Hellion, a New Adult Romance Novel(83)

 

Alissa puts her phone into her backpack and rest its on the seat between her and Colin. He glances down at it and then at her before staring out the window again.

 

I shake my head at them. They’re so uncomfortable in each other’s presence it’s almost funny. Even seven hours in a car together hasn’t done anything to fix it; in fact, it seems worse.

 

I turn around and let that stupid stuff fall out of my mind. With every mile that slides by, I’m feeling pretty full of myself and supremely confident. We are so going to make this happen and save Teagan’s ass!

 

I’m the queen of badassery all the way up until we pull into the driveway behind the SUV and see the sign on the outside of the giant building.

 

“What the …” I stare at is as we cruise by, my mouth hanging open in surprise.

 

Colin leans forward and smiles for the first time all day. “Now that’s what I’m talking about. Let’s go do us some recon.”

 

He’s out the door before I’ve even touched the handle of mine, pushing the seat forward and smashing Mick against the steering wheel during his escape.

 

Mick looks over at me as his face is leaning on the horn cover. “Any other great ideas?” he asks.

 

I refuse to answer. I have a plan to put into action, and I’m not going to let anything like a silly old strip club keep me from getting this job done.

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

 

 

 

 

 

ALISSA AND I WAIT TEN minutes in the car before following the path already laid by Mick and Colin. We don’t want anyone inside to know we’re together, thinking one of us might get lucky if we find a lonely soul inside just waiting for someone to unload all their unhappy work feelings on. There may also be some reticence on their part over the whole issue of walking in the front doors of a strip club next to an obviously pregnant girl. She didn’t look any more excited about it than they did.

 

“Maybe you should wait in the car,” I offer, feeling a little bit sorry for her.

 

“Heck no. I’m not going to sit out here with all the creeps and perverts while you’re in there getting all the glory.”

 

“Glory? Are you kidding me?” All my pity disappears. Poof. Gone.

 

She shakes her head, chagrined “No, I didn’t mean it like that. I just … I want to help. And I can’t help by steaming up the inside of Mick’s windows.”

 

I don’t like the way that sounds, so I take her by the hand and pull her along with me. “Fine. Come on then. Let’s get this over with.” I really wish I’d worn something sexier. Something tells me I’m going to stick out almost as much as Alissa will.

 

“What are we going to do exactly?” she asks, for the first time not sounding so sure of herself.

 

“We’re going to go in there, strike up conversations with people who work at the software company, and find out what we can about Teagan’s father. Simple corporate espionage, no big deal.”

 

“Okay.” Alissa hesitates as we arrive at the front door. It’s painted bright red and we can hear music beats pumping out from behind it. “But how do we do that?” she asks.

 

“I have no idea. I figured I’d just wait until inspiration struck.”

 

She takes a deep breath. “Okay. So here’s hoping inspiration strikes us both, then.” She squeezes my hand and then lets it go.

 

I take the door handle and pull, trying not to cringe as the sounds of stripper music and the smells of sour spilled alcohol wash over us.

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

 

 

 

 

 

IT’S MOSTLY DARK INSIDE, FLASHING lights of every color occasionally lighting up a corner or a table. The stage is empty and the only thing visible on it is a pole. There’s a spotlight above it, shining down, reflecting off its metal surface.

 

“Wow,” says Alissa, “so this is what a strip club looks like.” She nods as her eyes scan the room.

 

“IDs, ladies?” says a man off to my right.

 

I glance over and find a really old man sitting on a stool. He looks like he’s about to fall asleep. His very sad mustache droops almost as much as his eyes do. A very round pot belly completes his très sexy look.

 

We walk over and produce our driver’s licenses. He hands them back and gestures to the inside of the club. “Enjoy yourselves. Hands off the girls. Well drinks are half price until ten.”

 

I swallow the sour spit that suddenly appears on my tongue.

 

“Ew. Like we’d feel up a stripper,” Alissa says. “Do girls even do that?”