I opened my mouth to whisper something to that effect, but the choir quieted and the priest started to speak. Unless I wanted the entire parish to overhear my tirade, it was going to have to wait.

As luck, or something, would have it, my father never seemed to notice the occupant of our pew who sat an arguably-appropriate distance away from me. He was too engrossed in the service. For that I was thankful.

An hour later, when six pallbearers were carrying the casket away, I tried to follow my father out of the pew, but the crowd swallowed him up. Herzog had attracted a full house. I suppose if he were sitting in heaven looking down on this, he’d probably be pleased with the turnout.

I tried to use the number of people to my advantage, but Lucas stayed close on my heels and even grasped me by the elbow to lead me through the throng and out the side door of the church.

Once outside in a deserted alley, I yanked my arm out of his grip.

“Please refrain from manhandling me. I know it seems like a complicated request, but I think you can manage to comply.”

“Even a spitfire in church, I see.”

“And why are you in church?”

“Figured I should do the upstanding thing and pay my respects to Herzog. After all, he’s the outgoing treasurer, and I’m the incoming one.”

“What?” His pronouncement caught me off guard. “You? Treasurer? Since when?”

“Since yesterday, at the special meeting of the board Archer called. No staff members were invited to the meeting, but I would’ve thought Archer would have told you.”

Archer probably would have told me if I’d been at work yesterday.

Titan leaned against the railing. “By the way, are you okay?” He looked down at the cracked pavement beneath his shiny black wingtips. “I should’ve insisted we arrive and leave together for those things. I don’t regret much in my life, but I do regret that you ended up in danger because of me.”

My eyes widened at his statement. “Then I guess you should back off so I don’t have to go to anymore.”

His smile was slow and condescending. “Nice try, princess, but I don’t think so.”

I stiffened. “Don’t call me that. Don’t you dare call me that.”

“Hit a nerve?”

I turned to leave the alley and Lucas Titan behind. I needed to follow the procession to the cemetery.

He reached out and grabbed me by the elbow. “I don’t like it when you walk away from me, Vanessa. I wouldn’t suggest you do it again.”

I stilled, and spoke quietly. “I’ve kneed better men than you in the balls, Titan. Don’t think your threat will stop me.”

Laughter burst from his lips, and he dropped my arm. I didn’t wait for a response before I strode from the alley.

I yawned and shifted on my stool to get the angle right to finish up the outlining I was doing on yet another tattoo of ‘YOLO.’ I almost just told the kid to close his eyes while I tattooed ‘Dumb Fuck’ across his bicep instead. But I’m pretty sure that I’d never hear the end of it. And I’d be footing the bill for the tattoo removal. Just another Saturday night at Voodoo.

Tonight was one of those nights where I definitely felt like I was getting too old for this shit.

I glanced up at the clock. Two more hours to go until I could close up shop and figure out what to do with the rest of my night.

Go over to Tassel and be seen and try to collect some more information, or go upstairs and climb into my empty bed. The empty bed part sucked ass. It’d never bothered me before, because despite what Vanessa seemed to think, I hadn’t had a different girl every fucking night of the week. But now… now that I’d had her there, empty bothered me a whole hell of a lot.

“I gotta piss. You mind if we take a break, man?” The kid beneath my tattoo gun grabbed his dick to emphasize his words.

I lifted up my hand and wiped away the excess ink and blood. Outline was done. Thank fuck.

“Sure. Bathroom’s around the corner.”

“Cool. Mind if I grab a smoke, too?”

I shook my head. “Go for it. Take your time. You can go out to the back alley or out front.”

A few moments after he climbed out of my chair and left the room, Delilah poked her head in the doorway.

“You need me to stick around, or you got this?”

I glanced at the clock. It was now two minutes after twelve. “This one will be wrapping up quick. Considering how slow it’s been all night, I can’t imagine we’ll get a slew of walk-ins. No reason for both of us to sit here.”

Her thick, blunt cut bangs bounced when she fist pumped. “Good deal. I’m dying to go find some fresh pussy. I’ve been riding the abstinence train for over a week, and it’s starting to make me cranky.”

She turned to leave, but my stomach growled.

“You want me to grab you some food before I go?”

“Nah, don’t worry about it.”

She waited. “You sure?”

“Yeah. Get out of here. Go get yourself some action.” If it weren’t like imagining my sister, I’d probably fantasize about that shit. What dude wouldn’t?

While I waited for YOLO boy to come back in from his smoke, I grabbed my phone and sent a text.

C: I want to see you tonight.

Her response was instant.

V: I want to see you too.

C: Voodoo. I’m wrapping up soon and shutting it down early. Bring food.

V: Did you just order me to bring you food?

C: Woman, your man is hungry. Feed him.

I waited impatiently for her response. I hadn’t even thought when I’d typed ‘your man.’ It just came out. In that moment I hated everything that tied us both to this town. If we could just walk away from it all, go somewhere else, she wouldn’t have to come meet me in back alleys and on rooftops.

Although, I had to admit I liked the rooftops.

V: Fine, but I’m choosing.

C: Good, because I don’t care as long as you get your ass here.

V: On my way.

I slid my phone onto the counter and headed to the front window. I locked the door and flipped off the open sign. It was stupid to close early on a Saturday night because I’d undoubtedly piss off at least one potential customer, but tonight had been unusually slow. Besides, I’d piss off hundreds of customers if it meant an extra night with Vanessa. Bad business, but what could I do? Even though she seemed into trying to make this work, we both knew it couldn’t last forever. And that sucked. Especially because forever wasn’t even sounding long enough in my book.