Chapter 3

ChapterThree

RUE

“’Cause baby now we got bad blood. You know it used to be mad love. So take a look at what you’ve done. ’Cause baby now we got bad blood. Hey!” I sing at the top of my lungs, and Maxim side-eyes me. “Now we got problems. And I don’t think we can solve them.”

His lips twitch, letting me know he’s fighting a smile. Well, that wasn’t the plan. This is the third Taylor Swift song I’ve sung, but he hasn’t said a word. I keep going, thinking it has to annoy him at some point. When I finish “Bad Blood,” he shakes his head but still doesn’t speak.

When I break out into the next, he taps his fingers on the steering wheel.

“I knew you were trouble when you walked in. So shame on me now. Flew me to places I’d never been. Now I’m lying on the cold hard ground. Oh, oh, trouble, trouble, trouble.”

“Is this one your theme song?” he finally asks before glancing at me and then back at the road. This time I notice he looks at my legs, and it makes me shift in my seat.

“Pretty sure you’re the trouble around here.” I tug at the hem of my skirt when I realize it’s ridden up. It probably happened when I was dancing in my seat. I thought for sure he’d throw me out of the car when I finished the first song.

“Me?” He shakes his head. “I got your little ass out of trouble.”

Okay, so he’s right, but I glare at him anyway. Maxim saved me, and I’d be a liar if I said otherwise. “I had it all worked out. I’ve been in worse situations.” I fold my arms over my chest and stare out the window. How long have we been driving now?

“Liar.” He says it more to himself, but I bite the inside of my cheek so that I don’t make an expression.

I’m finding it hard to maintain my disinterest around Maxim. There’s something about him that throws me off balance. He’s got me trapped, and I’m not sure how I’m going to get away.

Damn it, I’m getting rusty. The one thing I’ve always been good at is getting away.

“Worse situations? Like what?” he asks, breaking the quiet. Does it bother him? I tuck that away. Normally I run my mouth, whether it’s being sweet, annoying, or hostile.

“Why would I tell you that?” I toss back at him.

“You could go back to singing.”

“Nope,” I chirp. “Are you a Taylor fan or something?” Everyone loves her, but I know all her songs, so it was an easy choice.

“You have a sweet voice.” My chest tightens for some inexplicable reason. Maybe I’ve got heartburn. I’ve never had it before, but that has to be what this is.

Once again, the quiet grows. “How about if I answer a question, you answer one,” he offers.

“Hmm.” I tap my finger against my lips, not sure this is a good idea. But as always, my curiosity gets the best of me. “Okay.” I sit up straighter and turn slightly to face him.

“No lying,” he orders, and I roll my eyes.

“Fine,” I huff. “But I go first.”

“Deal.” Another smile plays at his lips but he quickly gets it under control. Why do I want to break that control?

Maybe because I enjoy pushing things to the edge.

“Are you a cop?” I blurt out.

“Pretty much.”

“‘Pretty much’? That’s not an answer.”

He lets out a long sigh. “To most of the world, no. To a select few, yes.”

“Ooooh, like the FBI or CIA. Wait! Is there an agency that no one knows about like SAA or something?” I bet the government has another secret branch they don’t tell us about. If I ran the government, I know I would.

“SAA?”

“Secret Asshole Agents. It would fit for you.” I shrug. “I don’t know. I made it up.”

He lets out a low chuckle that’s deep and way too sexy. I didn’t know a laugh could be sexy, and it makes me giggle. People think I’m stupid or adorable. Either works in my favor for the most part.

“Okay, my turn.” I already know what he’s going to ask. “Tell me about the situations worse than this.”

Crap.

“If I have to pick I suppose it’s one I’m in now.”

“I’m not going to hurt you, firecracker.”

He keeps calling me that, and I kinda don’t hate it. It’s different from “babe” or “honey.”

“I’m not scared of you. Physically at least,” I admit. “It’s my boyfriend.”

“Boyfriend?” he grumbles, and his eyebrows furrow.

“Ex-boyfriend, I guess. I don’t know. I never really called it off, but I ghosted him, so you’d think he’d get the message. Men can be so dense.”

Maxim grips the steering wheel tighter. “How is that situation worse than having Vince Sledge murdered in front of you?”

“That’s a second question,” I point out.

“But an important one. Is your ex trying to find you?”

“That’s a third, you cheater, cheater, pumpkin eater.”

He shakes his head. “Do you take anything seriously?”

“I don’t have a choice but to take everything seriously,” I admit. “If I didn’t, I’m not sure I’d be alive.” A weird mix of emotions flood me. It always does when I think of my upbringing.

“Rue.” He says my name gently, like he’s asking nicely for more.

Would it really be so wrong to tell him a little more about me?

“I grew up different. That’s all.” I shrug, trying to downplay it like it’s not a big deal.

“Tell me.” Maxim surprises me by reaching over and placing his hand on top of mine. I suppose that wasn’t exactly a question.

“I grew up with a traveling carnival,” I tell him, and like most people, he raises his eyebrows in surprise. “It could be a free-for-all with so many people around. It’s like a family but not. The people will take care of you, but they don’t really watch you. You know?”

“Fuck,” he mutters.

“It wasn’t all bad.” I play with the hem of my skirt while I think back. “But it wasn’t always the safest either.”

“Is your ex part of the carnival?”

“No. I met him when we stopped in a city for a month.” I don’t tell Maxim how he fed me lots of lies. Ones I wanted to believe. “Thankfully I came to my senses. It took me a second, but I caught on that he was a con and trying to steal my virginity.” I roll my eyes. “Men.”

The hand Maxim is using to hold mine tightens. “What happened?”

“He was persistent. He followed me to a few towns, and it really started to freak me out. Some of the guys scared him off, but he always came back.” I glance out the window. “He snuck into my trailer one night when I was sleeping.” I don’t mention that I’ve had trouble sleeping since that night. “I got away.” I grin and look up at Maxim. “And I might have stolen his car.”

“And he’s still looking for you?” I nod.

Gavin has gotten close a few times, but I know he won’t stop. Well, he’s probably not looking for me, per se. It’s more likely that he’s looking for the drugs and money I found in the trunk of his car.

Either way, I’m pretty sure he wants me dead… Or worse.