Page 97 of Such a Good Girl

Was this really love?

Did I love West, too?

I’d never allowed myself to think such a thing. Even if every cell in my body was singing with love for him, I wouldn’t acknowledge it. I couldn’t. I spent the rest of my shift on cloud nine, lost in my spinning thoughts, lost in a swelling bliss that I only dared allow myself to float in for fleeting moments.

At the end of the night, as I headed out to the parking lot, I was still lost in that fog. But as soon as I spotted Danika standing next to my car, I pulled out of it and went on full alert.

“Danika,” I said, nodding as if we’d met, even though we hadn’t.

“Look, bitch, I know who you are. Leave West alone or else.”

I had no idea what she meant by knowing who I was. At this point, that could be anything. Did she just know I was dating West? Did she know I was a cop? I wasn’t about to clarify, so I played along.

“Or else, what?”

“I don’t think I need to say it,” she said, leaning towards me. She smelled heavily like booze, her usually perfect curls slightly disheveled.

“Are you okay? Do you need me to call you a cab?”

I looked around the parking lot for her security team,but didn’t see anyone. Confused, I kept looking, because America’s Sweetheart usually came with a team of burly dudes to make sure she stayed safe.

My heart sank when I spotted Hoskin's van parked in a spot in the corner of the lot. His ugly face peered out from behind the wheel, watching this whole scene unfold.

“Fuck you,” Danika said. “Just leave West alone. That’s all I have to say to you.”

“Sure, right,” I nodded, just wanting her to leave.

She headed to a nearby Mercedes and got behind the wheel. I contemplated stopping her but she was hell bent on leaving. She sped off quickly. “Fuck,” I muttered, heading to my car and ignoring Hoskins.

I should have known better because he was at my window in seconds.

I rolled it down, shaking my head.

“What the fuck are you doing here again?” I asked.

“Time’s up.”

“My time isn’t up until tomorrow, so fuck off,” I hissed. He was wasting my time coming here.

“The Lieutenant is pissed,” he said. “You’ve been undercover for weeks now and all you’ve accomplished is getting your face plastered across the gossip rags and turning into a downright slut for West Foster. If you don’t give us something we can use right away, then you’re off the case, understood?”

“Fuck off!” I shouted, a little too loudly. He laughed and turned on his heel, walking back to his van. I groaned and put my head in my hands. I hated that guy with all my heart. He was nothing but trouble.

“Rosie?” I looked up to see Rian at my other window. My blood ran cold.

He’d heard every word of my conversation with Hoskins.

“You’re a fucking cop?”

“Rian! Oh, fuck! You scared me…”

“A cop, Rosie? Does West know?”

“Rian…I can explain.”

“I’m sure you can,” he said, shaking his head. “Unfucking believable…”

“Rian, please.” I hesitated. “Call me Kaylee. Rosie is an alias I just used for the club.”

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