Adler (The Henchmen MC 14)

I wanted to give it a try.

Even if it was scary.

The best parts of life often were.

So when I knew Adler was out for the day, I grabbed Linny, and walked out of my apartment, leaving a note on the door.

Catch me if you can.

The thing was, I had no intention of running. Not really. Just give him the impression of running, get him to go searching, as I sat home eating Chinese takeout, hanging out with Linny, waiting for him to figure out that I hadn't gone anywhere at all.

- Lenny: He still hasn't figured it out yet?

- Peyton: Maybe he doesn't deserve pussy after all.

The two had apparently added their numbers to my phone, being the only people outside of work and takeout in my contacts.

I wasn't entirely convinced they liked me for me, unable to shake the thought that maybe they were just interested in Adler's interest in me, in his uncharacteristic attention.

- It's only been three days.

- Lenny: When was the last time it took you three days to at least get eyes on a skip?

She had me there. Even if I couldn't catch them, I had least honed in on a location, spotted them, breathed the same air as them.

But in Adler's defense, he had nothing to go on.

I had no known contacts aside from people from work.

We hadn't even exchanged last names, though I was pretty sure Adler was actually his last name to begin with.

He had nothing to go on.

He had less than I ever had on a case.

I wouldn't be surprised if he took a full week, and simply gave up, came home, and came upon me by happenstance.

- Peyton: Girl's night?

I honestly wasn't even completely sure what a girls night entailed. I couldn't claim to know how normal friendships worked. Especially with women. Were we going to do face masks and watch 90s rom-coms?

Because, quite frankly, I would rather be getting my ass kicked by a skip.

- Lenny: Don't be scared. Peyton's idea of a girls night involves drinking too much, watching scary movies, and discussing the best vibrators on the market.

- I don't know if I can trust myself around you two and booze. My hangover was hellish last time.

- Peyton: Quit bitching. Bring dessert. Lenny is bringing the booze. I'm ordering the pizza. And I think Rey is bringing something green.

With that, I was forced into my first girls night.

It took place at Peyton's home, an apartment that put mine to absolute shame. But, then again, whose apartment didn't.

I was the last to arrive, hearing raised voices from within, having to bang hard to get anyone's attention.

"Well finally," Peyton declared, meeting me at the door in a white crop top with a caution tape design right across her tits and a black miniskirt with lemon-printed leggings underneath, her mermaid hair pulled up into two buns on her head, braids leading up to them.

"Neat, right? Space Buns with double Dutch braids. I'd say I could do this for you, but this magic was done by gay fingers, the only fingers that can do trendy hairstyles correctly, I swear. Come on. Meet everyone," she invited, moving aside to let me walk in, stealing the tray of brownies I had thrown together. "You know Lenny," she said, waving a hand to the woman in question who toasted me with her beer. "And this adorable salad-dealer is Rey. Whose dogs I believe you know. Annnnnd... this is Savvy. Savea, technically," she told me, waving to a girl with the shiniest black hair I had ever seen, bright eyes, and a slight build. "And Jamie," she finished, throwing an arm around a woman in a purple and yellow plaid shirt with short cropped hair. "Guys, this is Adler's girl Lou."

"I'm not really..."

"He's spent every day of the past week with you. You're his girl," Lenny cut me off. "Accept it."

"Oh, Peyton. I really like these pillows," Rey interjected, seeming like she was trying to lighten the mood. "The flowers are so... oh," she cut off suddenly, cheeks going pink.

"You can say it," Peyton encouraged. "They're pussies. And there are cock flowers on the chair."

"Peyt has the fashion sense of a horny fifteen-year-old boy," Jamie declared affectionately.

"She has a collection of butt plugs on her bookshelf like bookends," Lenny added.

"What else was I supposed to do with them?" Peyton asked, moving into her kitchen to pop the top on a bottle of rosé.

"Not display them like decorations?" Savea suggested, again, with affection, making it clear that while they all seemed eager to pick at her, they all loved her. And, quite frankly, when someone was as unique as she was, you kind of had to give her all your respect.

"Some of them are cute! That gold glitter one? Who would dare relegate such a work of art to a naughty box in the closet or under the bed?"