Free Almost Broken Up (Almost Bad Boys) by A.O. Peart Page B

through the back door—the way we came—and then around the corner to Svetlana’s car. Ali and Josh are walking behind me and Svetlana, giggling and whispering like two freakin’ teens. Svetlana takes the kitten from me and kisses it on the top of its head, crooning something in Russian. Josh says a goodbye and gets in his car parked in front of Catherine’s house.
    “What the hell was that gun-waving circus about?” I ask Svetlana, angrily. “Couldn’t you at least give us a heads-up that you carry?”
    Svetlana gives me a sideways glance. “I always carry. It’s a… a… wait.” She frowns in concentration. “A professional hazard.” She seems pleased with herself for remembering the correct English phrase.  
    “Oh, great. Do you at least have a permit for this piece?”
    “Uhm… no, because I’m not a citizen. I only have the green card. Got it through the Lottery.”
    I sigh. Deeply and long. “So if the cops stop you, what would you do?”  
    “Why would they want to look in my purse? I’m not doing anything wrong.” Svetlana opens the door to her car, and we all get in—me in the front and Ali in the back.  
    No, breaking into someone’s house and threatening a person with an illegal gun is absolutely not wrong. This is all soooo unbelievable, but a headache is starting to build up behind my eyes, so I stop talking. Whatever.  
    The kitty is meowing when Svetlana gives it back to me to hold it while she drives. It tries to jump off my lap, but I hold it firmly. That brings another bout of meows, and I feel the tiny but freakishly sharp claws raking at my thigh. “Argh, stop it.” I examine the damage. There is a hole and a quickly moving run in my delicate stocking.  
    “She’s hungry,” Svetlana comments.  
    “And totally pissed off,” I mutter.  
    “Oh, sorry,” she apologizes, noticing my ruined stocking. “Thank you. Both of you.” She looks at me, and then quickly at Ali.  
    I raise my eyebrows. “You’re welcome, but for what exactly? You could’ve easily managed all this on your own. Especially with that gun of yours.”
    Svetlana starts the car and is quiet for a long moment, her eyes fixed on the road. When she finally speaks, her voice is soft, “I don’t have any girlfriends here. No family either. There is only Andrei but… you know, that’s not the same. Catherine, the French woman, pretended to be my friend. But she’s just a thief and a cheat. I always have to watch my back around her. Same with Amelie.”
    “Just don’t pull another stunt like the one with your gun, and we can be buddies,” I tell her.  
    “Amen to that, sister,” Ali adds from the back seat. “Where the hell did you get that piece anyway? That Andrei guy?”
    “Of course.” Svetlana shrugs. “It’s a good gun. A bit big, but I like it. Easy to use.”  
    “Do you realize it’s illegal to carry concealed without a permit? You can get your ass hauled back to Russia if you get caught with it.” I turn to look at her.  
    She doesn’t say anything.  
    “It probably has the serial number filed off too.” My dad is a retired cop, so while my friends grew up watching Disney Princesses movies, I watched Miami Vice reruns and NYPD Blue. I spent more time at the shooting range with Daddy than baking pink-frosted cupcakes with Mom. The truth is, I know more about guns than I want to admit.  
    Svetlana gives me a sideways glance.
    “The bullets are unmarked too, right? Made by some gangsta-wannabe in his trailer home?”
    “You know a lot about these things. Watch CSI often?” Svetlana snorts and grins at me.  
    “Yeah, sure.” I laugh. “Actually, my dad is a retired cop.”
    She turns her head to me and looks at me sharply.  
    “Relax. I said he’s a retired cop.” I sigh. “Listen. It’s none of my business, but maybe you should consider a lifestyle change. Sooner or later you’ll run into trouble.”
    “I know,” she says somberly. “But as I told you,