Page 262 of Sin Bin

“Damn. Where’d everybody go?” Without waiting for an answer, he rubbed his hands together. “I just ran into our good friend Hugo Girard,” he announced, referring to a popular Canadian IndyCar driver. “He’s having a party at a club down the street and he wants us to come.”

“Count me out,” Hunter drawled. “I already have plans.”

“Yeah, yeah, we know. You’ve got a booty call with one of your superhot ‘acquaintances.’ Don’t rub it in.” Dubinski grinned and leaned on the bar next to Logan. “What about you?”

“I don’t think so.” Logan sipped his beer, watching the TV behind the bar. He’d been to several of Hugo’s parties over the years. They got pretty wild.

“I told him I’d go,” Dubinski said. “Come with me.”

Logan shot him a sideways glance. “Are you and Jess having problems?”

A shadow crossed Dubinski’s face before he said quickly, “No.”

Logan cocked a skeptical eyebrow.

Dubinski’s eyes shifted away. “We’re good. I just—”

“Just what? You just feel like sabotaging what might be the best relationship you’ve ever had?” Logan shook his head at him. “What’s going on, bro? What’re you trying to prove?”

“Nothing, man. It’s just a party—”

“A party attended by lots of beautiful, available women,” Hunter smoothly interjected. “Is that really where you need to be?”

Dubinski blew out a breath and raked his hand through his short hair. “Look, I’ll be honest. Things are kinda rocky between me and Jess right now. I don’t want to get into the details, but…I just need a distraction, even if that means sitting in a corner all night talking racecars with Hugo’s pit crew.” He smiled wryly at Logan. “No offense, but you look like you could use a distraction, too.”

Logan clenched his jaw, thinking of his father. As he looked down at his hand and flexed his swollen knuckles, renewed fury tightened his gut.

“Come to the party with me,” Dubinski implored. “You can keep an eye on me, make sure I don’t do anything stupid.”

“I’m not your babysitter,” Logan grumbled.

“Aw, c’mon, man.” Dubinski puffed out a breath. “Look, I didn’t want to go there, but you owe me. Remember that time you got shitfaced and I covered for—”

“I remember.” Logan shifted uncomfortably on the stool, avoiding Hunter’s speculative gaze. “Fuck you for bringing that up.”

Dubinski laughed. “I knew it would come in handy one day. So what do you say, bro? Will you be my chaperone?”

Logan glared at him.

“C’mon, Brassard. Do this for me and we’ll call it even.”

After several more seconds of glaring, Logan drained his beer and slammed the glass down on the bar. “Let’s go.”

Dubs grinned in relief.

Before Logan could stand and follow him, an iron hand clamped down on his shoulder. He turned his head to meet Hunter’s warning glare.

“You’ve got a woman back home who loves and adores you. Don’t do anything to jeopardize that. Don’t do something you’ll regret.”

Logan flexed his jaw and nodded tersely. “I won’t.”

Hunter’s unflinching green eyes bored into his. After a tense moment, he released him and signaled the bartender for another beer.

Logan rolled his shoulders and set his jaw, then stood and followed Dubinski out of the bar.

Chapter Thirty-Six

MEADOW

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