Remy pressed a kiss to her forehead. “You know I’m going to collect.”
Yeah, I was going to have to kick some more ass tonight. Maybe I was going to end up in a holding cell for a second time this week after all.
She stepped back. “So, what will it be this time?”
“Lasagna.”
She laughed. The sound was delighted and free. Nothing like I usually got. Her smile was even brighter.
What in the fuck?
“The one thing I can cook. Okay, you got it.”
“I should expect that this weekend?” he asked with waggling brows.
I stepped up behind Kenny, my hand at her hip. She shied away toward Wyatt. “Care to tell me what happened?”
I stayed where I was, hoping that the searing anger building inside me didn’t actually cause vital organs to explode from my chest. “You could ask me.”
Her amber eyes flashed. “I’m asking Wyatt. Impartial witness.”
Wyatt was my best friend. What part of impartial did she think she was going to find?
“Vic walked in, stole all the attention, and Hunter threw a tantrum.”
“What?” I pushed his shoulder until he faced me.
Wyatt’s face was stony. “Am I lying?”
“Yes.”
“I was right there in the back—you know, with the perfect view—and you threw the first punch.”
I growled. That was technically true, but there had been no surprise on Bats’s face when he spotted Vic. I couldn’t fathom the stupidity of him getting involved with her. Then seeing her big doe eyes on him, I’d snapped.
Not only was she an opportunist, but she was a cheating, lying bitch. She’d use him until there was nothing left, then leave him in ashes.
Just like she’d done with me.
He didn’t deserve that. No one did, least of all one of my best friends. And for fuck’s sake, bro code, man.
“Because he deserved it. He deserves an absolute beating. One that you would normally hand out with me.” I cleared my throat, and glanced at Remy. “Hypothetically.”
Remy tucked his thumb into his belt. “I’d beat his ass.”
“Right? Thank you.”
“Do not encourage him,” Kenny muttered.
Remy shrugged. “I clocked out twenty minutes ago. I’m just here for the entertainment at this point.”
Kenny let out a disgusted sigh.
Wyatt’s stony face finally broke. “Look man, I know. It’s not an ideal situation for any of us, but you’re going after him with no information.”
I frowned. “Do you know something I don’t?”
“No.”
“Then what the fuck?”
“I give my friends the benefit of the doubt. Same as I would with you. Bats isn’t the kind of guy to poach, even an ex. He’s a crazy motherfucker, but he’s never been disloyal.” He tapped his temple. “If you’d just think for one goddamn minute, you’d know. Jesus, Vic makes you absolutely insane.”
I clamped my hand on the back of Wyatt’s neck and steered his gaze to the pair in the corner. Vic’s face was buried in Bats’s chest. “I’m supposed to be cool with that?”
He knocked my hand away. “Why do you care so much?” he shot back.
“Excellent question,” Kennedy said softly. She nodded toward the front door. “I need to go talk to Indie.”
I hooked my finger around her pinkie. “Kenny…”
She shook me off. “Not now, Hunter.”
I tipped my head back. “And I was having such a nice Monday.”
“Dude, Mondays always suck.” Remy moved his hand to his baton. “I should probably take this out and beat you with it.”
I took a step back. “Why?”
“Because you’re railing about that princess over there, when you have a slice of perfect perfection right there.”
“This isn’t about Kenny.”
“Coulda fooled me. Seems like everything out of your mouth right now sounds like a jealous asshole.”
Was he on drugs? “No. It’s about protecting my friend.”
“Impartial witness here? Not what it looks like to me. And if that woman gave me even a hint of a green light, I’d be all over her, but evidently she’s interested in you for whatever reason.”
I clenched my fists.
“I wouldn’t,” Remy said with a big shit-eating grin. “Actually, I should tell you to take a swing. One, I can arrest you, and two, Ken would be pissed as hell and very accommodating to me in all ways.”
I took a step forward and Wyatt slapped his arm across the front of my chest. “He’s proving a point, and you are pulling every asshole card in the deck tonight.”
Jealousy was a new emotion for me. Even with all the bullshit that Vic pulled, I’d never been envious of any man she had to work with or speak to. Kenny even breathed on the cop and I was ready to get in a fight like a hothead.