Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 78142 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 391(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78142 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 391(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
I turn around. Headlights are on me. A car.
A police car.
And a cop.
Two cops.
Within seconds, my face is pushed into a brick wall. “You’re under arrest for solicitation,” one cop says.
“What? You’ve got to be kidding me. I was trying to help the woman.”
“We saw money exchange hands.”
“Just ask her. I told her it wasn’t for—”
“Did you get her?” the cop holding me asks the other one.
“She darted into a shadow. Sorry. I lost her.”
“Fuck it all,” I grit out.
So the little hooker’s gone, and she can’t validate my story.
“You have the right to remain silent,” the first cop says. “Anything you say can and will be held against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you can’t afford an attorney, one will be provided for you. Do you understand these rights?”
“I didn’t fucking do anything. I was trying to help her.”
He nudges me into the wall. “Answer me. You understand your rights?”
“Yes,” I say through clenched teeth. “Now what?”
“Now, we take you to the station. We fingerprint you. And we stick you in a holding cell until someone comes to bail you out. If no one comes, you’ll be arraigned on Monday.”
Monday? I’m not sitting in a jail cell until Monday. “I want my phone call.”
“I’m not sure you’re in any position to be making demands.”
Fuck. Just what I need. In the shitstorm that has been my life, one thing I’ve avoided is the inside of a jail cell.
Until now, apparently.
Chapter Seventeen
Diana
Antonio is the perfect gentleman walking to my place. He doesn’t so much as try to hold my hand.
Which is actually fine with me.
Once I let us in, I look around. “Looks like my roommate’s not home yet.”
“The drummer?”
“Yeah, but let me just check.” I walk through the foyer and down the hallway to Dragon’s room. His door is closed. I knock softly. “Dragon?”
No reply. I knock a little louder.
Then I crack the door.
It’s not locked, which means he’s probably not home yet.
Just to be sure, I look inside and flip the light switch.
Nope, no Dragon.
I return to Antonio. “He’s not home yet.”
He raises his eyebrows in a teasing gesture. “Guess we’ll have the place to ourselves, then.”
I tug on my lip. I don’t want to be worried about Dragon, but it’s after midnight at this point.
“I’ll just give him a call.”
I call him. No answer. I’m tempted to text him, but then I don’t.
He’s a grown man. I am not his keeper. That’s what he told me, and he’s right.
“Like I said,” I say to Antonio. “I don’t keep any alcohol in the house. But I do have some sparkling water and several kinds of juice.”
“Sparkling water’s fine.”
I open the fridge. “I also have some fruit if you’re hungry.”
“I’m good. Teddy always keeps lots of fruit on hand when I visit.”
I pour two glasses of sparkling water, squeeze a lemon into each, and hand one to Antonio as I lead him into the living room.
We sit together on my leather couch.
Now what? I take a sip of my water. I had two glasses of wine, so I’m feeling a tiny bit buzzed but not enough to just launch myself into his arms.
Even though I’m still feeling kind of horny.
“Would you like to watch a movie?” I ask.
He narrows his eyes. “I think what I’d like to do is this.” He puts his glass of water down on my coffee table, setting it on a coaster. And he takes mine from me, setting it on another coaster.
A guy who uses coasters. I’m impressed.
Then he grabs my hand, cups my cheek with his other. “This is what I’d like to do, Diana.” He comes close to me, and I close my eyes, ready to feel my lips against his, when—
My phone buzzes in my pocket.
I pull back. “Sorry.” I grab my phone.
“Ignore it,” he says.
“I’m not the kind of person who can just ignore her phone.” I look at it.
It’s not a number I recognize.
What the hell? I’ll take his advice. Ignore it.
I set the phone on the coffee table and smile at Antonio. “Now, where were we?”
“Right about here, I think.” He cups both my cheeks this time and he moves closer.
I close my eyes, and just as his lips touch mine—
My phone again.
Blaring at me from the coffee table.
“Ignore it,” he says again.
“I can’t.”
Again, the same number that I don’t recognize.
But why would whoever it is keep calling me back? And at this hour, as well?
My curiosity gets the better of me.
I place a finger on Antonio’s lips. “Let me just tell them to knock it off. Then I swear I’m yours for the evening.” I accept the call and bring the phone to my ear. “Hello?”
“Hi, Diana.”
Dragon’s voice.
“What is it? I don’t recognize this number.”
“That’s because…I’m in jail.”
I stand up, drop my jaw and my phone at the same time, and the phone clatters onto the coffee table.