Page 54 of Riding Danger

Maggie rolled her eyes but dropped her shoulders. “You may have grown up being used to this, but some of us are excited to be treated like VIPs. What do you want from the bar? I think they do cocktails.”

It took me less than a few seconds to think. “Fuck it. I can have one cocktail and then water. Get me a Long Island Iced Tea. I can have one and still be sober when Ethan gets back here.”

She turned to Tiffany. “And you?”

“Strawberry Daiquiri.”

Maggie let out a chuckle. “Of course.”

It was true, Tiffany and her brother Theo grew up in the lap of luxury. It wasn’t until she found out all the horrible things her father had done that she rejected his money. The weird thing was, Theo had wanted out a lot earlier. He was all set to join the academy with me since being a cop had been his childhood dream. Then, in a matter of days after their father’s will was read, he’d taken the helm at Snow Enterprises, the largest distributor of weapons in the Northern Hemisphere. The problem was, that despite the demise of his dad, Darren Snow, I was almost certain that not all their dealings were strictly legal.

I brushed off that thought and resolved to have a fun night out with two of my closest friends. Ryder had booked a hotel room for each of them to spend the night. Even Zoe got her own room. Of course, Ethan and I would be spending the night in his suite. The girls and I would drive back to Marina De Ferrier the next day along with Ethan.

Tiffany was right of course. The spread that had been put on in the VIP suite was a lot more than I expected. Hors d'oeuvres and fancy sparkling water filled a table along one end of the tent. There were a couple people in the back who drew my attention. Icould flash my badge, not that I had it with me. But even so, that could make things all kinds of awkward. Better I stayed where I was and maintain some plausible deniability.

“Zoe, you stay away from the back corners,” I whispered as I looked around, clocking all the places where something could be going down. My brow raised as I turned my gaze on Tiffany and Maggie. “You two, as well. The last thing I need is to be implicated in anything illegal going down.”

Tiffany rolled her eyes “Switch off for the night. Everything will work out fine.”

Another celebrity couple strolled into the tent. I recognized their daughter from the tabloid photographs as she stood between them. Her dad bent down. “You stay here with your mother and I, okay.”

Yeah, he knew what happened at events such as these. My only solace was that many people in the tent were high profile and didn’t want to get caught doing something illegal. Still, I was glad that Ethan would be backstage for most of the show.

I didn’t catch the name of the opening act as the girls nattered about our lives. Each of us could find something to complain about. Mine was my job as an officer.

“I just hate feeling like the entire department needs adjustment if I need to stay off with Ethan or something.” I took a sip of the drink Maggie handed me. “I’ve really enjoyed the flexibility of working at Salinger. Between my job and my love life, I feel like everything is up in the air.”

Maggie shook her head. “At least you have a love life to talk about. The last man I slept with is apparently up for parole in a few months.”

“What?” I turned and frowned at her. “Who said that?”

“That’s what Charlie and Keith were taunting me about the night they were in the bar.”

Tiffany was also confused. “And no one informed you?”

“They don’t have to. We’re divorced and he signed over the rights to his kids. I don’t have any right to any information.”

Maggie was right. And while I was glad she and her kids were rid of that asshole, it meant she would get blindsided like she did that night at the bar.

“Can’t you file a restraining order.” Tiffany looked as concerned as I felt.

I shook my head. “She can’t. He never hurt her physically and even the verbal assaults didn’t rise to the level of harassment.”

Maggie rolled her eyes. “And apparently, cheating is not grounds for anything except divorce and that was only made easier because he was in prison. At least I don’t have to subject my children to him.”

“What about you?” I turned to Tiffany. “I’m guessing you broke up with Mr. No-Idea-Where-The-Clit-is?”

Zoe groaned on her other side. “Do you guys have to talk about this?

Tiffany stifled a smile before she turned to her sister. Technically, Theo was her and their younger brother, Joshua’s, guardian. Still, Tiffany always made time for them

“This is an important issue. Granted, you don't need to be around men who know their way around a vagina.”

Zoe covered her face and tried to ignore her sister.

It was true, Tiffany dated a lot and had no problem with the third date rule. In fact, the woman would put out on the first date if the situation was right. It was surprising she had been in somewhat of a relationship with a man who was… well, a bit quick to be done.

“Yeah. I went on another date a few nights ago. I knew with our first drink that wasn’t going to work. He chewed ice. That is just weird.”

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