Moving toward Jasmine I ignore the other women. In theory I should ignore her too, she deserves a better man, but she’sbeautiful and kind and I want to enjoy being close to her, if only for a little while. My feet carry me in her direction, only stopping when she meets me in the middle.
“So, what’s going on?” she asks, her dark eyes peering up at me through her lashes. Fuck. I don’t even think she realizes how sexy she really is.
“Pops got arrested for some outstanding warrant.”
Her eyes widen and her brows pull slightly together, causing a small wrinkle that my fingers twitch to smooth, to put her at ease. “Will he be OK?”
“Well, he’s in there making friends with a couple of the town drunks, all with his junk out because Hitchens took him in there naked, but he seems to be fine.”
“Naked? Why the hell is my client naked?”
My face pulls into a grin at the sweet, sweet growl of Wire’s mom.
“Is that Miss Candice I hear?” Fox’s voice rings out behind me. “It is! Miss Candice here to save the day!” Fox moves to sweep her into a hug and I can’t help but roll my eyes when Jasmine’s gaze meets mine.
“Wire’s mom is the most badass lawyer in town.” I nod in Candice Harvey’s direction. “She’s also represented Pops on a few occasions.”
“I’ll bet,” she giggles, eyes dancing.
I can’t help but stare at the way her lips curve, the way her whole body moves when she laughs, her curves jiggling softly with the movement. Fox and I aren’t small men, and while, yes, we have fucked all manner of women together, our favorite women were the ones with lush, soft bodies. The way they would mold to us, the way they felt between us. Shit. Just looking at Jazz I know that she would feel like heaven between me and Fox.
“Is, um, everything OK? You kinda zoned out on me.” Jazz’s voice pulls my attention back to her, snapping me out of my daydream of fucking her with my man.
“Shit, yeah, sorry, just got caught thinking. About shit. Um, this Pops stuff, I guess.” My hand rubs the back of my neck and I almost fall to the floor in relief when Fox steps in, talking some type of charming shit to Jasmine as I collect myself.
The familiar feelings rise up in my chest. Tightness as the words my parents used to repeat ring out loud and clear in my head.
Idiot. Dummy. Pathetic. Fucking worthless.
“You are intelligent. Kind. Fearless.Loved.” Fox’s low whisper works its way through my fog, pulling me back into the here and now. Like it does every time he says the words.
Not always those words, but some version of them. Gazing into his eyes I see the love he feels for me shining in them, and I believe what he says. I have no reason not to. My eyes dart to Jasmine, hoping that she didn’t hear, but if she did she shows no sign of it.
Miss Candice’s voice pulls me out of any more overthinking as she demands to know what charges are being laid against Pops.
“Do you want the full list, or just this month?” Hitchens says, as he storms from the direction the cells are in, to step toe to toe with Wire’s mom, who looks none too impressed with the move. And she shouldn’t be. In her heels and with her long braided hair piled on top of her head, she towers over Hitchens, the little pissant. He steps even closer, getting into her space, trying to intimidate her in the way only little men can.
Instead of stepping back, she leans forward. “How about we start with whatever trumped up charge you arrested him on in the hopes it’ll stick?”
Hitchens’ eyes narrow and I can’t be the only one who notices his jaw tightening dangerously. “Impersonating a priest, receiving stolen goods, faking his own death to skip jury duty, impersonating Willie Nelson, unauthorized use of a church bell, impersonating an officer of the law, do you want me to keep going?”
Miss Candice’s eyes narrow. “Can you explain to me why my client is naked in the cells? That is a breach of his human rights.”
Color blooms on Hitchens’ cheeks, but I don’t think it’s from anger.
“Oh, oh, he’s embarrassed!” Mira squeals. “Come on, tell us. What did Pops do to you?”
The girl gang all cackle and Jazz moves in their direction as they all huddle, coming up with more and more ridiculous reasons of how Pops embarrassed a deputy. Fox nudges my arm, tearing my attention, and my gaze, from Jazz’s thick, round ass as it jiggles away from me.
“We could have all that and more, babe,” Fox murmurs, eyes firmly on Jasmine.
“Yo, can someone help my friend back there? He’s been naked for too long and he’s starting to get some interested looks from the men back there with him,” Mad Dog growls, stomping his way down the hall, full of piss and vinegar.
Until he spots Miss Candice and then his demeanour changes in the blink of an eye. He’s standing taller, shoulders back, waist looking suspiciously trimmer than it was before. Jasmine must notice too because her cute face, screwed up in question, has my lips curling up. Her gaze meets mine across the grim reception of the Rose Grove PD and she mouths “what the hell?” before giving me an impish grin that has my pulse quicken and my breath hitching.
Ah shit. Fox was right.
Jasmine
