X turned slowly back to Scott, fingers of his right hand running lightly up and down his new cue. “Like I said, who the fuck are you?”
Scott met the man’s glare. X was a little or maybe a lot drunk, or high, or both. “You wanted to dance. Here I am. Two years ago you would have stepped up like a man. You should have stayed like that. Wrecking houses is junior high crap.”
All the crags in X’s face shifted under the seismic pressure of his temper. “Fuck that. Fuck you.”
“Take him, X. Don’t let no asshole talk to you like that.”
“Yeah, X. Let’s dance.” Scott made a move with his cue as if he was going to stick X in the ribs.
X’s eyes flew wide. “Motherfucker!”
His tone had the heads of nearby customers swiveling his way.
Scott’s voice never rose but the edge to it sharpened. “You might want to watch your language. Contrary to the sign over the door I’m sure there are minors present.” Scott took the cue and laid it gently on the table. “You should get a hobby. Yard work, maybe.”
X’s face cratered into a smile. “I prefer knife work. It’s so much more personal, don’t you think?
Scott held that empty-eyed gaze for a beat. And though it was like looking into his own grave, he did not even blink. “Let’s do this. Outside. Now.”
“I ain’t stupid. There’s a cop outside.”
“So that’s a no?”
The air vibrated with tension, drawing the eyes of the curious but also backing up those nearest them. The tables on either side of them had been vacated. Scott knew the exact moment a bouncer headed their way. X’s gaze shot past his shoulder and then his stance relaxed a fraction as he mumbled something more obscene than usual.
“We got a problem here?”
Scott glanced toward the tall man with sloped shoulders but forearms like hams. “I just came to extend my felicitations to the birthday boy.” He saw X’s squint deepen at the use of the word “boy.” “I’m all done.” He handed his cue to the bouncer.
X took a step toward him. Scott would swear he could heard X’s teeth grinding. “I will break you.”
“You had your chance. Don’t waste my time.”
“How’s your daddy? Hear he’s all laid up. Your mama’s gonna be looking for company.”
Scott smiled. Checkmate. X had just admitted that he knew about his parents, and made a new threat. But he wanted X for more than that. He wanted to take him in carrying the kind of weight that would put him behind bars for a long time.
Scott didn’t turn his back as he moved out of range. In fact, he made it to the front door with the bouncer following without losing his line of sight to X.
He had pushed as hard and fast as was possible, considering their surroundings. He might have just increased the bounty on his head. But he was also pretty sure the next move X made would be aimed at him, and not those he cared about.
Scott was back in the truck with the doors locked before he took a deep breath. He really didn’t want to get dead. In fact, he wanted to live so much the ebb of adrenaline was making it hard to put his key in the ignition.
But those were the parameters of the job, protect and serve. Forget that. He’d do just about anything for those he loved. Even if he couldn’t be sure she loved him back.
His cell chimed. It was Cole.
He smiled as he answered, not waiting for her voice.
“On my way, babe. See you in thirty.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
“There are two of them.” Becca’s voice was hushed with fear on the telephone.
“Two what?” Cole rubbed her forehead where a tiny Spanish dancer in heels and castanets was pounding out a rhythm in her head.
“Two babies!”
“What?” Cole sat up and immediately regretted that decision as her stomach rolled over and dived steeply.
“You’re moaning. What’s wrong?”
“Something I ate—” A big gassy burp erupted from her, carrying bitter reminders of the nachos and enchiladas she should never have eaten the night before.
Cole sagged back against her pillow. She was not going to be sick again. No. No. No.
“Did you hear what I said?” Becca sounded insulted.
“Two babies?” The room was spinning slowly on an axis attached to the ceiling.
“I’m carrying twins. The doctor said she missed it the first time because they were stacked, one in front of the other. But, Cole, I saw them. Just now on the sonogram. Two tiny people. What am I going to do?”
“Enjoy the bonus?” Cole took a deep slow breath.
“I can’t do it. I can’t handle two babies at the same time.”
Despite her misery, Cole smiled to herself, thinking of her sister with a cherubic angel in each arm. “You were born to be a mother. You’re a vet. You birth babies all the time.”
“I watch. And assist. Animals. Animals have all the instincts humans have lost to civilization and baby experts. Have you read a book on child care recently? So much can go wrong. Oh my God!” The sentence ended on a sob.
Cole tried to rally, to focus her eyes.
“You have to come home. Now. I need you. I can’t handle this alone.”