Page 83 of Protect

Vi

I forgot she was coming, that never happens.

I’ll take that as a compliment.

Vi

Cocky.

Precisely.

“I’ll say one thing, if you’re looking at her with that fucking dopey grin on your face, that girl is going to get a restraining order on your ass.” Sup takes a swig of beer, chuckling at his own joke.

I return his grin, leaning back in my chair and nodding.

“Saw Teddy this morning, she said to say hi.”

I meant it as a joke just to razz him, but Sup’s face goes from fuckery to crimson in one second flat.

“She doing okay?” He avoids my eyes, concentrating really hard on his wings.

“Seems like it, she was going for her first real outing. A walk with Violette.”

“That’s the other thing,” Cal says, leaning back in his chair. “Just remember where Violette is concerned, this doesn’t just affect her,” he warns.

“You think I don’t know that? Hollie already has a dad who doesn’t come around. Trust me, the fact that Vi comes with another little person is at the forefront of my mind. I am taking it seriously, and besides, Hollie is awesome,” I tell them.

“Just sayin’, I see it with Teddy. Her priority is her kids, I can’t imagine how cautious she’d be if someone was trying to date her,” Cal adds.

Beside him, Xander chokes on his beer. “Wrong tube,” he says, clearing his throat.

I look back at Cal. “It’s taken me a decade to get here, I’m not letting her push me away because she’s afraid.”

“It’s not her I’m worried about, it’s what happens if you do some kind of fuckboy thing.”

“Not gonna happen,” I tell them, annoyed that neither one of them has faith in me to be serious. “I haven’t been a fuckboy, as you call it, for a long ass time.”

I finish my burger listening to the two of them bitch about the California crew they worked with in Wyoming and where they’re heading back to tomorrow for a few days.

“Fucking guys just go rogue any chance they get, especially their cap, just show boating,” Cal says. “Shit is dangerous.”

“I’ll talk to Jackson if we work with them again this season,” Sup says, mentioning their own leader.

I’m just putting my last fry into my mouth when Violette’s dad approaches our table.

“Boys,” he greets, patting Cal on the shoulder.

“Jack,” we all say in unison.

“Good lunch?”

We all nod as Jack turns to me. “You feeling good, son? Ready to get back out there?”

“Was ready a week ago.” I grin.

“I get that, I got some third degrees in ’99. Had six weeks off. Was so damn hard not to get back out there at the end, but this is when you need the rest the most. The beast will be there when you’re healed,” Jack says, folding his arms over his chest.

“All right, I gotta be on time meeting Scottie for our hike or she’ll kick my ass,” Cal says.

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