GREED(110)

“Because it feels good,” I told him, turning his direction and seductively running my tongue along my top teeth.

“Don’t even,” he said, “or I’ll get you on propositioning an officer as well as possession.”

“Suit yourself,” I told him, shrugging my shoulders. “It might have been nice,” I leaned forward and sang in his ear.

“I’m sure,” he said. I could see the surprise on his face at his unexpected and candid response. I decided to run with it.

“I bet if you handcuffed me to the closet bar just beyond those doors, I’d be quiet as a mouse until you came back for me,” I said, letting the double meaning sink in.

“Stop,” he said. The breath he’d been holding whistled from his nose.

“How old are you, Casey?” I asked, leaning into him.

“Twen-Twenty-two,” he stuttered.

“Huh, I just happen to be into twenty-two year olds. They’re currently my thing,” I lied.

His eyes came right to mine and held there.

“Really?” he asked, skeptical, yet inadvertently leaned into me. The grim line that had held his face before turned into a slight grin. Seal the deal, Sophie.

“Mmm, hmm,” I said. I pushed further into his chest, my breasts mashed against his armor plate.

I tentatively kissed the pulse at his neck, knowing full well that if he really wanted to, he could definitely get me on propositioning.

I just couldn’t go to jail. Not again. I’d already been once for possession when Jerrick died and the judge told me if I showed back up in his courtroom, I’d be toast. This was worth the risk.

“Jesus,” he murmured.

I threaded my fingers through the belt loop at his waist and brought him closer to me. He fiercely took my face in his and kissed me like he was dying. What an amateur, I thought. Thank God I got a dumb one. His hands grappled all over my face as he had no grace whatsoever. If the guy wasn’t so sexy, I don’t think I could have put up the charade as long as I did.

“Officer Fratelli!” we heard come from downstairs and he broke the kiss. “Fratelli!”

“I’m-I’m up here,” Casey said, flustered. He adjusted himself and wiped his mouth.

“Uncuff me,” I said, almost panicked.

“I can’t,” he said.

“Yes you can, Casey. Do it and I’ll repay you exponentially.”

He groaned but looked at me apologetically. “When you get out, come find me,” he said quietly as the other officer entered the room.

“The rest of the upstairs is secure,” Casey said as if he hadn’t just kissed my face off. “She was the only straggler.”

“Fine,” the older officer said. I thought he was going to leave but instead came through and examined the bathroom around us. “What the hell is this?” he asked Casey.

“What?” Casey asked.

“This,” the older man said, gesturing to the lines of coke.

“Uh, yes, she was attempting a line when I found her,” Casey told his superior.

Fuck.

“I’ll bag this up,” the man said and waved Casey on.

“I’m sorry,” Casey said when we were out of the room, “I had to tell him. He’d have known I was lying.”

“It’s okay, Casey,” I said with saccharine ooze. I kissed his mouth then bit his lip playfully. “It would have been the best ride of your life,” I whispered. His eyes blew wide.

“Wait, what? We can still see each other,” Casey desperately plied.

“Sure we can,” I lied again.

“I wasn’t going to tell him about the drugs,” he said again, his voice quivering. “I had only planned on getting you on the party. That would have only been a ticket, a misdemeanor.”

“I know, sweets,” I told him, “but you still messed up.”

Casey led me down the winding staircase and I felt as if time was standing still. All my friends, cuffed themselves, looked up at me as I descended over them. I smiled down at them bewitchingly and they almost cowered in my presence. I’d been the one who brought the coke and my smile let them know that if they brought me down, I wouldn’t be going down with the ship on my own. If they squealed like the pigs they were, I would make their lives miserable. There’s a fine line between friend and foe in my world.

Casey placed me into the back of a squad car when we reached the winding drive and buckled me in.

“Tell me,” I said softly against his ear near my mouth, “what exactly am I being charged with?”

“Sarge will probably get you on drugs but if it’s your first offense, you should be able to get off lightly.”