Page 40 of Square Deal

“You don’t know shit, Brannan.” I grinned. “Youthinkyou walked in on something the other morning, but you don’t know for sure.”

“I have evidence,” he countered.

“You have hearsay. Nothing that would be admissible in court.”

He smirked and landed another shot into the side pocket. “You been catching up onLaw & Orderwithout me?”

“Well, you’re a little busy doing the law part. And you know me. I love order.”

Chase laughed and shook his head. “You know, one of these days I’m gonna run a background check on you, Hayes. If you moonlight as a defense attorney, you and I are gonna have some serious problems, peaches.”

“Yeah, yeah. You and your thing withevil defense attorneys.”

“Prosecuting attorneys are the good guys,” he argued.

“Defense attorneys make sure that the defendant’s constitutional rights aren’t trampled on for the sake of a conviction. Even the worst criminals have the right to due process and the presumption of innocence.”

Chase just scowled at me.

“I told you I’m not interested,” a woman’s panicked voice interrupted our good-natured argument, and Chase snapped to attention.

“C’mon, sweetheart,” a drunk man slurred, grabbing her ass and pulling her up against him on the dance floor. She cowered away, but he didn’t budge. “Gimme a dance.”

Bridget was already halfway across the bar, ready to throw the drunkard out on his sorry ass, but Chase beat her to it.

He stepped between the brunette and the asshole and put his hand on her back. “There you are, baby,” he said, staring deep into her eyes. “Sorry I’m late.” He looked over his shoulder and glared at the drunk. “Get lost, buddy. She’s taken.”

“Oh yeah?” The guy spat as he swayed back and forth like a pendulum. “And what are you gonna do?Make me?” He craned around Chase and practically undressed the brunette with his eyes.

Chase slipped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his side. She seemed grateful. He lifted the hem of his shirt, flashing his badge to everyone inside of Jokers. “I’ll arrest you for drunk and disorderly and convince my girl to press charges for sexual assault. Wanna try me?”

They eyed each other in a tense stare down. Finally, the drunk slurred something that sounded like, “Fuck you,” and staggered out of the bar.

Chase turned to the brunette and offered his hand. “Chase Brannan. Cop and fake boyfriend extraordinaire.”

“Layla Mousavi,” she replied, shaking his hand. “Thank you—for that.”

“I’m serious,” he said, dropping her hand and reaching into his wallet for a business card. “If you want to press charges, you call me.”

Layla took the card and trailed her finger along the edge. “And if I wanted to call you for non-police matters?”

A smile spread across his face. “The number’s the same.”

I glanced over my shoulder to see Bridget standing there, dumbfounded. Poor thing.

She hurried back behind the bar and focused on making drinks. Those drinks could press charges for assault considering how hard she was slinging the cocktail shaker back and forth.

Chase challenged Layla to a game of pool, so I joined up with Mel and Kris.

“She works at the hospital,” Mel said in a not-so-subtle whisper. She was basically yelling. “She’s new. Started last week.”

The three of us craned our heads over the top of the booth to watch Chase and Layla like they were an exhibit at the zoo.

“Has Chase ever dated anyone?” Kristin asked as she sucked down her third—fourthdrink. Damn. She usually took it easy on the liquor. Things must have been tougher at home than she was letting on.

“Oh yeah,” Mel said. “He used to date around all the time, but he hasn’t seen anyone…”

“Since before Maddie and Luca got together,” I said. “I mean, it’s been a while since I’ve seen anyone stay over at his house for more than a night.”

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