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That made me pause. He’d lied to his boss about what happened? Why?
“Why would you lie about that?” I pushed my bangs from my eyes and peered over my shoulder at him.
“Because I don’t want to arrest you.” His biceps stretched against the material of his shirt when he folded his arms over his chest. “If I wanted to, don’t you think I’d have done it by now?”
“How can I trust you?” I turned, mirroring his pose. “Your entire job is to rid the city of people like me. I’d be walking into the lion’s den and offering myself to the vultures if I did as you say.”
“It’s your choice, baby. Help or get yourself arrested.” He glanced at his watch. “I’ve gotta go. If you’re not at the station by three p.m. tomorrow, we’ll assume you’re choosing the latter and a warrant will be served for you. You got that?”
Stony-faced, I said, “If you call me ‘baby’ again, I’ll ram my fist down your throat.”
“Threatening an officer of the law probably isn’t your smartest idea.” His lips tugged to one side as his eyes sparked with silent laughter.
“That was no threat.”
The smirk that crossed his goddamn handsome face swiftly morphed into a full-blown grin that made the corners of his eyes crinkle. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Perrie.”
“You sound awfully sure of that.” I followed him to the front door.
He yanked it open and, when he was standing just outside, turned to face me. The smile was gone and so was the laughter in his eyes. Replacing it was a smug, self-assured, arrogant glimmer that sent annoyance dancing down my spine.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he repeated. Then, after a quick up-and-down glance of my casually but scantily clad body, he tipped an invisible hat and made his way to his car.
I stood and stared after him as he started the car’s engine and pulled away. His words mulled around in my mind as his car disappeared. Was it worth what he was offering me? What the LVPD were?
Could I trust him? Could I trust them? My family had instilled in me a healthy dose of fear regarding the police, especially after my sister died. The clashes between my parents and the force had been legendary in my then-social circle.
I avoided them at all costs. At least, I tried to. That seemed to be near impossible. I didn’t have many friends, but I sure as hell had dealt with enough enemies in my life thanks to my father.
If Adrian Potter was an enemy, surely it was better to keep him close.
I closed the front door with a sigh and wrapped my arms around my body. My thumb brushed the side of my left boob, and I paused in the hall.
My boobs felt awfully free.
I glanced down.
I wasn’t wearing a bra.
And my nipples were shouting that to the world.
Mother. Fucker.
It was obviously time for bed. Tomorrow had to be better, right?
Right.
***
After double and triple checking that I was wearing a bra, I drove to the police station.
I’d somehow had a full night’s sleep and successfully avoiding any and all questions about “the strange man in the black car” from one very inquisitive little girl. After enough insistence from me, Lola had eventually decided over a bowl of apple slices and grapes that it was a Secret Service agent who was taking me to marry Prince Harry and we’d move to London and play with “the Queen’s short, fat puppies.”
Nobody could accuse her of being a pessimist, that was for sure.
I didn’t really know what I was doing. I’d already called ahead to make sure the chief of police knew I was coming so I’d be in and—hopefully—out by the time Lola got out of school. That made it so I couldn’t back out.
I had to go. I had to walk into the lion’s den with my demands, just like Adrian had said.
I could only hope I wouldn’t be eaten alive.
As I pulled up outside the station, I felt like I was starting a joke. A hooker walks into a police station…
I checked my make-up in the mirror. Picking my clothes had been the hardest. Most people in there wouldn’t know who or what I was, but if I’d gone too conservative in my clothes, then it would have looked like over-compensation to those who did.
All the thinking had made me tired. I needed a damn nap, but here I was, walking into the police station.
Almost right into Adrian Potter, who was standing in the reception area…Who I almost didn’t notice because I wasn’t paying any attention.
“Whoa.” He laughed, resting his hands on my upper arms. “You know your eyes are for watching where you’re going, right?”
I stepped back, shrugging his hands off me. A lingering tingle stayed on my skin where he’d touched me. “Sorry. I’m in my own little world. Are you going somewhere?”
