Read Online Firebug by Lish McBride - Free Book Online Page A

don’t feel well, and this place looks really busy. I bet it’s not up to code. Didn’t I read somewhere that they were shut down for rats? And cockroaches. And cockroaches riding rats, like a rodeo. It’s a bad scene.”
    â€œI’m sure if we slip them a twenty or something, Ava, they’ll overlook you.” Brittany examined me as she wrapped her boyfriend around her like a stole. “Maybe a fifty.”
    Ryan dropped my hand and made his way to one of the bouncers, but the bouncer didn’t look like he was listening. His eyes tracked the crowd as Ryan talked, and he gave no indication that he was hearing any of it. The bouncer raised up his hands in an “I can’t help you” gesture, and my heart did the there’s-hope dance. Then the bouncer looked over, and realization hit as he saw my face. I gave him a minute head shake, hoping he’d understand that I didn’t want to be recognized. Amazingly, he got it, because without a twitch in my direction, he suddenly lifted the rope and motioned us in. What I really wanted to do was seize Ryan and his ridiculous friends and shove them down the sidewalk. I needed to take them somewhere safe—like a shark tank or a hungry-bear sanctuary. But they were already inside, and there was no way I could make them leave. If I didn’t go in, they’d have no one to protect them. Defeated, I mouthed “thanks” to the bouncer as I passed him, even though I wished he’d thrown us out on our asses.
    My luck held through the maître d’, and all the way until we were seated. Or, at least, everyone was seated except me. I was about to climb into the booth next to Ryan when Ezra pounced. I suddenly felt myself lifted off my feet as Ezra gave a yip of joy, and if he hadn’t yelled “Ava, my saucy dumpling! My curvy cherry blossom! The delectable damsel of my loins, how are you?” while he did it, I might have been able to play it off as a case of mistaken identity.
    When I found my feet again, I was blushing and Ryan looked ready to hit something, probably Ezra.
    â€œHey, Ez,” I said with a sigh. “I’m fine.”
    He noticed Ryan’s glower and snuggled in closer to me, kissing my cheek as he did. “We’re not working tonight, are we?” His voice was a soft whisper in my ear, and though I couldn’t see his face, I knew what it looked like. Mischievous smile, eyes glinting, and warmth in his cheeks from the game. Foxes like to raid other people’s henhouses. The phrase “Gentlemen, lock up your ladies” is a good one to use when Ez is around. (“Ladies, lock up your gentlemen” might also be useful. Ezra loves attention. He isn’t about to let a little thing like gender get in his way.)
    â€œWhat are you doing here? I didn’t know you’d be in town tonight,” Ezra said. He hadn’t quite let me out of his grasp, something Ryan had definitely noticed, and when Ezra observed Ryan’s rising blood pressure, he of course had to rub it in. He squeezed me closer. At least it wasn’t Lock, I thought. That would have been way worse. Which was of course when Ezra said, “Hey, Lock, look who tumbled in.”
    Lock ambled over, a serving tray under his arm. His bleached-blond hair was spiked and reflected the candlelight as he approached. Lock is stockier than Ezra, and not a classic beauty like our foxy friend, but I knew for a fact that he went home with just as many numbers. Lock is a charmer, and unlike Ezra he won’t steal your wallet.
    He didn’t look charming now. He was hiding it well, but I could tell by the expression on his face as he scanned the people I was with that he was unhappy with my current life choices. His expression held both annoyance and hurt, if you knew how to read him right, and I knew how to read Lock. I felt instantly guilty.
    â€œPaws off, Ezra,” he said, leaning in to give me a