Four Letter Word

“Not going anywhere ’til you tell me why you’re attacking this sweet ride. You better have a good reason, and by good, I mean it better be something on a government level and involving al-Qaeda, since this is a brand-new Corvette and costs a fuckin’ mint.”

“I know what kind of car it is, loser,” she replied. “And I know exactly how much it costs, considering I was there when he fucking paid for it.”

“So you know it costs a mint.”

“I know you better move out of my way.” Tori inched closer.

“Not happening, Legs. Not without your reason.”

My phone vibrated again.

This time I felt it all the way down to my knees and practically hummed.

“My reason doesn’t involve you, but you can rest assured knowing it’s the best reason, and that’s all you’re gonna get.”

Jamie tilted his head. “Not good enough.”

“Move,” Tori seethed.

Jamie bridged the gap and came right up on Tori, bent his head to get closer, and ordered, “Tell me and I’ll move. Why are you doing this?”

I watched Tori take in a breath. I watched the hands at her sides go from fists to slack and submissive.

“Hey!” another voice yelled from a distance. “You need me?”

Everyone, including me, turned around and saw where the voice was coming from.

A man was standing by the vintage Jeep I recognized from the other day. It was idle and clearly not in a parking spot, which I assumed was because of the guys spotting our act of vengeance and throwing the gear into Park to rush over and stop us.

I couldn’t make the man out too well, thanks to the distance and it being dark, but I could see him leaning against the passenger door and looking in our direction with his arms crossed over his chest.

He appeared tall and had really short hair if it wasn’t completely shaved. That’s all I could make out.

“We’re good,” Jamie yelled back. “Be ready in a minute.”

The guy heard him, clearly he did, but he kept watching from where he stood. He didn’t get back in the Jeep.

“Now,” Jamie started again, drawing my head around.

He was still standing just as close to Tori as he was a minute ago.

“You tell me why you’re trying to get yourself arrested and I’ll move, but not until you tell me, Legs. And you’re not getting past me so don’t even waste your energy.”

Tori shook her head.

“You need to just go and pretend you didn’t see me.”

“Yeah.” Jamie studied her for a minute, looking her over like he was admiring a piece of art, then continued, saying the tiniest bit quieter, “That’s not fuckin’ happening.”

My right boob vibrated and sent a shiver up my spine. I ignored it and watched Tori roll up on her toes to get into Jamie’s face.

He didn’t move back. I didn’t think he minded her getting that close to him.

“Fine,” she grated out. “You want to know? I’ll tell you. That sweet ride belongs to my ex who became my ex when I ran into him and his perfect little family at the mall a few weeks ago, including his drop-dead gorgeous wife and their super-cute daughter who couldn’t have been more than two, this perfect little family not being something I was aware of but became not only aware of but acquainted with when he decided it was best to introduce me to them as an old friend from high school.”

Jamie leaned back, blinking.

“Fuck,” he muttered. “You serious? He did that to you?”

“Do I look like I’m serious?” Tori asked rhetorically. “Now if you don’t mind, I’d appreciate you moving out of my way so I can finish destroying something precious of his since he went about destroying everything precious of mine.”

I moved then and stepped up beside Tori, taking her hand and wrapping it up in my own.

“So we can finish destroying it,” I corrected her, looking at Jamie.

Tori gave my hand a squeeze.

Jamie looked only at Tori, not even flinching when Shay stepped up and took Tori’s other hand.

“I’d like to say that even though I am not participating in the destruction of that vehicle, I am with her one hundred percent.”

“Thanks, babe,” Tori replied to Kali, keeping her eyes on the man standing in her way.

Jamie kept on looking at Tori, but he was doing it differently now than when he first yanked her away. His eyes were soft. Tender.

He understood.

Then he did something that shocked the hell out of me and everyone else standing there.

He spun around and moved beside the vehicle, pulled out a pocket knife, flicked the blade open, and jammed it straight into the back passenger tire.

I jumped and whispered, “Oh, my God.”

“Holy shit,” Tori breathed.

Shay started giggling and Kali gasped.

We all watched Jamie yank his knife out and heard the sweet hiss of air being released into the night.

He didn’t look at us. He repeated the gesture and popped the remaining three tires, doing it quickly, then slid his knife away and came to stand in front of Tori, bent to get his face close to hers again, and whispered, “Get out of here.”

Tori tightened her grip.

“Let’s go!” Shay yelled, tugging on Tori, who then tugged on me.

Then we ran, leaving Jamie and his knife skills, quiet Exhibit A, and the mystery man at the Jeep behind us.

And we all did it laughing.