Hoops Shorts: A HOOPS Novella Collection

I wasn’t sure being around Bishop right now was the healthiest idea for either of us at the moment, but I didn’t want to let Luna face him alone when he was in one of his goddamn moods. Tank was probably there, but still. I preferred keeping my own eyes on her. Lately everything seemed to be going off the rails.

Tank and Bishop were arguing when we rounded the corner to their wing of the stage. But Bishop brightened, his head lifting as he stepped around Tank to welcome Luna.

“Gorgeous. Let’s get the hell out of here.” He slid an arm around her waist once she got near. “I’m in the mood to fuck.”

Luna made a frustrated noise and pulled away from him. Good for her.

“We can’t just fuck away all our problems!” she exclaimed.

“Why not?” Bishop asked with a cocky eyebrow lift.

For once, whatever spell he seemed to have over her wasn’t in effect. “Because we need to go find Cash, for one. He might be in trouble.”

Bishop rolled his eyes. “He’s never in trouble—his luck gets him out of anything.”

“You’re so frustrating! You can’t just rely on that!” Luna said, all but stomping her booted feet. She looked like a goth pixie with her calf-high black Doc Martens, tight camo leggings, sparkly tutu, and black tank top that exposed all her tattoos. “How many times do I have to tell you all that?”

She looked around at me and Tank like she was pleading with us at least to see reason.

And I’d always be there for her when she needed me. Fuck the concert. “Absolutely. He could be in trouble.”

“Oh, shut up, brown noser,” Bishop said. “I don’t see why we can’t rely on his luck when you did.” He got in Luna’s face.

“What do you mean?” she asked with irritation.

“Else why did you call him to come to my rescue when I got in that fight at the arena?”

Luna’s mouth was open like she’d had a retort on her lips but that stopped her short. “You never told us what happened. So he came when I texted?”

Bishop nodded, a know-it-all smile on his face. “The drunk guy recognized him and dropped right off my back. Then he convinced his friend not to press charges even though I’d broken the fucker’s nose.” He laughed down at Luna. “You texted Cash ’cause you knew his luck would get me out of a tight space and you were right. It’s only fair. He shouldn’t be the only one to benefit from his little magic gift.”

“There’s no such thing as magic,” Luna spat.

“Bet it smarted your pride when they recognized Cash and not you,” I smirked at Bishop.

Luna waved a hand. “So did Cash go back into the fight after?”

Bishop shrugged, winking at me to taunt me before looking back at Luna. “I don’t know, babe. Think he mighta been headed off to the tables. He seemed pretty confident about how the big fight inside would turn out.”

“But it had just started!”

Bishop shrugged again. “You know how he is. He believes in the luck.”

Luna did stomp her foot this time. “You all and this stupid luck.” She shook her head angrily. “This concert is fucked, we’ll give refunds. Let’s go find Cash.”

Bishop threw his hands out. “He’s a grown ass man. We don’t have to be his babysitters. If the man wants to fucking gamble, let him.”

Luna glared at him. “He has a gambling addiction. We never should have come here in the first place. Why did we? For what? A fight we ended up missing and a concert that went to shit because we put our band member in danger just by coming here? Plus, that clip of you losing your shit out there will probably go viral tomorrow if it hasn’t already.”

“Losing my shit is what people love me for.” Bishop got right up in Luna’s face, egging her on. “Fans think you’re going soft if you don’t bite some heads off bats and bash guitars every now and then.”

Luna huffed out in frustration. “Well, I don’t like you very much right now.”

Bishop grinned down at her cruelly. God, I wanted to punch him. “You wish that was true, don’t you?”

“Get out of my way,” Luna gritted out through her teeth. My hands fisted. If Bishop didn’t do what she said, I was gonna fucking do it for him.

“Make me,” Bishop taunted.

“Okay,” Tank said, and shoved Bishop so hard he was knocked to the side with a yelp.

“Hey!”

Tank held out an arm to Luna. “Let’s go find Cash.”

THIRTEEN

LUNA

It was two hours later, after checking almost all of the casinos in town before we finally got a tip about an off-the-books high stakes poker game. For only the highest rolling whales who were in town for the fight.

Aka catnip to a guy like Cash.