Page 46 of Thick

“How so?”

“It’s number one.”

I chuckled. “Best smut out there.”

“Best book out there,” she said. “It’s number one out of all books. It was number one last night, and it was still number one when I got here. I keep checking.”

I couldn’t believe it. “Number one?”

She smiled and nodded. “Number one.”

I gawked. “Holy shit.”

“I know, right?”

“Where’s my fucking breakfast!” someone screamed. “What the fuck, bitch?”

Bitch?

She lowered her face even with the bottom of the window. “There’s a bunch of other bikers in here. That one is an asshole.”

“What’s his name?”

“Darin Wheatland.”

Darin ‘Gravy’ Wheatland. Him calling Madden a bitch was enough reason for me to do what I had planned.

“Never heard of him,” I said.

“Well, he’s a jerk.” She grinned. “Becker Wallace would give him what he deserves.”

I’d modeled Becker’s character with myself in mind. She was right. Becker would do just that.

“Too bad Becker’s nothing but a character in a book.”

“Yeah,” she said. “It is. I really liked that guy.”

“Me too.”

“Glad you’re back,” she said with a sly grin.

I didn’t want to keep her any longer, but she hadn’t mentioned the dedication. I wondered if she’d read it. “Did you see the dedication?”

Her smile rose into the middle of her cheeks. “I did. I left you a message.”

“You fat bitch.” Gravy beat his hands against his cell door. “Where’s my fucking food?”

My blood pressure shot through the roof. “Don’t listen to him. He’s--”

“I better go,” she said.

I clenched my jaw and gave a nod. If everything worked the way I had it planned, Gravy would get what he had coming to him soon enough. For now, I needed to play it cool.

“Thank you for the meal.”

She nodded in return. “You’re welcome.”

* * *