Chapter 3
T he lights flashed from behind her and Maya started cursing.
Seriously?
Had he been waiting for her to drive past? Surely he had better things to do on a Tuesday night than harass her?
Like his actual fucking job.
For a moment, she imagined putting her foot down and outrunning him.
The trouble was that could put someone around her at risk. What if a dog or cat ran out in front of her?
The second issue was that he knew where she lived. And the last thing she wanted was him turning up there.
So, with a sigh of irritation, she pulled her car over to the side of the road. Her car was old, but it was reliable and could fit all of her babies in the back.
Maya rolled down her window and waited for the shithead to approach.
Vince thought he was God’s gift to women. The uniform seemed to make him think he was irresistible. So did the number of women he’d gone through.
Lord knew how diseased his dick was by now.
Best she didn’t think about it. She didn’t want to throw up the peanut butter and jelly sandwich she’d had for lunch.
“Maya, you’re a hard person to track down.” Vince leaned down so his face was nearly level with hers.
Not pleasant when his breath smelled like garlic.
“You’re a cop, Vince,” she said dryly. “It shouldn’t be hard to track someone down, that’s kind of your job.”
He scowled. “Why are you always such a bitch?”
“Why are you always such a dumbass? You know where I work, what I drive, and where I live. Tracking me down should be a piece of cake. Or was I meant to be flattered that you’ve been looking for me and swoon at your feet in gratitude?”
Yep.
That look on his face told her everything she needed to know. That line had likely worked for him in the past. Until the poor girl he was with discovered what a rat bastard he was.
“Got a smart mouth for someone who’s just been pulled over by a cop.”
Her stomach tightened. Why did she do this? She knew that Vince had a dark streak in him. Hell, she’d had firsthand experience.
Which was something she never wanted to experience again.
“What do you want, Vince?” she asked, instead of saying what she really wanted to say.
And that was to tell him that he could take a flying leap off the nearest bridge. And that she’d gladly be the one to give him a push.
That thought actually brought a smile to her face.
“Your father wants to see you.”
And that wiped the smile right off her face.
Damn it.
“What? Is he using his cops as messenger boys now? Or is it just you?”
Before she could move, he’d reached in and grabbed her wrist. Hard.
She let out a surprised squeal of pain as he squeezed.
“Listen to me, you bitch. You might think you’re untouchable, but you’re not. If I take care of you, then your father might actually thank me. It’s not like he actually wants you in his life. Broken and pathetic. All you are in is a pain in his ass.”
“Let me go!” she demanded, reaching for his fingers and trying to pry them off her wrist. “Let me go right now!”
His words weren’t true. He was just being a dick, like usual. For all his faults, her father would never harm her.
She was a pain in his ass. But that was only because she didn’t jump at his every command. She had a brain and she liked to use it.
Unlike Vince, who didn’t have two brain cells to rub together. How he’d ever passed the police exams, she had no idea.
Probably cheated.
“Let me go or I will tell my father that you hurt me,” she threatened. Not that she’d do that, because she doubted her father would believe her.
“Like he cares.”
Fuck. Vince was going to break her wrist. Lifting her other hand, she slammed her palm against his nose.
He let out a cry, stepping back and letting go of her. But he recovered too quickly for her to get away. He opened the car door and reached in to grab her.
Only, the idiot forgot about her seatbelt as well as the fact that there were people driving and walking past on their way home from work.
“Hey! What do you think you’re doing?” someone yelled.
“Fuck off! This has nothing to do with you,” Vince yelled as he leaned across to undo her seatbelt.
God, she was tempted to bite him, she really was. But she already regretted hitting him.
Maybe if he’d broken her wrist, then her father would have to take her complaints about him seriously.
Or he’d just think you did it to yourself to gain attention . . . wouldn’t be the first time he’d thought that.
She had no faith in her father anymore, which was a sad realization.
However, now she was in trouble, and it was probably best she didn’t get herself into a worse state.
“Get the fuck out!” Vince undid her seatbelt and grabbed her arm, dragging her out.
He yanked at her arm and she cried out in pain. He half-lifted her out and then slammed her against the car.
She stared at him in shock. He’d really lost it. He was heaving for breath and fumbling for his handcuffs.
Holy. Crap.
He wouldn’t.
“This is police brutality!” someone yelled out and she glanced over to see a little old lady walking an enormous Doberman holding up a phone. “I’m recording this.”
Vince glanced around, seeming to realize that he had an audience.
What an idiot.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about! I’m arresting a criminal,” Vince yelled back.
“What the hell did she do?” someone else asked.
She glanced over to see a younger guy staring at them, frowning.
“None of your business. Go on your way!” Vince ordered, his face growing red.
Another car pulled up behind Vince’s cruiser and she breathed out a sigh of relief as Reeves got out. The car was an expensive one. Only the best for Reeves, who dressed in Hugo Boss suits and three-hundred-dollar shoes.
Rumor had it that he came from money. She didn’t care. The only thing she cared about was that he’d seemed like a decent guy the few times she’d met him.
“Something going on here?” he asked.
“Who are you?” the old lady asked.
Reeves glanced around at the people milling about assessingly. “My name is Detective Clayton Reeves. I received a call that there was an incident.”
That had to be a lie. Maybe he’d overheard it on the radio. Because a detective wouldn’t attend an incident like this.
“You can all be on your way,” Reeves said, waving his hand at everyone.
“Don’t think we want to do that until this officer is gone. We want to make sure this young lady is all right,” the older lady said.
Wow. That was kind. And heroic.
But the last thing she wanted was for Vince to turn his attention on this poor old lady who was just trying to help her. And Vince would do that. He would happily make this woman’s life a misery.
She had to get his attention off her.
“Everything is fine, thanks! I know Detective Reeves and I’ll be fine with him,” she called out to everyone still watching. “Thanks so much for trying to help me, though.”
She didn’t mention knowing Vince. That wasn’t something she wanted anyone to be aware of.
“You sure, young lady?” the woman asked.
“I am. Thanks again. You all get home and keep safe.”
“Well, we might rest easier if we had a police force we trusted,” the younger guy said, glaring at Vince.
Vince glared back. Then Detective Reeves got between him and the young guy.
She didn’t know if it was on purpose or not. She wasn’t entirely sure how much Reeves knew about how much of a dick Vince was.
Still, he drew Vince’s attention off the younger guy and back onto Reeves.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” Vince demanded once everyone was gone.
“What am I doing here? What the fuck are you thinking, Vince? Were you really going to arrest the chief of police’s daughter? Or just manhandle her in front of half a dozen witnesses?”
Had that many people stopped?
Okay, Maya didn’t often have a good opinion of most humans. But it made her feel good that that many people had stopped to check on her.
Or maybe just watch the show.
“She wouldn’t get out of the fucking car! And she punched me in the nose!” Vince whined.
Jesus.
How the heck did anyone think he was attractive? He was an idiot.
“Yeah?” Reeves continued, sounding even angrier, which surprised her. “What did you do to make her smack you in the nose? Because as far as I know, most women don’t go around hitting people for no reason.”
Well, with Vince they really should.
“And why were you so close that she could smack you in the nose?” Reeves added.
“I pulled her over. I was talking to her.”
“Why? Was she speeding?” Reeves asked.
She could tell Vince wanted to lie.
“I wasn’t,” she said quickly. “He had no reason to pull me over. But he likes to do this once in a while. It’s called police harassment.”
“Yeah?” Vince sneered. “Lay a complaint then, bitch.”
“That’s enough, Officer Mason!” Detective Reeves snapped.
“We both know you won’t,” Vince continued, ignoring Reeves. “Because you know your own father wouldn’t believe you over me.”
She tried to hide the hurt of that statement.
The truth hit hard.
Her father wouldn’t believe her over Vince. He thought Vince was a good guy and a great cop. And he thought his daughter was a fool for not wanting to date him.
There was no point in even telling him about this incident, he wouldn’t believe her.
“It’s time you left, Vince,” Reeves said in a dark voice. “Or I’ll be writing up the complaint. And believe me, it won’t get ignored if I’m doing it.”
That surprised her.
Maya wasn’t used to anyone going to bat for her. Why would Reeves do that? Sure, he was a decent guy, but Vince was known to be her father’s favorite. It would only create issues for the detective at work.
Vince sneered at him. “Go ahead.” Then he turned to her. “Your father wants to see you. Call him.”
That was all he had to say?
All of this really was about delivering a message from her father? So why hurt her? Why drag her out of her car?
“For fuck’s sake,” Reeves said. “Why didn’t he call her, then?”
“She’s not answering his calls,” Vince said. “And it’s important.”
Right.
So important that he couldn’t, say, come and find her? At her work? Come to her home?