This Is War - Chapter 38 - Under Arrest
“Good evening, officer,” said Cole, as if he wasn’t about to be arrested and sent to prison forever. “Is there a problem?”
The officer shined a flashlight into our faces. “Do you know the speed limit on this road?”
“Forty-five, I think,” said Cole.
“Then do you care to explain why you were going forty-nine?”
“I’m getting used to the acceleration on this baby,” said Cole, patting the dashboard. “That’s my bad. But I promise it won’t happen again.”
“You sure that’s it? Or were you maybe distracted by your friend here?” The officer scanned the flashlight over my body.
I gulped. Not because I was nervous that I was actually in trouble.
No…I knew that this was a Society cop that Chastity had sent to mess with Cole.
Everything was going according to plan. But I’d forgotten how nervous cops made me, even if they weren’t real.
The siren had made my pulse skyrocket and I’d momentarily forgotten the plan.
But as soon as the cop stepped up to the window, I remembered everything perfectly.
And now I was more worried than ever…because of what Chastity wanted me to do to the cop.
I took a deep breath, trying to settle my nerves.
“Tell you what,” continued the fake officer. “I’m going to check your papers, and when I get back, I expect you to remember what actually happened. License and registration, please.”
Cole grabbed the registration out of the glove box and then opened his wallet to grab his license. When he did, a little silver thumb drive fell onto his lap.
The officer fixed his flashlight on it. “What’s that?” he asked.
“Just some photos.” Cole pocketed it and handed over his documents.
The flashlight went out and the officer walked back to his car.
“What an asshole,” said Cole. “I can’t believe he seriously pulled me over for going four over the speed limit.”
“Are you sure that’s what this is really about?” I asked, doing my very best not to laugh. He seemed so pissed at this overzealous cop. And now I was going to turn the screws a little. “If there’s anything that I need to keep quiet, you better tell me now.”
“I’m pretty sure my insurance is up to date. It’s possible the automatic payment didn’t go through…”
“I’m not talking about that. I’m talking about what you stole from Kat.” I said the last few words extra loud.
“Shhh,” hissed Cole as the blinding flashlight returned to his window.
“Anything you want to tell me, Mr. Halifax?” asked the cop. His voice sounded significantly less friendly than it had earlier. He even put one hand on his pistol. His acting was top notch. If I’d been in Cole’s position, I literally would have shit my pants.
“Nope,” replied Cole. Cole Halifax, apparently. Actually, I had no idea what his first name was. Cole was his Society name. Based on how much of an asshole he was, I had to assume that his real first name was Josh. Or maybe Chaz. Yeah, he was a total Chaz.
The cop shined the light in his eyes. “That’s interesting. Because this car was reported as stolen a few months ago.”
“What?!” asked Cole. “Stop messing with me.” For the first time, his cocky voice sounded terrified.
The cop tightened his grip on his pistol. “Sir, please put your hands on your head and step out of the car.”
Oh shit, that’s my cue . I took a deep breath.
“Wait,” I said.
The cop switched the flashlight to me.
“I’m sure there’s a perfectly innocent explanation for all of this. If you’d just let us explain…” Here goes nothing. I hooked my finger into the top of my strapless dress and pulled down. The cold air bit at my exposed breasts.
Everyone was dead quiet for a second. I could hear my heartbeat pounding in my head. I had just flashed a complete stranger. Yes, the cop had been expecting it. But it was still incredible awkward.
The look on Cole’s face, however, made it all worth it. There was a sheen of sweat above his brow and his eyes bulged out of his skull.
Then the flashlight went out and the cop walked away.
I immediately pulled my top back up. Did that really just happen? I mentally high-fived myself for having the lady balls to pull it off.
“Oh thank God,” said Cole. He leaned back in his seat. His breathing was even heavier than mine. Which kind of made sense, given that I’d only had to flash some rando. He, on the other hand, had surely been thinking that he was going to go to prison for grand theft auto.
“I think what you meant to say is, ‘Thank you for saving my ass, Raven.’ ”
Cole took a second to catch his breath. “I can’t believe that actually worked.”
“Why? Are you calling me ugly?”
“No. I just…holy shit. That was fucking intense.”
“You have a lot of explaining to do. But for now, let’s get the hell out of here.”
Cole’s hand shook as he turned the car back on, but he stopped before shifting into gear. “Shit, he never gave me my papers back.” He looked over his shoulder nervously.
And then I heard the tap on my window.
I slowly unrolled it. I figured he was back to give us the papers. But I was wrong.
“Ma’am,” said the cop. “I’m going to have to ask you to step out of the vehicle.”
Huh? This wasn’t part of the plan. He was supposed to pull us over, mess with Cole, and then leave after I flashed him. So why was he making me get out of the car?
I looked at him in confusion. My eyes landed on his badge. His real badge. Not some Society knockoff with their genie lamp logo in the center.
Oh. Shit.
My amusement immediately shifted to sheer and abject terror. I’d just flashed a real cop. And apparently, I had been riding in a for-realsies-stolen Ferrari.
“Step out of the car,” he repeated. “Now.” He stepped back and kept the flashlight trained on me as I opened the door and stepped out.
I squinted to try to see his face, but the light was blinding.
“Walk around to the back and put your hands on the trunk,” he commanded.
I started walking, but my heel caught on something. I just barely caught myself on the side of the car.
“Have you been drinking?” asked the officer.
“Just a few Slippery Meows.”
“Do you think this is some sort of joke?” He sounded so pissed.
“What? No. That was the name of the drink I had.”
“So you have been drinking?”
“A little…” Fantastic. Add drunk and disorderly to the charges.
I steadied myself and continued to the back of the car.
The cold metal of the Ferrari stung my palms as I bent over and spread my legs like people do in movies.
Is this what he wanted? It was a bit of a seductive pose.
I definitely didn’t want him to think I was trying to bride him with my body again. Once had been quite enough.
“Are you carrying any sharp objects?”
“No.”
He stepped towards me and holstered his flashlight. “I’m going to pat you down. Unless you want to end up flat on the pavement, don’t make any sudden movements.”
He started at my ankles and slowly traced his rough hands up my legs. And up. And up some more. His fingers dipped just under the hem of my skirt.
I shifted a bit under his touch. What is he doing?! Showing him my tits hadn’t been an invitation for him to feel me up.
But maybe he’d taken it that way.
He stopped just beneath my ass and then pulled back, continuing the pat-down over my clothes. He slid his hands along the curve of my hips and up to my breasts.
Is he supposed to grab them like this?
It felt a bit inappropriate. But I was more worried about what was going to happen next.
Because he was inches away from my armpits, and they were extraordinarily soupy.
If he touched them, there was a high probability that he’d either vomit all over me or arrest me for just being a disgusting sweat beast.
Luckily for both of us, he avoided my pits and arms all together. Which kind of made sense given that they were completely exposed in my strapless dress. Although my legs were exposed too, and he had certainly given them a thorough search. Pervert.
He pushed his radio call button. “Dispatch, this is Officer Foxtrot India 842. I’ve got a 10-99 at my location. Requesting backup. Over.”
Backup?! My heartbeat increased even more. And what’s a 10-99?
He grabbed my arms and pulled them behind my back. I chill went down my spine as he snapped the cold metal cuffs onto my wrists.
“Why are you cuffing me?” I asked. “What’s going on?”
“You’re a known associate of Mr. Halifax. I’m taking you in.”
“In…to prison?” No! This can’t be happening . I turned to him to try to plead my case. And for the first time, I got a good look at his face. Most of it was obscured by his big lumberjack beard, but I still recognized him.
“Dr. Lyons?” I gasped.
“That’s Officer Ironside to you.”
Oh right. I’d forgotten that Flint Ironside was his Society name.
I laughed. Partially at the ridiculousness of his name, but mainly just because I was nervous to see him again.
I hadn’t seen him in months. Not since I ghosted him after we cheated on each other with each other.
Incident #5 would always haunt me. And now I’d welcomed Dr. Lyons back into my life by showing him my tits. I really should be arrested.
But honestly…given how our relationship had gone thus far, that somehow felt appropriate.
“Is something funny?” he asked, staying perfectly in character.
I checked to make sure Cole wasn’t watching and then lowered my voice to a barely audible whisper. “Seriously, this was awesome. Cole was totally freaking out. But can you take these handcuffs off me? They’re a little tight.”
“I will not take your handcuffs off. And your boyfriend should be freaking out. Because I’m about to bend you over his car and fuck you with my nightstick.”
My eyes got big. What was he talking about?! This was not part of the prank!
Damn it, Chastity! I suddenly got a horrible feeling that she’d told Dr. Lyons about my desire for him to be a bad boy in the bedroom.
Or in this case…on the side of the road pressed up against Cole’s Ferrari.