Rock Chick 07 Regret(188)

Detective Marker nodded. “At least that makes sense,” he said then he got closer. “Ricky, Donny and Jerry obviously are goin’ down. But you gotta know, we don’t have shit on Marty, nothin’ that’ll stick anyway. He’s doin’ okay and he’ll be released without charge.”

Well, wasn’t that just great?

Still, I had to worry about a mean, crazy, fucking Balducci.

I moved closer to Hector and his arm got tighter around my neck.

Detective Marker’s eyes took in Marcus and the Hot Bunch then they came back to me. “Marty’s always been the brains of the bunch. Don’t suspect he’ll be stupid enough to do anything with the kind of protection thrown down around you. Regardless of this shit, Seth cuts a menacing figure, even in prison. Word on the street isn’t just that you got the protection of Chavez, Nightingale and the Denver Police Department but Marcus and Vito. Donny and Ricky are crazy motherfuckers but Marty’ll think twice.” Detective Marker glanced at Marcus again then to me. “He’s not in a good position, part of the pressure the Balducci boys got means that their men and their contacts have been warned off in no uncertain terms or recruited away. He’s marked and not in a good way.” He got in even closer and muttered, “Your boy’s done good.” He nodded to Hector. “It’d be practically impossible for Marty to build up business again.”

That made me feel the eensiest bit better and made me think perhaps I should buy Hector an island.

Detective Marker looked straight at Hector and I didn’t know if he was talking to Hector or me when he finished, “Keep safe anyway.”

The elevator pinged and out surged a bevy of Rock Chicks led by Daisy, Shirleen and Kitty Sue (Rock Chick, The First Generation, according to Kitty Sue’s stories). The paramedics wheeling Jerry on the gurney had to fight through them as I was surrounded, hugged, kissed, there was relieved laughter, a few teary eyes then Tex showed up, wild-haired, wild-eyed, obviously having been on the Sadie Hunt. He boomed, “Outta my way!” He shoved in and hugged me so tight both my feet came off the floor. Ralphie and Buddy were there, Tod and Stevie, Duke and Dolores, Malcolm, Blanca showed up with Gloria, Nancy arrived with Jet’s sister Lottie.

Everyone.

All my friends (and Lottie, who I hadn’t met yet).

In the hallway of a hotel.

Genuine, honest to goodness friends.

Mine.



I was sucked down, deep, deep, deepest, into the warm, clear, comfortable, snugly, safe waters and somewhere, I knew my Mom was smiling.

“Christ, can I get to my fuckin’ girlfriend?” Hector clipped (loudly and irately), the crowd stilled, even the hotel onlookers and lingering police, and then parted. He and I had become disengaged but now he came through, grabbed my hand and tugged me away.

“We got a floor to refinish,” he muttered on the way to the elevator, tagging the button when he got there.

I turned to my friends, smiled and waved.

The doors opened, Hector dragged me inside (without, I noted, a smile or a wave at anyone).

The doors closed and, without hesitation, he curled me into his front, his hand went into my hair, his head came to mine, slanted and he gave me a hot, urgent, fiery kiss.

In the nanosecond before I melted into him and all thoughts flew out of my head, I figured (correctly) we weren’t going to get to refinishing the floors.

* * * * *

“‘Night, Double H.” I heard Ralphie whisper.

“Later, Hector,” Buddy whispered soon after.

Hector’s body moved slightly under me and I could visualize him jutting his chin.

I kept my eyes closed and feigned sleep, liking being tucked into Hector’s heat on the couch.

After my latest trauma was finally over, Hector took me to his house and not, as I reckoned, to refinish the floors. He took me straight to his bedroom and we had the best sex ever in the history of man (in my personal opinion).

Then, there was no other way to describe it, he pretty much passed out.

I stayed with him for hours as he slept. Sometimes, I’d doze. Sometimes, I’d daydream. Sometimes, I’d kiss his chest or neck while he slept. But mostly, I just got used to feeling warm and safe and happy.

He woke up when Buddy called, inviting us to dinner.

We showered (yes, together!), he “did” me in the shower again and then we laid in bed, him wearing his cutoff sweats, me wearing one of his flannels and my panties and him holding me while I called the prison to talk to my father.

Cordell had already reported that I was all right. The conversation was short and uncomfortable. I didn’t know what to say, neither did my father. After, even though I tried not to, I cried again, quietly into Hector’s neck. He held me while I did that then held me after I was done.