If I Were Beautiful #1 (If I Were...) by Devon Hartford

Author:Devon Hartford [Hartford, Devon]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: magical realism, Women, Romance, love triangle, metaphysical, paranormal, fairy tale, SHAPESHIFTER
Publisher: Devon Hartford
Published: 2017-01-14T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter 18

Brodie parked the motorcycle in a red zone in front of a fire hydrant. The police cruiser rolled to a stop and double parked behind us, reds and blues flashing.

Brodie didn’t have much choice about parking because the street was narrow and filled on both sides with parallel parked cars. Even though this was a tree-lined suburban neighborhood street, it was still Santa Monica. Eighteen million people and counting in the greater LA area. There was never parking anywhere.

Brodie put his kickstand down and leaned the bike on it.

“Sorry about this,” I muttered. My assumption was Brodie had been speeding. Because of me.

He pulled off his helmet and tossed his hair out of his eyes. “Wasn’t your fault.”

“Yes it was.”

“Don’t worry about it.” He swung his leg over the front of the bike with the grace of an Olympic hurdler or a martial arts master.

“How’d you do that?”

“Practice.” He took my hands and helped me off the back of the bike.

A male officer stepped out of the cruiser wearing the standard black uniform and gun belt. His bulky bulletproof vest puffed out the uniform, making him very intimidating. He jabbered something into the radio clipped to his shoulder before walking up to us. He looked right at Brodie and said, “Sir, do you know why I stopped you?”

“Yup.”

“I don’t,” I said, looking between them. “We weren’t speeding, were we?” It had felt like we were, but what did I know?

“No, you weren’t,” the officer said. “Miss, are you aware that California has a helmet law?”

I was now. And I’d just broken it. Great. For the first time in my life, I consciously played dumb and hoped to hell my luxurious blonde hair would sell it. I said to the officer (as stupidly as possible with my voice rising like a little girl), “There is?”

“There is.”

“Oh, gosh,” I pouted breathlessly. “I’m really sorry, officer. I’ve never been on a motorcycle before.” That was true.

Officer Doubtful smirked at me like I was lying.

“Honest. It was my first time. And we were just going a few blocks. See, we live in the same apartment building and we were—” Running away from a guy who tried to rape me before Brodie killed him? I sighed, feeling defeated. Maybe if I showed remorse he’d let us go with a warning or whatever. In a normal voice, I said, “I’m sorry, officer. It was my fault.” About the helmet, not the murder. That was Lester’s fault! He was totally asking for it! He deserves to be dead. “I should’ve known better than to ride without a helmet.”

The officer looked at Brodie, “Do you have a second helmet for your friend?”

“I don’t.”

“Were you aware the helmet law applies to passengers as well as riders?”

“I was,” Brodie said curtly.

The officer’s eyes roamed Brodie’s face for a moment. “Sir, can I see your license and registration?”

Brodie sighed and pulled his wallet out of his back pocket. “Yeah, yeah.” He handed both to the officer.

“Thank you, sir.” The officer turned to me and looked me over again.

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