Redemption [Sweet Pea x OC]

Chapter 13

I stood behind the Five Seasons, looking up at the imposing stone building. I'd always wondered if the rooms were as nice as they advertised. The brown paper bag in my hand crinkled in my hand as the wind hit it. Whoever I was supposed to be meeting better hurry up or I'll have to come up with another idea about what's in the bag because a sandwich would not be this light. Maybe I'd say I was discreetly delivering a pregnancy test. This did seem like one of those places where people would do that.

"Well, well, well. I was told I'd be meeting a doll, but I never expected The Doll herself." I tensed, hearing that, especially from this rich boy. Penny and I were going to have a talk when I got back, for sure.

"Your requested items," I said, holding up the bag.

The boy looked around before pulling an envelope out of his pocket. "Open the bag first, I want to make sure you small-towners aren't trying to pull a fast one on me," he ordered.

I rolled my eyes and unrolled the top of the bag. I shook it slightly so he could see all the paper straws were there. "Happy?" I snapped, rolling the bag back up.

"Yes, but I would be happier if you joined me tonight. I'm having a little, shall we say, get-together in my suite. That hot little girl group, Josie and the Pussycats, will be there."

"Tempting, but I have plans," I said coldly, holding out a hand for the money. "Hope you don't mind, but I'm going to count this to make sure you aren't trying to pull a fast one on me," I said, mocking the cityboy. Honestly, I didn't know how much was supposed to be there, but it seemed to do the trick.

"Look, I have places to be, so just take this to cover anything missing," he said, pulling a small wad of cash from another pocket. He shoved it into my hand and grabbed the bag, turning on his heel. "And if you change your mind about tonight, Dolly, party starts at 10, just ask to be directed to Nick St Clair's suite."

I thought it was supposed to be a village idiot, not a city idiot.Seriously, who tells the drug dealer their name? But, it was a name I was now going to remember, who knows, it could come in handy one day. With the extra cash he'd given me secure in my pocket, and Penny's envelope in another, I started on my way back Southside when footsteps behind me stopped me in my tracks.

"Ms Thompson, what are you doing here?"

"Sheriff Keller," I greeted, turning around to face the man behind me. "I, uh, was just waiting for someone. My friend forgot their lunch and I said I'd bring it over." It wasn't the best lie, but I didn't exactly have time to come up with something better.

"And how is it that a Serpent who's fairly new to town has a friend working at the Five Seasons?"

I crossed my arms in front of me, not liking where this was going. "Who says I'm new to town?"

"I've responded to enough calls about the Southside Serpents to be familiar with their faces, but yours was new. So how is it that you know someone working here?"

"If you must know, I'm not new to town. I've just been gone for a bit," I said, trying to control my temper. "Should I be concerned about the fact that the sheriff, a grown man, has taken special interest in a 16 year old girl who, by all accounts, has done nothing to warrant his attention?"

A spark of fear flickered in Keller's eyes as he realized what I was saying. "Uh, no, just doing my job," he stuttered.

I watched as he returned to his car and drove off, suddenly on high alert. I took a circuitous route back to Penny's office, glancing over my shoulder on occasion to be sure I wasn't being followed.

"What the hell was that?" I snapped, tossing the envelope on her desk.

"From the looks of it, another successful sale," Penny said, fanning the cash out. "Why? Did something happen?"