Page 98 of Stella
I don’t even have to hesitate.
Me
I’ll be there
The day can’t pass by fast enough, but I don’t get any reprieve, because Brew and Haze pick me up from the bakery and we head over to the Vault.
“You know, I didn’t expect to be spending my nights staking out a strip club,” I grumble.
“You whine like this to Cash?” Haze gives me a look from the rearview mirror. His truck is a beast, and not exactly incognito.
“Of course she doesn’t,” Brew grumbles. “She’s probably cotton candy to the boss.”
“What’s eating you?” I fire back at him. Brew might be big and grumpy, but I’ve been putting up with Tag for most of my life, so I’m used to grouchy assholes. “Has it got to do with a certain someone we shouldn’t mention?” I love ribbing him about Erica.
Ever since that night at XXL, Manny’s suspicions about him being hot for Erica were confirmed. I saw it in his eyes when I pretended I saw her going to see the show.
Brew keeps his cards close to his chest, but he’s loyal, and that says a lot about a person. Even if he acts like he has a giant stick up his ass.
“Prospects are to be seen and not heard,” he replies.
“Then again, we could do with some food,” Haze adds.
“I’m not going to be your personal servant,” I huff.
“See, that’s where that smart little mouth is gonna get you into trouble.” Haze wags a finger in the air. “Good little prospects say ‘yes sir’ and ‘I’ll get right on that double time’ and ‘no trouble at all, would you like cream with that?’”
He thinks he’s so fucking funny. I lean forward and massage his shoulders from behind. “Aww, poor Hazey, did Willow not return your calls?”
“Fuck off.”
Brew chuckles. The only time he ever resembles laughter is when I’m annoying his brother. “She didn’t.”
“Aww, Pookie Bear, there’s plenty of fish in the sea.” I pout, giving him sad eyes as his meet mine in the mirror again.
“Sit down and be quiet.”
“Hey, I’m giving you a free massage, you should be grateful. What about you, Brewest? I think I could work some tension out of those shoulders.”
Without looking at me, he says; “I don’t like to be touched.”
“Unless it’s a blow job,” Haze adds. “And I doubt you’re gonna want to do that.”
I screw up my nose. “Ew.”
Brew side eyes his brother. “Just what I need, Harlem hunting me down with murder in his eyes.”
“Relax, I wouldn’t suck your dick if my life depended on it,” I say casually. When he turns to look at me over his shoulder, I smile. “No offense, but I prefer my men willing and able.”
“You sayin’ I’m not able?” He snorts. “Kid, I could show you things that’ll make your little head spin off those cocky little shoulders.”
It annoys me when he calls meKid,but I know he’s only doing it to get a rise out of me. The only way to beat Brew is to be one step ahead of him and ignore his taunts. “It’s okay, Brewster. I’m good with my head exactly where it is. I’m sure it would be fascinating, but you’re way too old for me. What are you now? Like fifty-five?”
He was lifting his coffee to his mouth, but now he’s sputtering it all over the truck as Haze whoops with laughter. “I’m not even forty, you little pain in the ass,” he gripes. “Should drop you off at the office and make you do every shitty little job under the sun to get rid of you for a few hours.”
I pat him hard on the back, ensuring he doesn’t choke. “It’s okay, Snookums. I know you both secretly want me around, and I really don’t think Cash would agree to leaving me by myself at Nomad Brothers Security with this threat lurking around, but whatever. It’s your head that will roll.”
“Snookums?” Haze laughs even louder. “Jesus fuckin’ Christ.”
