Page 14 of Enemies with Benefits
"No, you told her you like it when she yells at you, and if she went out with you, then she could yell at you all she liked."
"That's...yeah, see?"
"Not the same thing."
"Or maybe I'm just hoping that eventually she'll realize I'm made for her and she'll be the one to ask me out."
"Doubtful."
"Hope springs eternal."
"Somethingis hoping to spring with you, alright."
"Aww, c'mon, it's not like that."
"Since when?"
"With Julie? It's never been like that."
I glanced at him, thick brow shooting up in surprise that I didn't bother to hide. "Really?"
"Really."
"Wow, that would be the first woman you've ever been serious about, even in theory, since... well."
"Yeah," he said lightly, but I wasn't fooled in the slightest by his attempt at sounding disinterested. It might have been a couple of years, but Sarah's name still dragged up a sting that I wasn't sure was ever going to go away. That whole thing had changed just about every aspect of his life, and not just his love life, but his family life as well. It had split his family right down the middle and wasn't showing any signs of recovering. Then again, one member of the family had slept with the fiancée of another, and the other had retaliated by hospitalizing the first... Yeah, I could see how that would cause tension.
Though if you asked me, anyone who was loyal to his step-brother had some fucked up priorities.
"Well, if you're serious about her, then just...be serious with her," I said with a shrug. "Quit playing games and be upfront."
"Eh, it's more fun this way."
"I thought it was serious."
"See, maybe that's the problem with your own love life. You don't know how to have fun with the serious."
"Really? When was the last time you took anything outside work seriously?"
"I'm sure if you give me time, I could come up with something."
I eyed him doubtfully, then sighed when I realized he was trying to come up with something to fire back at me. Meaning I would probably have at least a few minutes peace to try to deal with the new update in my life. I didn't care what the captain said, going after Lawrence had been the right call, especially since he’d been willing to pull out deadly force so quickly andwithout a single care to the damage it could cause. There were plenty of people with sob stories like his, plenty of tweakers and addicts who didn't feel the need to start peddling drugs to minors or shoot at officers out in the open. If his knees were a little banged up from his fall, then so be it, he deserved that and worse.
Of course, the media and all the bleeding-heart morons would see it differently, and the captain just wanted to make sure it didn't spin out of control. I couldn't decide if it was a sign that I was easily expendable or if the hard ass bastard really was looking out for me.
I let that mull in my head as we walked while Kayden racked his brain for something witty. We’d walked a few blocks, and the number of people had waxed and waned depending on where we were. We were drawing near the Gras District, so it was starting to get crowded again as the evening drew closer, and people were drawn in to get food. It was a Friday, which meant it would thin out shortly before the district was partially closed off to let people club and bar hop to their hearts' content, where the only vehicles would be designated cab companies and, as of recently, screened and permitted ride-share workers.
Lost in thought, I didn't realize why something was tugging at my thoughts as we walked past one of the many hotels. I stopped, looking around, and at first, I saw only a somewhat tackily painted hotel, people flowing in and out of it, and people parked on the street. I scanned the area, knowing it wasn't a sense of danger, but it was important in my mind, and I continued looking for the source.
"What?" Kayden asked, realizing I had stopped and was watching me.
"I don't...wait a minute," I said, my eyes falling on one of the vehicles parked in designated parking spaces near the hotel.
More specifically, on the sports bike parked neatly between two cars. It wasn't flashy like so many crotch rockets I'd seen in the past, mostly black with purple streaks to give it a bit of pop. Some of the parts stuck out as strange, though I couldn't say why other than that I'd seen a handful in my life, and some subconscious understanding told me they were probably custom parts, which cost money. It was familiar, but it was the scratches that really made me grind my teeth.
"Son of a bitch," I growled as I walked up to it, reaching out and then stopping, hand balling into a fist as my blood boiled. "Are youshittingme?"
"Er, you alright over there? You're, uh...swearing at a bike."
