Belle Fury: Manhatten Ten, Book 3 (7 page)

“We’ll talk.” Ryan said. “Don’t get arrested tonight.”

“Not in the plans.” Steel waved as the doors shut.

“How could he get arrested?” Was that even an option for superheroes?

“You’d be surprised.” Ryan led me down the rows of cars. “Last time he went after a girl who didn’t mention a boyfriend. Guy punched Steel, broke both his hands, then his buddies all took swings. Not such a good idea against the dude with the super strength.”

Ryan’s door locks chirped. The car was some super luxury brand, so flash I couldn’t tell the maker. Whoever it was, they liked leather and chrome.
 

He held open the door for me. I slid inside and smoothed my skirt. I hadn’t been this nervous since my audition for
Giselle
.
 

What role was I gunning for now?

Red Ruin

A photographer snapped pictures of us while we walked into the restaurant. I shifted my body so he couldn’t get a good shot of Belle, but his cell was out by the time the doors closed. He’d have friends when we left.

The waiter situated us at our table and I was glad for the guy’s help because it was hard to stop staring at Belle in that dress. This was the first time I’d seen her cleaned up, and everyday Belle was gorgeous enough, but this…

The sexy curls and smoky eyes, with that dress? I wasn’t the only one staring, and at the other tables, more than one wife glared at a transfixed husband.
 

“Can I make a proposal?” She adjusted her napkin on her lap.

“Sure.”

“You do the meaty tasting menu, I’ll get the vegetarian one, and we can share.” Her eyes lit up. “I want to taste every blessed thing they can put out of this kitchen.”

“Good plan.” It was the worst when a girl picked at a salad and eyed my dinner. Belle wasn’t shy.

We ordered the food and wine and the first course arrived right away. Belle’s eyes widened like a little kid staring down a sundae.

I chuckled. “Enjoy this a little?”

“Did I not tell you I’ve always wanted to come here?”

“You did.”
 

Belle closed her eyes as she bit into her pile of vegetables. “Mmmf.”

She killed me.

If she were going to make that noise for every bite, I’d take her fine dining every night. I took a bite of my “meaty” version of her meal, and it was good, but watching Belle was better. I slid the plate across the table to her. “Try this one.”

Her eyes closed again as she chewed. “Amazing.”

I could watch her eat forever. It was such a simple thing, but so…intimate.

“You’re distracted.” She licked sauce off her bottom lip and I almost groaned.

“Wonder why?”

“Don’t know.” Now Belle gave her lips a demure pat with her napkin. Like I could unsee that slip of tongue. “Maybe you’re struggling to come to terms with this ridiculous life of yours.”

“What’s ridiculous?” One waiter took away our plates and another set down our next course.

“This.” Belle waved at the plates with her fork. “You can go anywhere. Do anything. Do you even have a budget?”

“There’s a budget.” It was more than the GDP of a few countries I could name, but we did have one.

“It’s not reality.” She turned her plate around, pondering the best way to attack a layered stack of vegetables.
 

I took a swig of my wine. “It’s
my
reality. And you know it’s not all perks.”

“Your hours might be worse than mine.” Belle bit into the latest forkful and her eyes rolled back. “I really never thought I’d eat here.”

“Why not?”

“I’m always dancing or training or rehearsing performances. I haven’t been out to dinner in months.”

Good thing she wasn’t seeing anyone. That would be…complicated. “How long have you been in New York now?”

“Hmm.” Belle took a sip of her wine. “I got into the dance academy when I was fourteen, so…eleven years? It doesn’t feel that long.” She swilled her wine around its glass. “I
was
getting old, but I always felt like I was just getting started…”
 

“I’ve been with the Ten since I graduated college. Six years. Never thought I’d be more than a sidekick.”

“Why do you do that?” Belle tilted her head to the side.

“What?”

“Act like you can’t handle the responsibility. All you do is work when the guy who’s supposed to be in charge is off slacking.”

“Tank’s not slacking.” He’d been shouldering the crazy workload for years without complaining. Given, he was made for it, but the work was killer. “I wouldn’t be here if he hadn’t offered me the job. He got drafted and brought me and Angel into the crew.”

“So you think you’re not worthy?”

“No.” I clenched my fist. How’d we get down this path? “I’m Tank’s right-hand man, but all of us work as a team. There’s no hierarchy.”

“Bullshit.”

“Watch it.” She definitely hadn’t been around long enough to learn how we worked.
 

“You watch it.” Belle’s eyes narrowed, full of heat. “The other heroes respect the hell out of you. You work more hours than they do. Nobody’s complaining about taking orders or questioning your judgment. I haven’t even met the other guy. You’re the one who’s here helping me, Ryan.”

“Of course I’m helping you.” No one with a conscience would let her deal with her powers alone.
 

“I appreciate that. And I know I don’t know anything about whatever super politics are going on here, but I don’t like to see you casting yourself as a sidekick. From where I stand, you’re…” Belle’s voice caught. “Important.”

That wasn’t what she was going to say, but I didn’t press it. “Are you sure you’re doing okay? Have you talked to your family?”

“No.” She took a swig of wine. “We talk on the big holidays, but I haven’t seen them since I moved to New York.”

“Why? Aren’t they proud?”

She gave a wry laugh. “Nope. I’m the black sheep.”

“You’re…” That did not make sense. How did the prima ballerina get shunned?

“What do your parents think about your powers?” Belle obviously didn’t want to talk about her own situation.

“I’m their favorite now. Shouldn’t be, but they got twisted by all of the attention after my powers came. My sister
hated
me.”

“But now she visits?”

“Yeah. She’s at Columbia.” And if she hadn’t kicked my ass into gear, I would’ve dropped out of college. If Maddy had to live in my shadow, I was
not
going to be a second-rate hero. She’d made that clear enough. After that, I hauled myself up and met Tank. He’d done the rest. “We’re good now. She’s a dancer too.” Maddy and Mom would probably flip when they heard Belle was staying at the tower.

“Want to trade siblings?” Belle asked. “My older brother’s the golden child.”

“Why’s he so great?” He had to be pretty fucking amazing to beat Belle.

“The usual. He was a football star until he knocked up his girlfriend at seventeen and got a job at the same factory as my dad. He and his spawn live in a trailer on my parents’ property with no plans to ever venture outside the county.”

Insane. “Your family’s values are seriously off.”

“I know. And I don’t look down on Bobby for his choices, but I don’t see why I have to be an outcast because I don’t want the same thing.” Belle swirled the wine around in her glass.
 

I wanted to hop the table and hug her. “I can send some big burly guys to Georgia to straighten them out.”

“Would you?” Belle smiled.

“I’ll go myself.” And I was beginning to wonder what I wouldn’t do for her. Right now, I couldn’t think of anything.

Chapter Seven

Belle

My stomach was going to burst. “You might have to take me out of here in a wheelbarrow.”

“I’d be happy to carry you.” Ryan’s flirty smile lit his eyes.

“Maybe.” That could be fun. Then again, I didn’t want to destroy anything inside the restaurant.

He paid the bill, which he didn’t let me see, but I was guessing it looked like a rent payment. My conscience twinged at the expense, but the food was as good as I’d fantasized, and a splurge wasn’t the worst thing that could happen.
 

The valet brought around the car and for a second time, Ryan offered me his jacket. “A lot of cameras out there.”

“Really?” I peered though the window, and he wasn’t kidding. But today I wasn’t crusty, and someone needed to appreciate this dress. I put my arms in the jacket. It would be rude to give it back when he’d offered it so nicely, but I wasn’t covering my head this time. “A few pictures won’t hurt.”

“You know what they’re going to write if they see you in that?”

“I know.” Leaving a super-expensive restaurant together, dressed up, and me in Red Ruin’s jacket? We’d be in the gossip columns as the newest super couple. And that was…okay. “I don’t mind.”

Ryan tried to keep a straight face, but the littlest smug smile tilted the corner of his lips. “Shall we?” He offered his arm.

He really was the cutest thing. “Let’s.”

Flashes exploded and the paparazzi crowded in, but Ryan shielded me with his body. He opened the door and got me in the car before braving his way to the other side. Some knocked on my window, and everyone was shouting questions. Mostly one question.

Are you together?

Good question.

He slammed the door behind himself and let out a breath. “Well, that was fun.”

Ryan inched the car forward and the photographers slowly moved away, making sure to get a few dozen more shots before we could drive past. “Can’t you just zap them?”

“I wish.” Ryan flicked the high beams at one of them, and finally we were clear.

The ride back to the tower was quiet, but comfortably so. Ryan was there to open my door when we arrived, and he took my hand to walk to the elevator. Who knew guys still acted like this? My last boyfriend was so busy texting that we hardly made eye contact. I couldn’t even tell if Ryan had his phone with him.

He walked me all the way to the guest room, and my stomach fluttered. This was like a high school first date.

“Thanks for taking me. That was amazing.”

“It was.” He smiled and drew closer. “Should I risk it?”

“Risk wh—”

Ryan stole a kiss, just a brush against my mouth that jolted my entire body. He drew back before I could lean into it or destroy anything. I licked my lips. He tasted like vermouth.

“Goodnight.”
 

As he strutted away, I could practically hear the theme music. How could a man with an ass like that be inadequate? I bit my lip. The more I got to know about him the harder it was to stay away, but we wouldn’t be able to get together while I was such a hazard.

All the more reason to bear down on training. Angel had left me her number and I wanted to drop her a voicemail about getting a
barre
in the stadium.

My stomach clenched as I turned on my cell.
Welcome back to reality
.

It vibrated like a machine gun as it processed all the backed-up texts and e-mails. Every damned one of those texts hit me like bullets.

Most were the studio staff.

Are you okay?

Where are you?
 

Rehers @ 8 You coming?!

The director had left me with a lovely,
WTF Belle? CALL US.

The ring tone—from the opening act of
Giselle
—went off and I had the phone to my ear before the 913 area code processed.

Savannah.
Oh shit
.

“Beulah? Answer your mother.”

My brain froze. No contact in forever and she called
now
?

“I can hear you breathing.”

I could hang up. Instead I swallowed. “Hi, Mama.”

“Don’t you dare.” The blender pulsed in the background. Mama was always testier on one of her shake diets. “You don’t pick up the phone. We see you on the news, don’t hear from you, and all you can say is ‘
hi, Mama
?’”

I should’ve hung up. “I was under the impression that you didn’t want to talk to me until I reformed my evil ways.”

“Oh, beach balls. Just because you’re some kind of superhero now doesn’t mean you don’t call home. You could’ve been dead. Or prostituted out to one of those muscle boys for all we knew. Where are you?”

“Still in New York.” By muscle boys, I assumed she meant the Ten. It wasn’t such a bad descriptor. “I’m fine. No one’s offered me any money.”

“Well, don’t give it up for free. Beulah—”

My hands bunched into fists. “Belle. You know I had it legally changed.”

“Bah. This is a good thing. You can get out of that heckhole and move home. Get married and start a family like a respectable woman. By the time I was your age, I had you and your brother in grade school. Time’s wasting.”