Free Night Moves (The Night Songs Collection) by Kristen Strassel

than happy to reciprocate. “I’ll see you at the show?”
    “Of course.”
    I climbed back on the bus still feeling unsettled and exhausted from my lunch date. I didn’t know Erin anymore. The person I knew used to be terrified that her parents might catch us when we’d head out on our adventures. She always stayed over at my house. My mother worked nights, so as long as we were back by seven thirty in the morning, nobody was the wiser. Erin always tried so hard to be perfect in their eyes, and now this?
    I guess I could understand. Look where doing the right thing got me.
    Ryder was somewhat awake when I collapsed in the bunk. “Where’d you go?” His strong hands rubbed my shoulders.
    “Out to lunch with Erin.” His fingers stopped abruptly. “I take it you know her?”
    “She’s here again?” Ryder sighed.
    “Is that bad?” Poor Erin. Following jerk face Drake around in her own car and he didn’t even want her there? I hated him more by the second.
    “Nah, she’s cool. But the last time she was around, Drake’s wife decided to show up and surprise him, and things got ugly.”
    “Ugly how?”
    “Polina tried to kill her. Seriously. Had her down on the floor, choking the life out of the girl. We had to pry them apart. She put some Italian curse on her, spitting on her hands and all that jazz. Crazy stuff. And you know, her family’s got some hold in the mob. If Erin doesn’t watch out, her next platform boots will be made out of cement, if you know I mean.”
    “What a bitch.” My pulse raced with anger. “I mean, Erin shouldn’t be doing what she’s doing, but it takes two to tango. Did she do anything to Drake?”
    “I’m sure she ripped him a new one, too. I don’t even like being in the same room as that nutcase. She’ll pull some Mediterranean voodoo shit on you when you’re not looking.”
    “How did she take the news about the ever after?” I couldn’t imagine a woman like that would take it in stride.
    “Please,” Ryder scoffed. “I’m sure that woman has been sucking blood for years.”
    “She’s a vampire, too?”
    “No. But she probably drinks blood for breakfast just for fun.” He smirked. “She’s always been a hellcat. There are some women that hold Drake in their spell. It always gets him into trouble.”
    “Like The Mistress?” I couldn’t believe there were two women on earth that made Drake shake in his boots.
    “Especially the Mistress.” Ryder sighed, pulling me down next to him. I nestled my body into his side, laying my head on his chest. We were two puzzle pieces who seemed to fit together perfectly. “I will never make you follow behind a bus and wait in your car for me.”
    I picked my head up slightly, looking him in the eye the best I could. “So I’m sticking around?”
    “As long as you can stand it.” He pulled my body up so my face was even with his. I angled myself so I could kiss him. “You make me feel whole again. It’s been a long time.”
    I looked down at him, holding myself up with one hand and running the other along his cheek. His eyes looked so sad, vulnerable, like he could break into a million pieces at any moment. “You make me feel the same way. Everything, well almost everything, I hate about myself is gone when I’m with you.”
    “I’m a murderer too, Melanie.”
    That declaration made me shudder.
    He wound his fingers around locks of my hair, pulling me in closer. “I don’t want you to be afraid of me.”
    “I’m not.”
    “I’m new to all of this, and I haven’t done anything I regret. Yet. I never mean to hurt you.”
    “It sounds like you’re apologizing for something you haven’t done yet.”
    “I guess I am.” He stroked my hair as my head settled back on his shoulder. “I mean, look at the three stooges out there. They’re idiots. They get loaded and things get out of control. We have a dead girl in the cargo hold, and she’s not the first. You need to know what you’re getting yourself