Convict: A Bad Boy Romance by Roxie Noir Read Free Book Online Page B

gesturing at him with it. “The point is, I want to be somewhere else .”
    “Everything okay?” I say, and Luna’s head snaps around to look at me, surprised.
    “Oh, hey,” she says, her voice suddenly less angry. “It’s fine.”
    “You sure?” I say. I try to keep my voice light, but I’m watching the guy from the corner of my eye, just waiting for him to try something.
    “Yeah,” she says. “My keys got locked in my car is all.”
    She glares at the guy, who opens his mouth, makes a what the hell do you want me to do gesture, then crosses his arms again.
    I look back at Luna. Then I look at the guy.
    They look a lot alike. Same face shape, similar hair, same eyes. The black knot in my gut starts to unwind, just a little.
    “You need help?” I ask.
    “I already called Triple A,” she says. “They’re gonna take a couple hours to get out here, though.”
    “I can give you a ride to your house,” the guy says. “Or, Skye can, once he gets done and everything.”
    “What kind of car is it?” I ask.
    “’93 Civic,” she says.
    The guy shuffles a little from one foot to another, and I look over at him. He doesn’t seem to give a shit that I’m here, talking to Luna and ignoring him, so either he’s the world’s worst boyfriend or he’s not her boyfriend.
    Plus, the way they’re interacting seems kind of... juvenile.
    “I could take a crack at it,” I say.
    “I tried,” the guy says.
    “You poked at the window for five seconds,” Luna says, then looks from him to me and back. “Sorry. Raine, this is Stone. Stone, this is my brother Raine.”
    We shake hands, and I do my best not to grin.
    Sorry I fantasized about kicking your ass, I think.
    “If you’ve got a coat hanger, I can give it a shot,” I offer.
    “I don’t have one on me,” Luna says.
    Raine shrugs.
    “Maybe they’ve got one inside?” Luna asks, looking pointedly at her brother.
    “Probably not,” he says, shrugging again.
    “You could go check,” she suggests.
    “Right, sure,” he says.
    “I’ll take anything thin and flexible,” I say.
    He nods and heads back into the bar.
    “He’s the one who locked the keys in the car?” I ask as soon as he’s out of earshot.
    Luna snorts.
    “How’d you guess?” she says. “Come on, my car’s over here.”
    She leads me across the street, and we lean against the side of her car, looking into dark storefronts. I’m still almost high with relief that he’s her brother.
    You’re just helping her , I remind myself. Get the lady out of her jam and leave.
    “I had a feeling that wasn’t you, detective,” I say.
    “Luna,” she says.
    “You seem a little more responsible, Luna ,” I say, emphasizing her name to tease her.
    Then I pause.
    “Your parents named you Luna and Raine?” I ask.
    Luna sighs.
    “You know your name is Stone , right?” she says.
    “Stone’s a family name,” I say. “Besides, I don’t have a sister named Dirt.”
    Luna pushes her hair back, off her face, and looks over at me.
    “I have three brothers,” she admits. “Cedar, Skye, and Raine. Skye was the guitarist tonight.”
    I just laugh.
    “Damn,” I say.
    “Again, your name is Stone ,” Luna says.
    “Your parents were hippies?”
    “Yeah,” she says. “If I ever complained about having a weird name when I was a kid, my dad would tell me that my mom’s first choice for my name was Moonbeam.”
    “Moonbeam,” I repeat, because that’s a hell of a name.
    “I take it your parents weren’t?” she says, her eyes smiling.
    “Lord, no,” I say. “I was named after my great-great-something-grandpappy because he fought in the Civil War.”
    “Which side?”
    I look down at Luna, because I can’t believe she has to ask.
    “What?” she says.
    “You are from California,” I tease.
    Luna rolls her eyes, but she’s smiling.
    “Yankees don’t name their kids after some guy who fought a war for a bad cause a hundred and fifty years ago,” I tell her. “My namesake