3. We sneak out in thirty seconds and hit the staircase at a run. #2
When she issued orders, she meant business, so I obeyed without further complaint. It wouldn’t do any good to fight it.
I’d already lost the battle and the war, and everyone knew it.
Bailey
A blend of shit traffic and snow cost us three hours, but we arrived in Atlantic City without incident. After so long in New York, the quiet streets creeped me out.
“It’s so empty,” I whispered.
“Without the summer tourists, it becomes a ghost town,” Perkette replied with a shrug. “The hotels and casinos are on a skeleton staff, the boardwalk is closed, but the strip clubs stay open year round. That leads me to a very important question: men, women, or both? Lap dances or no lap dances?”
What had I gotten myself into? “I have transformatives in my purse. And my pocket.” And in my cleavage, but I wasn’t going to tell her that.
After my misadventure involving my kidnapping, an incubus, and a warehouse, I always kept a stash of pixie dust and transformatives in my cleavage.
“If anyone other than Quinn tries to get onto my lap, I’m transforming and lighting him on fire. ”
“It could be a woman on your lap.”
“I will light her on fire, too. I’m an equal opportunity pyromaniac.”
“They don’t touch you when they dance, and I won’t take you to a brothel. There’s a line, and brothels are not on the right side of the line. At least without our husbands. And your husband? Well, he’d probably faint before making it through the door. Angels and brothels don’t get on too well.”
“Unless a member of a triad is retrieving their demon from the brothel,” I countered. Just three weeks ago, Quinn had gone to a brothel to retrieve the angel, the incubus, and their wife from a cranky succubus who’d wanted the incubus for herself. “He goes to brothels as needed for work.”
Perkette shot me a glare. “If your man went to a brothel, that means my man went to a brothel, and that means my man went to a brothel without me.”
“For work, Perkette. For work. He didn’t work the brothel, I promise you!”
She cackled. “Well, maybe you’re not quite as innocent as I feared.”
Nope, I was really as innocent as she feared, and I knew it. Quinn knew it, too—and he enjoyed teasing me and driving me crazy every single day. Instead of answering her, I grunted.
“Come on, it’ll be fun. They won’t touch you unless you want them to.”
“I will light the entire club on fire.”
Perkette snickered. “Pose with a stripper for your chief? I’m sure we can find a lingerie store. His demonic side will adore it. His angelic side will have a freak fit, but those incubus genes will kick in and you’ll have a great night.”
That I would. Every night with Quinn was a great night. “No.”
“Why not?”
“I’m not intentionally stripping in public.” The first time Quinn had seen me naked, I’d been fresh off a napalm bender and collapsed against him. He still twitched if I even mentioned Wall Street.
He didn’t need to tell me he loved me. All I had to do was mention the day he thought he’d sent me into a contaminated building to die. He told me anyway, as often as possible, to make it clear he meant it.
I wasn’t as good at using my words, so I communicated with him the only way I knew how. Perkette was right. I was at least half the reason I didn’t get enough sleep.
“No wonder it took an incubus in disguise to evict you from the virgin pool. Fine. You don’t have to strip. How about a picture with a succubus?”
Narrowing my eyes, I considered her question. I’d been around enough succubi to be almost comfortable with them as long as they kept their kinky sex magic to themselves—and they usually did. My magical ball and chain helped with that. “But what if the succubus is related to Quinn?”
“It’s even funnier that way. Come on. Live a little. It’s a great prank. I’m not asking you to sleep with them. It’s just a few pictures. What could possibly go wrong?”
I pointed at myself. “I’m called the Calamity Queen for a reason. We’re somehow going to end up in jail. Again. Well, you are. I don’t pull your stupid shit, so I just tag along to make sure you don’t stay there.”
“You can afford my bail.”
“I like how you automatically assume you’re going to jail.”
“The last time I went to a strip club, I spanked a bouncer because I was drunk and he was hot.” Perkette giggled. “I do stupid things when I’m drunk. By the way, you’re driving tonight. I’m going to get so drunk we go to jail.”
“Remember how I said there’s no way anyone would make me a cop? This is why. You’re going to get us thrown into jail before we get to Vegas.”
“General holding until we sober up. Not an actual offense.”
I’d almost learned how to tell Quinn no over the past few months. Almost. “No.” It worked so well I tried again. “No.”
“Come on, Bailey,” Perkette whined. “Live a little.”
Why had I thought sleep was so important? What had I been thinking, agreeing to travel with Perkette? Then again, our initial planning had lacked strippers and alcohol. “No.”
“You’ll have fun, I promise. You can record the entire night if you want. We won’t do a single thing that’ll show up on your permanent record.”
I’d been around enough troublemakers to recognize one hard at work. “And what about your permanent record?”
“I enjoy community service and find general holding highly amusing.”
“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but you have more issues than I do.”
“Thank you for noticing.”
Quinn
I’d worked with enough lycanthropes to recognize a wolf when I saw one, and from the tip of her nose to the tip of her tail, the puppy was pure wolf. “Really, Amanda? A husky wolf-dog? Anything else you’d like to sell me along with some oceanfront property in Arizona?”
“How about a raise?”
“Depends on how good you are at selling me this ‘husky’ wolf-dog. This is a wolf. This is a very young wolf.” The puppy sat on my foot and stared at me with adoring eyes. “And she’s sitting on me.”
Arnold Falhavert, the lead trainer of the precinct’s dogs, laughed. Knowing him, he laughed in my face, well aware I’d be taking the puppy home with me. “It’s a measure to counter Mrs. Chief Quinn’s inexperience on the force. The puppy is a gift.”
“From whom, exactly?”
“Me,” my great-grandfather announced from right behind me.
“Her name is Sunny, and she’s Bailey’s wolf, but she’ll give you plenty of love when you’re feeling needy.
Consider her a belated wedding gift. Mr. Falhavert agreed to help with training, but you’ll find her a quick learner.
Next year, her fur will shed to a lovely golden color. ”
“When a divine sneaks up on me and brings me a wolf, I worry. That the divine happens to be a relative worries me less but still worries me. Grandfather must be the angel in question?”
“The other dogs would be frightened of your bride, and she has enough issues.”
While true, I considered taking a few swipes at my great-grandfather over it.
I restrained myself. My great-grandfather always wielded the truth like the weapon it was, and fighting him over it wouldn’t win me anything.
“Mrs. Chief Quinn braided coral snakes together last week. She’d adore a chance to groom your fur. ”
“No.”
“Anything I need to know about Sunny?”
“Of course. I’m sure you’ll be kept busy figuring it out. Do say hello to your bride for me. Sunny already knows Bailey’s scent in both of her forms.”
Of course the wolf did. “How’d you manage that?”
“I cheated, of course.”
Of course. “Thank you. Why now?”