AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Cash?” the saleswoman asks.
“Cash,” I state as I hold it out for her.
She appears disappointed in the cash, and I have a feeling that’s because she wanted my name, likely to give to the police. She clears her throat, then dips her chin and starts to count the money before handing me back my change.
Once everything is bagged up, I notice her crony is staring at me from a few feet away. I give her a smile and wave in her direction before gathering the bags and turning from the counter. Piper stays close beside me as we move through the department store.
When we step outside, I am not surprised to see two uniforms standing a few feet from the door. Their eyes find mine, and I reach out, taking Piper’s hand in mine. That is when they move toward me. If I looked over my shoulder, I know that without a doubt those two bitches would be standing there with smiles on their faces thinking they’ve really done something.
“Officers,” I murmur.
“What’s happening here?” one of them asks, taking a step toward me.
I look down at Piper. She lifts her attention to meet mine, and her eyes widen. I don’t change the expression on my face. I’m not worried at all about what is going to happen here. Not only do the Devil’s Hellions have the higher-ranking cops on our payroll, but I’m not doing anything wrong anyway.
“My fiancée and I are going shopping,” I state.
The officer looks down at Piper, then flicks his gaze back to meet mine before he clears his throat. “Fiancée?” he asks.
“Fiancée,” I confirm.
There is a moment of silence, one where the officers share a knowing glance, then the one who hasn’t spoken yet decides he’s going to take a step forward and bend slightly, his gaze finding Piper’s.
“Hey, how old are you?” he asks, almost whispering, as if she’s going to tell him some big secret.
She gives him a smile, then leans forward. I watch the whole interaction and almost laugh at how ridiculous the moment is.
“I’m eighteen,” she announces. “My name is Piper,” she says. “Piper Ruiz.”
The officer’s eyebrows shoot straight up, and he tilts his head to the side. He’s completely confused, and I know it’s because of her last name, but I think it’s hilarious, because I can tell he’s about to ask her about it.
“Ruiz?” he asks.
Inwardly, I’m laughing my ass off, because I thought the same thing once I found out that both Dutch and Raul were her brothers. But I didn’t ask her dick about that; it’s not my fucking business. However, I did ask Raul, because I’m an asshole.
“My family is from Spain,” she deadpans.
The other officer clears his throat, then shoots us an apologetic smile. “She’s eighteen,” he announces.
“Sorry about all of that. You know, with the human trafficking down here, can’t be too careful,” he explains, though his gaze flicks down to my cut before it slides back up to meet my eyes.
He was being careful because of my cut. He thought that I kidnapped her, and he was going to arrest my ass if he had the chance.
Fuck that and fuck him.
The officers leave us, and as they turn around and walk away, I take the opportunity to look over my shoulder at the department store. Just like I thought, the two saleswomen are standing at the doors watching us.
I give them a wink, then shift my attention down to Piper. “You ready to finish up?” I ask.
She smiles. “Yeah,” she exhales as she takes a step forward.
ChapterSeven
PIPER
Yesterday wasthe weirdest day in almost ever. I mean, I think the wedding dress shopping the day before could have been weirder. I don’t know. I’m not quite sure. It seems as if each day, something new, exciting, weird, strange, and scary happens.
There is a knock on the bedroom door as I stare at the bags of clothes on the floor and wonder if I should try and put them away here, or if I should wait. Although, I don’t think I’ll have anywhere to move after the wedding. I assume I’ll still be right here.
