The guy barely glanced at me when he said, "We're good." It was the creep from the other night who had been hunting.
And even feeling alarm, and a touch of fear, anger had the next words bubbling up my throat. "You don't look good to me. Why don't you back off there, pal."
That got me his face and he was not pleased. "Why don't you?"
"I'm not the one cornering that poor girl. Step back or I'll bring one of the bouncers over to make you."
He stepped back, the girl ran away. "No means no, you know that right?"
"We were just having fun."
"When you have to force your companion into having fun, that's called rape."
"She was playing coy."
"I'm going to walk over to that big guy at the bar and share with him that you blur the lines from consenting to coercion. Do yourself a favor and get the hell out of here and don't come back. In fact, why don't you crawl back into whatever hole you came out of. I'll be calling the sheriff and giving him a full description."
"I've done nothing wrong."
"And we're going to make sure it stays that way."
"Bitch."
"Yes I can be. So get the fuck out."
"What's going on over here?" Razor asked as he stepped up next to me.
"Nothing, just encouraging Don Juan here to move it along."
"I'll be seeing you again." The threat was clear. Razor went on alert.
"I won't be as nice next time," I replied sweetly.
He strolled toward the exit; Razor and I followed him. Mic stopped me from walking him to the door. He signaled to the bouncer to make sure the guy left.
"What was that?"
"He had some girl pinned up against the wall. She didn't want to be there, he didn't care."
"Son of a bitch." I thought Razor was pissed at the guy until he said, "And so you just strolled up to him and got in his face."
"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.
My team had intercepted an email to Chris McKay's grandkids. They traced the origin but it was a dead end. Whoever had him knew their shit. What I wanted to know was what the hell he knew that made him interesting to anyone? He'd harassed Thea and that was enough for me to have a private word with him, but the fact that he was being sequestered suggested the authorities had him. But why?
My phone vibrated on the seat next to me
"Cam, what's up?"
"It's done."
It was about fucking time. "How many arrests?"
"Seven."
"Hartnett?"
"I couldn't pin him to it, which just pisses me off. We know he's the missing link, even without Federico giving him up. He ties it all together … the dirty cops, Dobbs, Federico, even Thea's attack in the alley using Dobbs' CI so if it went to hell the blowback landed on Dobbs. And he was Dad's best friend, he would have known his schedule, he would have been able to get to him, and Dad was investigating dirty cops. Guy is dirty. He's the common denominator and yet I can't pin anything on him." I felt the rage I heard in Cam's voice. The man had been family and he betrayed us. "I want him."
"Fuck yeah."
"What happened with the tip on McKay?"
"It didn't pan out. I think the cops have him. What I can't figure out is why."
There was silence for a moment before he said, "She's my sister, but hear me out before-
"No."
"I didn't even-
"You want to use her as bait."
"Arrests are being made, he has got to be getting nervous. He wanted something from her and if she returns now he'll likely react."
"By putting your sister right in the fucking crosshairs."
"She would want to be."
"She doesn't get a choice."
"Our dad was killed. His best friend killed him. Keeping her from this will only piss her off. You know I'm right."
"I don't give a fuck."
"You will when it puts a wall up between you."
I knew he was right. I fucking hated that he was right.
"Let's bring her home," he said.
"We have to tell her first. She has to agree to this or she stays where she is."
"Agreed."
"I'll let you know." I disconnected and tossed my phone on the seat. We did all of this to keep her safe and now we were leading her right into the lion's den.
My legs felt like noodles and I ached in places that felt so good to ache in. Damian got home last night and we spent all night and the early morning celebrating his homecoming. He was putting on the coffee but I hadn't been able to climb out of bed. My body just wasn't responding yet.
The door opened, he walked in with two mugs of coffee that he placed on the dresser. Seeing him made me feel energized because I needed a shower and I was certain I could get him to join me. I climbed from bed.
"Shower?"
In answer he stripped out of his jeans. It was not a sight I would ever grow tired of seeing. He grabbed me around the waist and tossed me over his shoulder as a laugh bubbled up my throat. I loved when he was being playful. He didn't release me when we reached the bathroom and with my ass in the air and my stomach pressed to his shoulder, he turned on the shower.