Chapter 25

Midnight Proof is crowded tonight.I should have known since it's July 4th week and the tourists are here for Fiasco's massive weekend celebration. I'm only here because I knew Laney would be behind the bar pouring drinks and dishing out that smile of hers. And honestly, I wanted one.

"I like her," Lincoln says as we both watch her move behind the bar.

Laney looks like she's been back there for years. Her bartending experience definitely wasn't a lie. Just like I wouldn't be lying if I said seeing her like this, with her hair swept behind her shoulders and that tight black tank top cut low enough to tease her full chest, is doing all sorts of things to me. She bites at her lower lip and fills up the cocktail shaker with vodka and olive juice, shaking it vigorously, up high enough that she has to put her whole body into it. I want to drag my hands up those hips again and capture her lips between my own teeth. Get lost for a while in the way she tastes and smells. I'm practically feral for her. Even more so now, after she opened up to me. Fuck, I want to do anything to make her feel safe, never mind wanted.

I want to understand how he means that. My brother is a flirt with everyone, but since the day at the river, I haven't seen him do too much of it with Laney. If he told me he wanted to pursue her, I don't know that I'd back off now. I've kissed her—that was better than dibs.

"Me too," I tell him as I watch Waz, that fucker, lean over the bar and say something to her.

"Thought so," he says. "You don't have to play it off like you're not obsessed with her."

"Obsessed is a little strong, don't you think?"

But I don't hear what else he says, because I'm observing the way her body language changes with whatever Waz just said.

I take a step forward, but Lincoln armbars me. "Don't start something in here, Grant."

I look toward the hostess station and catch the head bouncer's eye. I'll start something outside, then. With a tilt of my head, he looks over at the bar, and he knows exactly what I'm calling his attention to. Waz is a scumbag who likes to stir up trouble, especially for Hadley. I'm almost positive he's not even supposed to be here.

When I get closer, though, it's not the woman who confided in me with tears in her eyes. No, right now, Laney is in control of the situation. She smirks at Waz as she spins a few bottles in the air. I watch as she holds his attention and the rest of the bar within earshot. But it"s her right hand that takes aim, and seconds later, she's spraying the front of his pants.

"Looks like she's doing just fine on her own."

Seeing Laney handle herself is such a fucking turn-on. But it doesn't negate the fact that this is the second time now that I've wanted to deck Waz just for him saying Laney's name.

"Guys, I got this," the bouncer says as he drags him up the stairs.

"Just making sure you're good, man," Lincoln says as he helps guide this asshat outside.

"Officer Foxx, so nice to see you again. Been cowering behind your brothers for long enough. You should know Mr. Finch isn't going to like hearing how handsy you boys are being right now."

I shove him away from my face and point at him. "Don't push it, Waz."

"Or what? We both know you're not doing anything. You too, Linc." He looks my brother up and down. "Still haven't thrown it in Hadley yet, have you?"

That's enough to get Lincoln fired up, so I hold him off. "Don't."

"Wheeler know how you talk about his daughter, you piece of shit?"

Waz spits at the ground in front of us and rights the collar of his shirt. "Mr. Finch considers Hadley a commodity. One that he'll be able to use when the time is right. He couldn't give a rat"s ass what I say about her."

"Why are you even here? Hadley has made it clear you're not welcome," Lincoln growls. "You think she's not calling her father about this?"

"I wasn't here for her." He smirks at me. "Nah, I was here for that sweet piece of ass. Little New York City girl."

What the fuck is he talking about?

Lincoln asks, "You want me to play interference?"

He shakes his head with a tsk. "It's a shame, really. Thought I'd try to take her for a nice ride before she gets what's coming for her."

Ace comes up beside me. "If you're not going to, I'll take this one."

I toss my phone to the bouncer. "Brady, if he's not out in two, call the department and get them to come down here."

I step forward without giving Waz a chance to register what's coming. I pop him right in the nose, and the crunch sound that it makes, followed by the spurt of blood that rushes down the front of him, lets me know I hit exactly where I thought. "That's one."

"You fucking broke my nose," he shouts, covering his face and pulling his hands to see the gushing damage.

"Now I'm going to make you piss blood for a month." I crook my finger at him in a come-here motion. The dumbass is pissed off enough to think he'll get a swing in, and he tries, but I move too fast for him, and as he overextends, I land a punch right in his side. He's on the ground, just as a black-and-white pulls up with the lights on but no siren. It wasn't going to take long. I knew there was a patrol car waiting a few blocks down for any drunks looking to start fights or drink and drive when Midnight Proof hollers last call.

The rookie cop drags Waz off and puts him in the back of the car. The other cop is a friend, a buddy from the academy, and he gives me a nod. "I'm guessing you didn't see what happened here, Foxx?"

I stuff my bloody knuckles in my front pockets. "He was inappropriate in the bar and caught a shower to the lap for it. Must have pissed off someone out here too."

"One of the negatives of the job"—the cop looks over my shoulder toward Lincoln, and then back to me—"can't punch a guy who really is asking for it." He gives me a tight-lipped smile and nods. "Have a good night, sir."

"You too, Cortez." As they drive off, my thoughts spiral about what he said—New York City. The last thing I should be doing is listening to anything Waz has to say, but it's too specific. Yelling a detail like that had nothing to do with his point. If there's substance behind it, then Laney's WITSEC cover isn't as solid as it should be.

"You coming back in?" Lincoln asks from behind me.

I look down at my hand. "Nah, I'm going to walk a bit. Get some air." I needed to clear my head. Laney handled herself in there just fine. That woman doesn't need anyone to swoop in and protect her, but damn, it felt good to play clean-up. The second I watched Waz move closer to her, I saw fucking red.

The way I feel about her isn't something I planned on happening, but here I am. Bloody knuckles, teetering on the edge of worried about what she's hiding from, and realizing that I can't go back. I don't want to. Lincoln's right, only obsessed isn't the right word. Falling for her is all-consuming.

He yells over his shoulder, "Text me if you want a ride home. I'm going to see if Ace is ready to go."

I don't know how my brothers would react if they caught wind of what was going on with Laney Young and me. I confided in them with just about everything, from the first time I kissed a girl to the moment I decided I wanted to ditch the family business and head to the police academy. They've always been the most important people in my life. But it's been years since I shared any of that with them. They didn't even know about Fiona until she was gone. Ace might have figured it out, but he never said anything. I'm afraid that if I put it into words, what I feel for Laney could easily blow up right in my face.

It's less about them knowing and more about that dumb fucking curse that always lingers in the back of my mind. Add that to the idea that Laney could be in real danger. And if that danger came too close, I'd have to say goodbye to her. Ace might have welcomed her here, but I know my big brother; he would have warned Bea that if trouble got too close, she would need to leave. Whether WITSEC approved it or not.

I'm so lost in thought and not paying attention to where I'm walking, that when I make it up to Hooch's, I do a double take. I see Del sitting at the counter. It isn't prime rib night or poker, but he doesn't do much of his own cooking. Since he's here anyway, I could use his thoughts on this. It always helps to work things out with him when I have ideas or hunches. He'll be able to help me. I trust him.

The bell on the front door chimes as I walk in, and the only people here aside from Marla and Del, are a group of kids home from college in the far back booth.

I clap him on the back, surprising him, and then I quickly realize what I just stumbled into. What I was missing. Fuck, how did I forget? I look at the specials board where Marla usually writes the date and, sure enough, it's July 2nd. Fiona's birthday.

"She would have been thirty-four today," he says, with a big piece of cheesecake sliced in front of him. How did I forget? I never forget. "Thought you might have forgotten," he says, his voice going softer at the end as he wipes at his cheek. It was too quick to see a tear, but I know it was there. My stomach sinks, thinking that seeing me just made him look relieved. And when I saw him, I felt guilty.

I clear my throat and sit down next to him with a squeeze to his shoulder. I'm sorry.

We never talked about what was going on between Fiona and me. It never felt right that I went ahead and fell in love with his daughter after months of sleeping with her and never took her out on a date in public because we were trying to keep it under wraps. But he knew. I didn't have to tell him I loved her. It was clear as day to everyone in town that I broke the day she died, and I had been continuously unraveling over the past five years.

Marla peeks her head from the kitchen. "Grant, there you are," she says to me. "I thought you forgot. I'll grab your piece now."

"You punch a lawn mower or somethin'," Del says, looking down at my ripped-up knuckles.

"Something like that," I breathe out. The questions that I had swirling about Laney are long gone and in their place are a ticker tape of feelings about today. The way I forgot about Fiona until right now, and if I hadn't walked here, I would have missed it completely. When I apologized for not telling him what was going on between us, I promised that I'd never forget what she meant to me. I feel like a liar.

"Here, honey," Marla says, pushing my cheesecake slice in front of me.

"Thanks, Marla."

She plops a bag of ice on the other side of me. "Heard there was a bit of a scuffle down near Midnight Proof."

I bark out a laugh. "How did you hear that so fast?"

"Police scanner."

Del laughs to himself.

"Did I ever tell you about the call where she couldn't get Loni's cat out of her Christmas tree?"

Del's already laughing before I even tell him the best part, but that's what we did. On her birthday, or her remembrance day, we always had a piece of cheesecake at Marla's since it was Fi's favorite, and told stories to remember her by. It was the only time I allowed myself to get lost in thoughts about her because, no matter what, the guilt I carried came in spades the next day.

An hour later and our faces numb from laughing as Marla pours what"s left of the coffee and cashes out the college kids. Del looks at me, still smiling, and says, "You know, if you had other things going on tonight, I would've understood."

"Stop." I pat his arm. "I'm where I need to be." Del is one of my best friends. Even if there hadn't been something between Fiona and me, I'd still make sure I was here for him. I owe at least that much to him. I didn't protect his girl. That's never going to be okay with me. It's why I need to make sure that whatever put Laney in WITSEC, wouldn't find her.

"You still have a few favors up north that you might be able to call in?"

He barely lets me ask before he's saying, "Of course. What do you need?"