Cupcake Overload (Cupcakes 2)

“What the fuck?” I yelled, half pissed, half scared out of my mind.

Sledge raised one eyebrow, apparently unimpressed by my screaming, then asked calmly, “Has Cade seen you in this yet?”

I reached back and tried to snatch the black lace teddy I’d bought in the boutique out of his hand, but he pulled it back out of my reach.

“Leave my stuff alone,” I growled, then remembered that he was a suspect in a murder investigation, and began to get a little worried about my current situation.

“What are you doing in my van?” I asked.

My voice must have conveyed some of my nerves, because Sledge dropped the teddy on the seat next to him and said, “I didn’t kill that chick.”

“And I’m just supposed to believe that?” I asked a little haughtier than was probably advised, considering I had a possible murderer in my van.

“What would I kill that bitch for?” Sledge asked, leaning forward so that his face was close enough for me to smell the cigarette stench on his breath. “I can get all the pussy I want at the compound; it ain’t like I’m hard up.”

“Maybe you didn’t like her turning you down,” I suggested.

“I could give a shit,” Sledge replied. “Look, it didn’t go down like you bitches thought. That Samantha chick was all over me at the bar, full of dirty talk and promise. Then, when we got in the bathroom, she changed her tune, said she needed my help.”

“Stop calling us bitches,” I ordered, then, curious despite myself, I asked, “What did she need your help with?”

“Don’t know,” he answered with a shrug. “Before she could tell me what she was about, she heard you bitches…” At my pointed look, he amended, “Ah, you and your chicks, come in, all loud and shit, and started screaming no like I was attacking her.”

“Your hand was on her ass,” I reminded him.

“My hand was already there when she stopped tonguing me and started telling me that she needed my help. I just hadn’t moved my hand yet.”

Yeah, right…

“Have you told this to the police?” I asked.

“They don’t want to hear shit. Right now, I’m a person of interest, but I know for a fact they aren’t looking at anyone else. I need you to clear my name. I want to hire you.”

My jaw dropped unattractively.

“Wouldn’t Cade be the more likely choice?” I asked when my brain caught up with is words. “Isn’t that the kind of stuff he does for you guys?”

“Cade took off after that shit went d

own at the barbecue. Haven’t heard from him since.”

“What? Where did he go? What happened?”

I was torn between worry, fear, and straight-up anger.

Why did he leave without saying anything?

Is he coming back?

“We had some words over the way I’d treated you. My man was pissed,” Sledge said with a wry grin. “I’ve never seen him like that over a bitch, ah, woman, before. He laid it out that you’re his old lady and I needed to treat you with respect. We talked it out, then he took off. He does that sometimes, when he needs to clear his head. Open road’s the best place for it.”

I decided to let his words marinate for a bit, then decide what I’d do when and if, Cade returned.

“What do you want from me?” I asked.

“PI shit,” Sledge replied. “I’ll tell you what I know, and you find out who killed that crazy bitch. And don’t worry, Red, a woman who looks like you, acts like you, and buys shit like this?” I wanted to die when Sledge held up the anal beads. “Cade’ll be back in no time, beggin’ you to forgive his savage ass.”

After two potentially dangerous encounters with the same greasy biker, I decided it was time to get my ass back into shape.