Lucky couldn’t wrap his brain around this chick. What did that son of a bitch have over her? It had to be something big to make her buckle like that.
No matter how pissed off he was, he couldn’t let her wander the streets in nothing but a few straps of leather. She didn’t have a bag or clothes with her.
As Lucky was getting ready to head out the door, Mickey was in his face.
“Where the hell did she go?” he bellowed. Lucky was close to punching him square in the face. He was tired of the blowhard, and his stale breath was enough to make a dead man squirm.
“Your guess is as good as mine,” Lucky replied, no longer trying to hide his irritation.
“Don’t give me that shit. I saw you together. All arm in arm and shit. You two are up to something.”
“Up to something? You’re fucking kidding me, right?” Lucky stepped toward the weasel of a man, close to unleashing the pent-up rage that was threatening to bubble over. His voice lowered to a dangerous level. “You know as well as I do that that no-nuts, steroid-using cocksucker was the cause of this shit.” He pointed in Slade’s direction.
Mickey quickly blocked Lucky’s view of Slade. “Son, you do NOT want to be pissing off Slade Chatelain.”
“I’m not scared of him or any of his little flying monkeys.”
Mickey leaned in further. The lines around his eyes softened, but only a little. “I’m telling you that you would be wise to change that attitude. Everyone is scared of Slade, and for good reason.”
Lucky snorted and rolled his taut shoulders back, trying to loosen them up. “And I’m not everyone if you haven’t noticed.”
Mickey sighed and took a step back. Lucky could only assume the move was a peace offering. “Let me guess. You’re gonna run after her?”
“Did you see how she took off? She’s on the street right now dressed in nothing but a few pieces of floss!”
“And if I say you can’t go?” Mickey asked.
Lucky didn’t blink. He stared at the heavyset man. He had already made up his mind and there was nothing porky was going to do to change it.
“Yeah, that’s what I thought. I’m sure her bag’s downstairs. Grab it before you go.”
Lucky took off toward the basement stairs.
“Make sure she knows she’s on tomorrow night and that bitch owes me hours!” Mickey called after him.
When he got downstairs, Lucky noticed one of the girls at her dressing table. It was Coral. She was nice enough, but he decided not nice enough to trust.
She stared at him, wide-eyed, and mouth gaping.
“Baby Jade’s stuff?” he asked. She didn’t say anything. She pointed toward a small, plain table. It wasn’t decorated like the other tables. No pictures or keepsakes, there were a couple of newspaper clippings and a Saints schedule from last season.
He didn’t feel right rummaging through her belongings, but he wanted to make sure Baby had everything she needed. He grabbed her tote bag and threw her neatly folded street clothes on top.
“Thanks,” he said before bounding back up the stairs two at a time, not caring if she responded.
Lucky stepped through the door and immediately felt the scrutiny of Slade burning a hole through his head. He slid through the crowd, holding his stare. He would never give that asshole the satisfaction of thinking he got the best of him. In fact, Lucky couldn’t care less what Slade thought about him. He was concerned about Baby Jade. That prick would have to go through him to get to her, and that wasn’t happening anytime soon.
Lucky snatched his jacket from the stool by the entrance and rushed out onto the street. He hopped onto his 1969 Shovelhead and cranked it with one jump. He took off on Bourbon Street toward Baby’s apartment. The only thing on his mind was making sure she was safe. That and the glare in Slade’s eyes. That was going to come back to bite him in the ass. He was sure of it.
Chapter Thirteen
Baby Jade
It took Baby three blocks before she calmed down enough to realize she was half naked and wearing five-inch stripper heels. Had she been anywhere else, she might have been a little more concerned, but half-naked women weren’t exactly rare in the city.
Of course, none of that made her feel any better about her ass cheeks hanging out and her cleavage spilling over the top of the tiny leather triangles barely big enough to cover her nipples. She was definitely getting some attention on the street. Catcalls and whistling. A stalker quickly started shadowing not far behind.
“Hey, honey. Where you off to in such a hurry?” the man sneered through a giggle. Baby Jade tried to ignore the man and walked faster. “Come on, honey. Don’t take off. I got everything you need right here!” he hollered.
Baby, now in a full on jog, looked over her shoulder to see the man grabbing his crotch and making a lewd noise, sticking his tongue out in her direction.
By the sound of his voice, the man was gaining on her. She kicked off her shoes, not stopping to pick them up. As she rounded the corner, a single headlight streamed from the adjoining alley, racing past her straight toward the man. The driver revved the engine and snaked around the man, causing him to stumble and fall backwards, flat on his ass.
Baby watched the driver backtrack, slowing enough to reach down and snatch up her high heels. He circled around, stopping in front of her. Lucky handed Baby her shoes. He shrugged out of his jacket and draped it around her shoulders. She slipped her arms through the sleeves, enfolding herself in his musky scent.
He unhooked the half-shell helmet from the bitch bar and placed it on Baby’s head. She attempted to buckle it, but her trembling fingers couldn’t latch the strap. Lucky grasped her hands in his and lowered them to her side before fastening the helmet. Neither of them spoke. Baby slid onto the back of the bike, wrapping herself around his waist. He sped away into the night, leaving the man staring at the tail light.
Lucky pulled up in front of Baby’s apartment, parking his bike on the curb. She handed him the helmet and drew the oversized jacket around her. Damn, she longed to touch him, his skin on her skin. She wanted to feel the heat of his breath on every part of her body.
He handed Baby her canvas bag he had picked up from her dressing table. The two walked silently up the sidewalk. Ma’Linn’s light was out, but her doorway was covered in feathers and some kind of red substance. Baby didn’t want to know what that was about, not after the night she had experienced.
Lucky looked at the entrance and then back to Baby. Before he could open his mouth, she said, “Don’t ask.”
He smiled, stepping closer. He wound a tuft of her hair around his finger. Within seconds, his entire hand was entangled in her mass of black waves. Cradling the back of her head in his hand, he turned Baby’s face up to meet his. The heat in his deep chocolate-colored eyes made her body ache.
“Invite me in,” he commanded in a low whisper.
Baby dug her keys out from the side pocket of her bag and struggled to unlock the newly painted front door. Lucky grasped her hand and slid the key into the lock, giving it a turn. He never took his gaze off hers, setting off a burning desire between her legs.
She walked in and held the door open. Once he was inside, she shut and locked the deadbolt out of habit. Linking her index finger through his belt loop, Baby led Lucky to down the tiny hall and into her bedroom.
He took a quick survey of the bedroom and eyed her stationary bike. “You have exercise equipment in every room?”
“It takes a lot of work to stay in shape. I never miss a day.”
His lips curled at the sides, revealing those delectable dimples. “Oh, you’re gonna miss today, but that’s ok. You’re still gonna get a workout.”