the lot.

“Anyone inside?” the first deputy who’d spoken, an older man going soft in the middle demanded.

“We don’t answer questions,” Maverick declared. “As for inside, you got a warrant?” he demanded.

“No, no we do not.”

“Then inside ain’t none of your concern,” and with that, Ms. Momma Kat came around the bar and shut the door.

“Get all their IDs, run ‘em for warrants,” the older officer ordered.

“Get comfy, baby, this is gonna be awhile,” Maverick said out of the side of his mouth.

He wasn’t lying, it did take a while. The better part of an hour.

“It’s your lucky day,” one of the deputies said, handing Fenris his ID. “You’re coming with us.”

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