“Someone had to.”
Mic didn’t look any happier. “Next time flag a bouncer. It is why they’re here. I don’t imagine your husband would be thrilled to hear you did that.”
“You can cut the shit. I know you work with Damian.”
Contrition on their faces was very funny. “We were just following orders.”
Mic leaned closer to me. “You’re changing the subject, next time get a bouncer.”
“Fine. I’ll leave it to the bouncer.”
I turned back to Razor. “Can I get you something?”
“A Guinness.”
“You got it. And thanks for stepping in.” A pattern seemed to be forming in our behavior.
“No problem.”
Razor moved back to the pool tables and I watched as he did. “Damian told me he had a record. Why would he do that?”
Mic dropped his elbows on the bar top. “What kind of record?”
“He said he was a sexual predator.”
Mic’s expression went blank for all of three seconds before he howled with laughter. Like so loud every head in the place turned in his direction. I went beet red and lowered mine.
“A sexual predator? Oh my God, that’s good. Razor,” Mic hollered across the bar, which wasn’t necessary because Razor was already on his way back. I’m sure curious as to what had Mic behaving as he was.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Razor barked at Mic.
“Damian told her you were a sexual predator.”
“Why the hell would you tell him that?” I screeched. Razor joined Mic in laughing, a loud belly laugh.
“I’m missing something,” I muttered, but they still heard me.
“I wondered what bullshit he fed you, you were pretty icy to me that day on the street.”
“He shouldn’t have done that.”
“In his shoes, I would have too.”
“Why?”
“You got to ask me that, babe, no point in me answering.”
“Wait.” I looked back at Mic. “You knew that Damian and I weren’t married so why did you ask me all those questions about how long we’d been together.”
“Because it pissed him off.”
“What pissed him off? You talking to me?”
“Yep.”
“I think you are all a bit crazy. I have to get back to work.”
I walked away to them laughing again, probably at me. Whatever.
Mic had a cabin outside of town and deep in the woods. Mic thought it might get my neighbors talking if he or Razor stayed with me at the cottage while Damian was gone, so we stayed at his place. We were really in the middle of nowhere, which I supposed was good, but I had nightmares about running into a black bear and after watching Back Country, I did not want to come face to face with a black bear…ever. I spent the days working on my graphic design projects and the nights at the bar.
Mic was working and I wasn’t due in for a few hours. Razor and I were playing Monopoly. Truth be told, I was kicking his ass at Monopoly.
“I’m going to figure out how you’re cheating because I know you are.”
Razor was not a gracious loser.
“How am I cheating? You’re the banker.”
“I don’t know, but you are.”
“Sore loser.”
“I heard a rumor that you make a killer chicken potpie.”
“Is getting your ass kicked making you hungry?”
He lifted his middle finger, but smiled to lessen the insult. “I love chicken potpie.”
“You’re goofy.”
His smile turned into a stern line, but his eyes were still laughing. “I’m scary as fuck.”
“Okay. You’re scary. If we’re having potpie, I need to make the crust.”
“I’ll oversee.”
“You mean sneak some.”
He winked. “Nothing gets past you.”
I liked Razor, so outspoken and crass, so very different from Damian. “How did you and Damian meet?”
“I used to be a bounty hunter and was working a case. Found myself in a situation of six against one. I really thought that was it for me, and then Damian appeared, emerging from the shadows like a demon. I swear to fucking God I didn’t think he was real. He took out four of my attackers with his bare hands. I’d never seen anyone fight with such cold calculation. Turned out he was hunting the same guy. He let me collect the fee then offered me a job. He saved my life that day, figured I would return the favor by watching over his.”
I’d seen that cold calculation in Damian before and maybe it was wrong but I was happy he had found a way to funnel that into something good.
“I’m happy you’re watching his back.”
“I’ll be happy when you start making that pot pie,” He offered that with a smile.