Cops & Robbers

Chapter Ten (Revised)

“How’d you get into my truck?”

“You left it unlocked.”

“Bullshit! I locked it before I fell asleep, so I repeat how the hell did you get into my truck?”

“Hasn’t anyone ever told you that cursing is unattractive? I swear I don’t know what they see in you. You probably curse during your more… intimate moments as well.”

My mouth dropped open slightly and I was rendered silent, completely at a loss of words. As taken off guard as I was, I couldn’t even bring myself to deny it, because then I’d be lying. Normally that wouldn’t be a problem, but I never lie on instinct unless I’m talking to law enforcement, so coming up with a denial that didn’t sound juvenile was suddenly the hardest task ever. I was grateful that it was dark, because otherwise he’d have seen the blush that stained my cheeks. Here he was lecturing me about not cursing and he had absolutely no filter.

I was still trying to come up with a comeback when another more important thought occurred to me.

“Who are ‘they’ and why the heck are you in my truck?” When I spat out the word ‘heck’, he smirked at me and I narrowed my eyes at him. It seemed that each of our actions were meant to goad each other. We were playing a game of wits and I admit it put me off balance since I was used to men that secretly wanted to be charmed.

“Well?” I urged when he stayed silent. When I was met with more silence, I felt impatience nipping at my heels. I hated the waiting game. “Did you challenge me to a silent game and I just not hear it? Who are ‘they’ and why are you in my truck?” I repeated. “And don’t tell me this is your territory and you just happened to see me, so you stopped by for a friendly chat.”

He gave me another one of those chest rumbling laughs and it irked me that he found everything I said humorous. “Honestly, how do you get any jobs done? You feel the need to fill every moment of silence.” He shook his head at me perplexed. The expression looked funny on his face and I could tell it wasn’t one he wore often. “I won’t specify who ‘they’ are, because a blind man could see who ‘they’ are. As for the ‘why’ of it all, well I hate to break it to you honey, but you are in my territory. Like I told you before, I’ve taken a liking to you for reasons that are my own. I’ve been watching you for a couple of weeks now and when you came here a week ago to talk to a cop, I was intrigued. Here you are outside of his house again and I want to know why. Are you switching sides? Or are you looking for an ‘in’?”

“You’ve been stalking me?” I asked indignantly.

“Is that really all you got from that? That’s disappointing. Really it is. Here I had thought you were a calculating and conniving woman and it turns out that I gave you way too much credit.”

“If you found out I was stalking you, I’m pretty sure you’d be at least a little resentful.”

“It’s only considered stalking if your follower is ugly. Otherwise they’re just an admirer.”

“Since when?”

“Since the dawn of time. What made Edward an admirer instead of a stalker when he was following Bella around? ”

It was my turn to be perplexed. He just grinned at me. The expression, harmless as he was probably trying to make it, looked wrong on his face.

“Twilight?” I asked stunned, "Seriously?"

“Ah, but you knew what I was talking about did you not?”

Damn me for having to give him that one, but the thought of this gargantuan man reading or, God forbid, watching the Twilight movies was changing how I viewed Vincent. Oh, my gut knew he was still dangerous, but even dangerous guys had teenage daughters.