Page 102 of One In Vermillion

“What?” I’d answered a lot of calls Over-the-Hill and that would have definitely stuck with me.

“It’s out there,” Faye said. “You’re a detective. You can find it.” She lay back and rolled on her stomach. “Could you unclasp me? And put some lotion on?”

I walked away.

I felt dirty. I needed some Liz. I didn’t care that she was now a Blue. To me, she would always be my Danger.

CHAPTER 51

When I got to JB’s, Vince wasn’t there yet, but Cash was, sitting at the bar, joking and smiling at Jill.

She wasn’t smiling back.

Good for you, I thought and went over to sit beside Cash.

“Lizzie!” he said, delighted, and tried to put his arm around me.

I smacked his hand away, hard. That drew some looks.

“Do not touch me,” I said, very clearly as Jill put a Diet Coke down in front of me.

That, she smiled at.

“Lizzie!” he protested, still smiling.

“I want you to listen to me very carefully,” I said, not bothering to lower my voice. “Stop telling people that we’re getting back together. I am with Vince, now and forever. You and I are never getting back together. I don’t like you. In fact, right now I hate you because you tried to frame Vince for drugs. And where the hell did you get drugs, Golden Boy? From your buddies the Wolves? You might not have heard yet, but that’s done. Pete OneTree and the others were arrested this morning at River Vista for drugs and guns.”

He grinned at me, unfazed.

I went on. “And you know, I don’t think the senator is going to be happy about that.”

That at least made him stop smiling.

“What I need you to understand is that there is no possibility of me ever wanting to speak to you again. You are not going to get me taking the rap for you again. You are not going to get me in your bed.And you are not going to getmy factory.”

He pulled back, flinching, and something in his face changed, hardened, his brows drawing together as he drew in a breath. His eyes were strange, reddened, the pupils a little too dilated.

“I haven’t loved you for a long time, Cash Porter, and I’m never going to love you again. You were a lying, cheating, emotionally abusive asshole in high school and you’re even worse now. Now you’re a lying, cheating, abusive, drugged-outcriminal.”

“What the fuck?” Cash said, angry now like I’d never seen him before.

And I didn’t care.

He stood up, towering over me, and Jill said, “Cash,” which he ignored.

“Swing at me and I will crush your nuts,” I told him calmly.

“Touch her and your nuts will be the least of your problems,” Vince said from behind me.

“Who do you people think you are?” Cash snapped.

I stood up, right in his face. “We’re the people who are going todestroyyou, you worthless moron.”

He blinked then, as if he was seeing me for the first time. Maybe he was.

“Remember how I used to save your ass over and over again? Well, now I’m coming for it. You shouldneverhave gone after Vince. Mistake.Big one.”

Then I picked up my Diet Coke and walked away and left him standing there, while I looked for an open booth.

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