Page 37 of Stray

I shake my head, staring at him in disbelief. “You really going to kick me out of my house?”

“You really going to make me?” He challenges me, and I look away. “You need to go apologize to that girl.”

I snort and stand up. “If I try to talk to her right now, she’ll be wearing my nuts as earrings.”

“You like her?” Sighing at his question, I look away and scratch my eyebrow.

“Yeah, I do.”

“Then go apologize for being a dick, nuts or not.” I give him a begrudging grunt before heading out of the shed in time to watch Ozzy’s car race down the driveway in a cloud of dirt and gravel.

“Where is she headed?” I ask Jensen as I walk up to the porch. My little brother gives me a pained look, and I roll my eyes. “Theo,” I groan, and Jensen sighs. Derek walks up behind me, snickering.

“Baby sister still out here stealing your girls?”

* * *

“You know,” Theo starts, though her eyes are laser-focused on the brunette on the dance floor. It’s ladies’ night at The Spur, which means it’s a feeding frenzy for Theo. And now that she’s coming up on her second week of recovery from her surgery, she’s playing up the ‘wounded puppy needing love’ act. “Maybe I should just take Ozzy off your hands.” I let out a loud breath while staring at the brat.

“I’m not asking again,” I grind out. “Where is she?” I know she is here. Her car is out front, but for the last ten minutes, Theo and Niamh have been playing a very dangerous game of who can piss me off more.

Theo taps the beer bottle to her lips. “I dunno. You try calling her?” I’m going to kill her.

Turning to Niamh, who is snickering, I raise my brow. “Niamh, come on., Where’s Ozzy?” She blinks her big eyes and cocks her head to one side.

“Ozzy, who?” She asks innocently, and I’m about to scream when I see the silver hair in the kitchen window.

“Ozzy!” I holler out, going behind the bar, ignoring Niamh’s protests, and running into the back kitchen.

I look at the woman who ducks around me and heads out the door.

“Tink,” I call, following her back out. “Can we talk, please?”

She sits on a bar stool and gives me an amused look. “Sure thing,”

“I meant somewhere a little more private.” I say cautiously, and she makes an “O” with her mouth.

“Yeahhh see, I would but… I don’t really feel like it. Appreciate the offer though.” She gives me a wink before turning back to the grinning Theo.

“Ozzy, please.” I try again, walking into her space.

“Rowe,” she says sternly. “Back up.”

I give her a pleading look. “What do I have to do to get you to talk to me? Beg?”

“I don’t know…” She taps her finger to her chin. “Couldn’t hurt,” she chuckles at Theo before starting a conversation with her, dismissing me completely. I look from my traitorous sister to the stage by the dance floor. Fine, she wants me to beg? I’ll beg.

Shaking off my nerves, I walk through the crowd and hop onto the stage. Grabbing the microphone, I jump back off the stage and walk to the middle of the dance floor.

“Ozzy Davenport,” I speak into the microphone and watch her entire body cringe as she slowly turns around on her barstool. Fuck, if looks could kill, my family would be picking out my casket right now. Smirking, I drop to my knees as the bar’s patrons watch. “I’m a lowlife, stupid piece of shit, and I’m sorry. Please, will you give me one minute to talk to you? Sixty seconds of your time is all I ask.”

I see the color in her cheeks flare up. She stands before making a beeline to the front door. Dropping the microphone, I stand up and run after her, following her as she turns the corner and goes to the side of the building before whirling around and glaring at me.

“Really!?” She hisses while shoving my chest. Feeling the amount of force she put into the shove, I give her a bone and stumble. “What is the matter with you?”

“You said beg, I begged,” I say simply, and she huffs out an annoyed laugh.

“Oh, and what? If I say bark like a dog–”

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