Ain't Shady Baby, I'm Hot

92

"Why did you want me to come back here?" I asked cutting my engine off while I parked my bike. My visor raised as I sat back.

"Wanted to take you for a joyride." I scoffed, crossing my arms.

"At four in the afternoon. In your dad's truck? Try again." The blond stepped forward lowering his voice.

"They've got a police chase on your Pogues. I wanted to make sure you held up your end of the deal." I pulled my helmet off, ruffling my hair to help counteract the helmet. I scoffed.

"You could have just said that. I don't need any 'romantic' bullshit. It's just that. Bullshit."

"Hmm." Rafe stepped closer to my bike as I swung my leg around. The bike is now the only thing between us. "Disappointing." I set my left hand on my hip as I pointed my right hand at him. My helmet hanging from my fingers except for the pointer.

"Right. Glad I'm the disappointing one in this relationship." I threw up air quotes.

"You know, that's not what--" I pocketed my keys moving around to the hood of his dad's truck.

"Save it Goldilocks." I pulled open the back door and tossed my gear on the bench. My hands lifting me up into the passenger seat as I cocked my head in Rafe's direction. "You coming? Or am I driving?"

"Nope. Just stay right there, Princess." I grimaced.

"Call me that again and I'll find away to make you wish you hadn't." I watched him smirk.

"Sure. Whatever you say, Darling." The syllables rolled off his tongue in a way that had me clenching my fists.

"Listen here, buddy boy." I started shifting in my seat as I leaned over the console grabbing his shirt to bring his attention only on me. "I'm going to give you courtesy. This is a ruse. An act. Anything and everything that happens. It's. Not. Real." Not anymore.

"Okay," I slowly let go of his shirt ready to push him back when his left hand found itself at the back of my head laced into my hair, "if that's what you need to believe."

He'd cocked his head, his lips brushing mine as he spoke. A shiver ran through my body. My hands now clenching his shirt in my fists.

My stomach clenched and my body moved a centimeter forward. Flashes of the heat and electricity from days ago trickled in my mind. Teasing me. Swaying me.

"Don't kiss me, Xena. It would be very unprofessional." He taunted as I glared. "God, I love when your eyes do that."

I love when your eyes do that

I love when you—

I love—

He killed Peterkin.

I pushed his forehead back with my hand. His fingers releasing their hold in my hair as I moved away from him. I centered myself on the seat before buckling in.

I made quick work of turning the radio on, worried the silence would slowly drown me.

In less than 24 hours. John B would be on his way out of Outer Banks. Which would give me the chance to build up the case of clearing him.

I just had to have the right pieces fall into place to give to Shoupe. If he really was mourning Peterkin like I thought he was. Then maybe I stood a chance. Or maybe he'd throw me in a cell for withholding or kick me out of the internship for fabricating a story. Story that I wasn't in charge of fabricating.

_______•*•*•*•_______

"Why are we going to Kelce's?" We jumped back in the car. To-go drinks from Carra's Restaurant in our hands as Rafe quickly punched the truck into gear.

"Just to uh, hang out." I clicked my seatbelt in and looked at Rafe as he rubbed his jaw.

"Bullshit. It's fine. I'll figure it out when we get there." I dropped my drink into the cupholder and turned to face out the window. My eyes watching the horizon as we passed rows of houses. Each street getting larger and more glamorous as the lights inside shown bright against the black backdrop of the night.

My heart dropped into the pit of my stomach. The soft white lights of homes turned into the abrasive blue and white flashes of police vehicles. Rafe latched his hand around my forearm. His hold drawing my attention as he slowed down and parked along the curb.

"I thought we were going to Kelce's." His lip quirked in a smirk as I ripped my arm free.

"This is Kelce's."

I was quick to get out of the truck. My eyes wide as I took in the scene. They had the house surrounded. A perimeter.

John B.

I looked around for any weakness giving Rafe the perfect opportunity to step up beside me and set a hand at the small of my back. His arm a barrier to keep me from going backward while we walked forward.

"Hey." A soft voice called out making us turn. "I think they've got him trapped in this house." An older woman, most likely a mother, spoke.

"It's John B. It's John B Routledge." A blonde girl shouted pointing towards the house.

"Don't do anything—"

"I got it." I snapped back as he moved us closer to the house. The sound of a megaphone cracking had my shoulders tense.

"Alright, John B! It's Shoupe out here. We got you surrounded. We don't want any more bloodshed. We're coming in." My hands shook as I kept scanning for ways to help John B. I didn't even know where he was in the house or how he got there.

The hand at my back changed. He wrapped both arms around me. His fingers interlocking at my belly, keeping me tight to his chest to keep me from bolting. He could sense it, the energy bubbling and my analytical gaze. He could sense it and he stopped me.

He's not on your side. Not anymore. It's him or John B.

"Remember the fallen, Sheriff!" Rafe shouted above me as I kept myself from jerking away from him.

A crowd had gathered around us. Rafe and I near the front as shouts began pouring into the air. Rafe's yell causing an uproar.

Eat or be eaten.

And I was prying those jaws back with false promises and sweet lies.