Roman's Vow (Riley's Pride #4) - Sandra R Neeley Page 0,46

office. We’ll find some in your size, and you can wear either blue jeans or khaki pants. Any shoes you want as long as they are closed toe, and any coat you prefer — they don’t have to be a certain color. Once you get into middle school that’ll change, but in elementary we’re not so strict with the uniform policy. I’ll give you a list of supplies before you leave so you can have those all ready,” Mrs. Waters said.

“See? Told you it would be easy and you’d meet some nice people,” Roman said.

Darcie nodded. “You were right, Daddy.”

Chapter 11

Lazarus placed Candy's drink order on her tray and waited for her to turn back to the bar and him, to take the tray and deliver the drinks. As she turned to him he took the opportunity to push her buttons. “You have no business with little wannabes like them.”

Her mouth dropped open and her painted on brows slammed down over her eyes. “You have no business telling me who I can and can’t talk to. Besides, better watch it. They’ll put you in your place if I tell them you been calling them wannabes.”

Laz smiled. “I wish they would. See, little boys like them, they only wish they had the balls to be the men they think they are. I could teach them a thing or two about handling your business. All they are is punk-ass little fuck heads that break into people’s houses when nobody’s home. They ain’t got the courage to get mixed up in anything of real consequence. Want-to-bes. Wannabes!”

“They’re more real than you are!” she insisted.

Laz laughed. “Yeah, you go ahead and think that, sweetheart. Until I see proof, and so far all I see is a bunch loud-mouthing, I’ll keep telling you, you have no business being with a bunch of little pussy-ass wannabes like that.”

“I’ll get you proof, then you’ll owe me an apology!” Candy snapped.

“Baby, I’ll never owe you a damn thing,” Laz smarted off.

“You will. You’ll run behind me like the dog you are, and I’ll never, ever let you touch me.”

“Is that what your little show of rebellion is about? You want me to want you?” Lazarus asked.

“I don’t care who you want,” Candy answered, turning her nose up.

“Good, ‘cause it won’t be you,” Laz answered, still laughing.

“You know what? I’m going to tell them what you said about them. I’m going to prove it to you.”

“Candy, you have no clue how real life works, do you? You can’t just ask somebody that walks the wrong side of the law if they’re criminals. If they aren’t, they’ll lie to you, if they are, they’ll kill you for realizing what they are.”

Candy stopped and thought about it, then she tried to cover her ineptness. “I know that! I’m not asking anybody anything, but I’ll still find out. And when I do, you’ll look at me differently.”

Laz looked at her before glancing down as he dried a glass and placed it back on the rack with the others. He raised his eyes to meet her gaze again. “You know what? I might, or I might not. The problem we have between us is a lack of respect. So far, all I see when I look at you is a spoiled party girl trying to prove how badass she thinks she is by hanging with the wrong crowd. I see nothing that gets my attention and screams worthy of respect, or even common fucking sense. If I saw any of that, I might look at you differently. How am I going to respect you enough to let you into my business if you can’t even make a judgment call this damn simple. Those boys are trouble, wannabe trouble with a capital ‘T’.”

“We’ll see about that,” she snapped, picked up her tray that was now loaded down with drinks and walked away.

Lazarus watched her go, knowing he’d baited her into delving into the more private of the activities of Frederick and his friends. He had no doubt after last night she was fucking at least one of them. That was evident from the familiarity they all had with her since they’d come in today. Last night they were flirty, now, they were all best buds and Frederick was especially handsy. He watched as she delivered the drinks on her tray then looped back around to their table and plopped down on Frederick’s lap while shooting Laz a killer glare. He almost felt bad for