Work In Progress (Red Lipstick Coalition #3) - Staci Hart Page 0,31

his face turning grave. “I think you might be right. Can I offer some unsolicited advice?”

I nodded.

“Take it from a reformed player—this guy is big league. We can smell each other from a mile away, and this guy? He’s trouble. Just be careful, all right, Amelia? I’d hate to end up in jail with him for breaking his nose again.”

It started as a giggle, bubbling out of me without warning. And the giggle turned into a laugh that turned into a cackle that hiccuped with a snort.

Sam watched me warily.

“Sam,” I said, trying to catch my breath and school the condescension from my voice, “you have nothing to worry about. Literally nothing. At all. Ever.”

But he didn’t seem relieved, and he didn’t smile. “Well, on the off chance that I’m wrong”—he bent a little like he was whispering to Val—“and I’m not wrong—I’ll owe you a full apology. Meanwhile, just promise me you’ll keep an eye on him.”

“Yeah,” I said through a giggle, “okay, Sam. I’ll make sure to protect my virtue from Thomas Bane.” I broke into a small fit before wiping an errant tear away. “I’m going over there for a meeting this afternoon. Or at least I think I am. If he wants to talk after his”—I gestured at my phone—“incarceration. I’ll get the scoop and report back tonight, then we’ll know for sure what happened. Agent Amelia, on the case.”

I gave them all a salute, and they laughed. Well, except for Sam. He just watched me like he knew a secret I didn’t, shaking his head with a knowing smile on his face.

And I shook my head back at him, a hundred percent certain that whatever he thought was wrong.

Hail Mary

Tommy

“You got fired.” Theo hovered over me like the Grim Reaper, his face drawn and eyes hard. “I cannot believe you fucking did that.”

“I’d do it again, too.” I adjusted the ice pack on my face so it covered not only my eye, but my cheek and jaw, hoping it would keep the swelling in my mouth to a minimum. My tongue tested the recently installed tooth, surprised by the stony deadness of the thing as the local anesthesia wore off.

“Well, that’s part of the problem, isn’t it?”

“Fuck that guy. He hit me!”

“You’re like douchebag catnip. It’s like they seek you out.”

“Come on, Theo. You were there. You know the truth, and you would have stood up for her, too, if I hadn’t first.”

“Yeah, well, I’m not the one whose ass is on the line, am I?”

“I mean, technically my ass is your ass. So…”

He made a face. “You think this is a joke?”

I pushed myself up to sit, ignoring the throb at the base of my neck where a persistent headache had been lurking. Theo had practically followed me into the shower when I washed the jail off of me, barking like a rabid dog.

“Of course it’s not a joke,” I said soberly. “But what was I supposed to do? I did the right thing even though I know I broke the rules—”

“You breached your contract,” he shot. “And now, you don’t have a fucking job.”

I clenched my teeth and winced, forgetting my tooth and jaw and the rest of my aching face. “You called Steven?”

“Yeah, I fucking called Steven and pretended to be you so I could figure out how bad it was.”

I paused for a beat. “There has to be something we can do. Something I can do.”

He let out a noisy sigh and dragged his hand through his short black hair. “I think you’ve done enough.”

Theo turned to the sound of shuffling from behind him, and silently, we watched our mother enter the room. Her dark eyes were wide and heavy with concern.

“Hey, honey,” she said with a small smile. “How ya feelin’?”

“Been better,” I admitted.

She cupped my jaw gently when she approached, searched my banged up face. “How’s your tooth?”

I forced a grin to display the whole row. “Practically perfect.”

She sighed and clutched the arm of the couch, turning to sit. I held her elbow to brace her.

“Well,” she started, “what did they say, Teddy?”

He ran a hand over his mouth and chin and sighed again. “They dropped him.”

The room went still and silent. I think all our hearts stopped beating—Ma’s from the news and mine and Theo’s from worrying for her.

“There has to be something I can do,” I said again, reaching for my phone. I pulled open my contacts and called Steven, putting it on speaker so Ma and