Page 11 of Cop-Off

“Yes, Dad,” he replied dutifully. “What time are you coming home?”

He had no idea how long this would take. It really depended on how much of a scene he made.

“I’m not sure, little man.” He crouched down beside the armchair Dylan had folded himself into. “Why don’t you start thinking about where you want to eat on Sunday after we’re done fishing?”

“I wanna go Burger Factory.”

Of course he did. The boy was practically made of burgers at this point.

“All right, bubba. Burger Factory it is.” Leaning over, he lay a big kiss on his cheek and ruffled his hair one last time. “Be good.”

One last nod to Molly and he was out the door.

Tonight, he’d switched the patrol car for his truck. Which was lucky because he wasn’t exactly on his way to do anything upstanding. It had taken him a total of one minute to find out when and where Cat and Wade’s date was. And that was where he was heading.

Stupidly, he thought the drive over to Casalingo would calm him down. He was wrong. His palms were sweaty, and his heart was already trying to break free of his ribcage by the time he’d pulled into a space just across the street from the little Italian restaurant.

If he thought he was dangerously close to losing his cool now, then what he saw next really didn’t help. Cat and Wade in the window seat. Smiling. Laughing. Something inside of him snapped. He was slamming the truck door one minute and pounding the pavement the next. Red dots appeared behind his eyes as he burst through the restaurant’s double doors.

Way to think this through.

Cat’s eyes widened as he marched over, the fire in his gut fuelling every movement. “What the—”

Call him a caveman. A man-handling prick. A possessive asshole. It didn’t matter. Right now, he was all of those things. But he didn’t care. Because Cat was over his shoulder, and he was making a break for it, Wade hot on his heels.

“Put me down you neanderthal!” She kicked and punched.

“What the actual fuck are you doing?” Wade called out, anger clear in his voice.

Amazingly, he made it back across the street with his balls intact. But there was no doubt he’d have more than a few bruises coloring his body tomorrow.

Well aware of Wade’s growing annoyance behind him, he flung open his truck door and turned around, Cat still over hisshoulder. One thing at a time. First he’d deal with him, then he’d handle her.

“I swear to God, McBride, I’m gonna kill you,” Cat screeched. “I’ll bury your body and dance on your bloody grave.” Cody winced as more punches landed on his back.

“What the fuck, Cody?” Wade asked again, fists now clenched beside him.

“Look, man, I love you like a brother, you know that,” Cody started. “But this here ismywoman. I get that you didn’t know, but now you do. So, you’re gonna need to back the fuck up ‘cause I don’t wanna have to kick your ass. You understand?”

Cat’s loud snort echoed around the quiet street. Cody waited patiently as Wade looked between him and Cat and back again.

“Your woman, huh?”

“I’m not his fucking woman!” Cat yelled, another hit leaving a mark.

“Yes.” Cody nodded. “She’s mine. You don’t believe me ... ask her where she was on Sunday night. Ask her if it wasn’t my goddamn tongue down her throat in the backroom of the Tipsy Cow.” He had no doubt she would corroborate his story. Cat was many things. But she wasn’t a liar.

“Arsehole.” This time he let out anoofas a kick landed on his stomach.

In turn, Wade let out a sigh. “You know I can’t just walk away, man. Your woman or not, you can’t just go kidnapping her against her will. Badge or no badge.”

No, he couldn’t. Wade was right. He needed a new plan. Like this one was planned so well?Who was he kidding, there had never been a plan. Tightening his grip on a wiggling Cat, he decided his only choice was to reason with her. But to do that, he needed her alone.

“Can you give us five minutes?” he asked a sceptical looking Wade. “I won’t go anywhere. I’ll stay right here with her. You cankeep an eye on us from the window. If she still wants to go back inside with you after five minutes then I’ll go. I swear.”

A stare down commenced. He just hoped Wade could see the sincerity in his eyes.

Finally, after what felt like forever, he nodded his agreement and sauntered back inside. Thank God. Now they were alone, it was time to put her down and hope for the sake of his sanity he’d be able to convince her to leave with him.

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