Page 36 of The Jester and His Outlaw: Part One

I can sense his cool, judgmental stare on my skin, even through the visor on his helmet.

Is he the guy I’ve been texting?

This entire week’s worth of embarrassing implicating text messages has been with Riggs?

This is the only thing that makes sense why he would be here right now. If he were meeting up with Jensen and Kai, then he would probably wait to get off his bike until they pulled in.

Instead, he is getting off his bike, slipping his gloves from his fingers, and tugging the latch under his chin apart. I groan and rub my fingers into my eyes until I see the galaxy sizzle in and out.

I cannot believe this is happening.How mortifying.Apparently, I’m not the best person to shop for weed. I’ve almost flaked out on him a couple of times, rescheduling and worrying obsessively about getting caught. I even voiced those opinions to him in a few texts. He has to think I’m some sort of snitch or something. It’s a wonder he even agreed to meet up with me at all.

Riggs makes his way over to my SUV. He tousles his hair with his fingers. I thought for sure his eyes would sear me with a glacial gaze, but as he passes them over the situation before him, I see mirth in them.

Meanwhile, laughter is spewing from between Foxy’s closed lips as she struggles to contain her giggles. My torment is hilarious to her. She makes many snorting noises, and I suppress the urge to slap her.

Riggs towers over me. He folds his lips in and slowly drags his tongue over them as he stares into the distance before he swings his eyes to mine.

I can’t quite get a read on how he feels about this because sarcastic judgment isn’t unusual for him. He clicks his tongue off the roof of his mouth, and I take that as a gesture that he’s disgusted with me.

Yay.I’m thrilled that my drug dealer is Riggs.

I shrink down in my seat under the weight of his stare. Will there ever be a time that this kid’s judgment doesn’t make me want to crawl out of my skin?

Foxy and Riggs share a glance, but I don’t take a chance at deciphering it. I could punch Foxy right now for laughing at my pain.

Riggs clears his throat. “Mandy, I presume?” he asks in a flat tone.

Foxy loses her shit. “Mandy!?” she wails, slapping her hand on my shoulder and pushing me toward the door as she laughs her ass off.

Out of the corner of my dead stare at the steering wheel, I see Riggs’s chest vibrating with laughter. I slouch down even more in my seat, practically in the footwell, my neck and cheeks flushing.

Why me? Is this Karma paying me back? Because fucking touchè, bitch. Touchè.

I should’ve expected this. Riggs smokes pot—nothing new. I should’ve known that he would be the one I was texting.

“You gave me a fake name?” Riggs asks, laughter ringing in his voice. It’s the lightest I’ve ever heard him.

“Is that not a thing?” I peek up at him, tucking my head down into my shoulders.

“I can’t say it hasn’t happened, but honestly, this is the first time I’ve caught someone,” he admits, and when I finally face him, his sarcasm and joking has died down. His face is kind, almost…sweet?

I relax some. I’m starting to believe that Riggs does indeed have an easier side. He just doesn’t give it to many.

Despite sharing in Foxy’s laughter, his frame is still rigid, his muscles taut. Is it because he doesn’t like me, or is he nervous? I’m hardly a high-profile client, but given our past, I could do some serious damage if I turned him in.

“I take it this is your first time?” he asks, lifting the awkward air around us. As always with him, I’m afraid to say anything and almost back out of the parking spot, leaving him right where he stands.

“Oh, really? What gave me away?” This draws an actual smile out of him. Not one that he was trying to keep on the down low because he hated me and wouldn’t be caught dead smiling at something I said. No, this was a full-wattage smile. Damn, it was beautiful and shot straight to my core.

“So, do you still want what you asked for?” He grows serious. I guess he is a business man after all.

Jensen’s Lexus pulls into the parking lot, followed quickly by Kai’s Challenger. He is driving aggressively, whipping his car around the parking lot.

Kai isn’t happy with me at all, and I know he is going to have words with me about safety later. I can’t blame him. This was a stupid decision. I should never have met someone without him here with me. He spots Riggs’ bike, the tension releasing from him.

“You mean you’re still going to let me have it?”

He looks at me like I’m an idiot, but then erases the expression from his face. “Why wouldn’t I? That’s what we’re here for, right?”

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