Page 85 of Wicked Temptations

Yeah. I was in deep.

“Just do what you’re told, Jude.”

“That’s not an answer.”

“Nope.” I grabbed his shirt next, then his vest and the tangle of shoulder, waist, and thigh holsters that I loved seeing him in. “But you’re gonna put these on, anyway.”

“Ash.” His voice went flat. I knew him well enough to know it as the tone he used when he was two seconds from losing his patience. “What the hell is going on?”

Riley appeared in the doorway, phone in hand. “We gotta leave in fifteen.”

“Why?” Jude looked at her, hoping for an explanation. When none came, he glared back at me. “What’s going on?”

“Less questions and more doing what you’re told.” I shoved the shirt into his hands. “Get dressed, or I’ll dress you myself.”

His eyes narrowed. “You’re enjoying this.”

“A little bit.” I grinned, then I slapped his ass just because I could. “Come on. We don’t have all night.”

***

Ten minutes later, I had him in the passenger seat of Riley’s car.

He was still firing off questions neither of us would answer when I waved at him through the window.

I didn’t envy Riley’s part in all this. I got to close the door on his tirades and escape to my own car while she was stuck with him. And for longer than Jude realized. I needed to get to work before them, but there was no way anyone but me could have gotten Jude out the door, so I’d asked Riley to bide her time. Take a wrong turn or two, maybe head into a drive-thru with a line that was too long to justify the carbs.

Even though she loved Jude, I was going to owe her big for this.

I pulled into the Ridgeway lot and killed the engine before the car had fully stopped rolling. The door slammed behind me as I sprinted toward the employee entrance, heart pounding. Not from exertion. From nerves.

Thishadto work.

Jonas was leaning against the wall outside our prep area, an electronic vape in hand. I could smell the watermelon flavor from here.

“All set?”

“Yeah, man. Riley’s gonna text when she’s ten out.” He jerked his head toward the staff room. “Everyone’s ready.”

“Good.”

I ducked into the changing room, where Simon was already half dressed in his Hunter gear. He glanced up, grinning.

“You look like you’re about to puke, Ash.”

“Shut up.” I grabbed my costume from the locker and started stripping. There was no time for modesty. “Everything in position?”

“Relax. It’s done.” Simon adjusted the buckles across his chest, the ones that mimicked Jude’s design but never quite sat the same way. “Parker knows. The social media team knows. Half the park probably knows by now.”

I yanked my shirt over my head. “If this goes sideways, I just....”

“It won’t.” He leaned against the counter, watching me with that insufferable knowing look. “Everything’s sorted for your boyfriend to make heart eyes at you.”

Heat crawled up my neck. “He’s not my boyfriend.”

“Right. You just spend every night at his place doing totally platonic physical therapy.”

I flipped him off.