The trainer turned to Mack. “You sure you’re okay? That’s already really red and starting to bruise. Might want to get it checked out in case he cracked bone.”
“I know. I’m an EMT.”
“Ah, okay.”
“I’m good. But thanks.”
The guy left, and Mack hustled to shower, dress, and leave, glad at least the snow had started to melt.
He made it to Reggie’s in time to see Maggie and Emily leaving, the little one skipping as she held her mom’s hand on the way to their car. Mack waved. They waved back, and he had a weird image of Cass holding her daughter’s hand as they waved at Mack. AtDaddy.
“I must have been hit harder than I thought,” he muttered and made his way up Reggie’s walkway.
He knocked once before entering, letting himself in, and found the guys centered in Reggie’s living room, playingArrow Sins & Siege, some streaming action game taking the internet by storm. Snacks had been laid out on the dining table, but Mack really wanted something to drink. And maybe some ice for his face.
“Soda in the fridge,” Reggie called out. “Ha. Take that, sucker.”
“You’re cheatin’,” Tex complained. “This game sucks.”
Brad laughed. “Try playing my brother or his girlfriend. They spend hours on this crap.”
“You’re just calling it crap because you’re terrible,” Reggie said as he chopped someone’s head off.
“Well, yeah. It’s a video game. I’d rather push Avery’s buttons than the ones on this stupid controller, if you know what I mean.”
“Thanks for making it all sexual, you perv,” Tex complained and yelled at Reggie for stealing his gold.
Mack found a bottle of cream soda in the fridge and put it on his cheek with a sigh. He then hunted down the delicious smell of meat, somewhere near the guys. He’d taken a swig from the bottle and knew he’d have to show off his growing bruise at some point.
Reggie was the first to see him and dropped the controller. “What the hell happened to you?”
Which caused the others to look over at him and stand up.
“Damn, son. Who hit first?” Tex asked.
“I’ll get the keys. Whose ass are we kicking?” Brad, normally the even-tempered leader of the crew, looked livid.
“How bad is it?” Mack asked.
“Pretty dark. Can’t you feel your eye swelling? ’Cause I can see it,” Tex said.
“It hurts, but I don’t think it’s anything more than a bad bruise.” Mack drank more soda. “Templeton sucker-punched me at the gym. Not at the station, the one in Beacon Hill. Don’t worry. I put him down. Nearly choked him out, but I didn’t leave any bruises. Tex, I think you should talk to the chief and let him know Templeton needs to go. The guy is unstable. If you don’t, I will.” Mack described exactly how everything had happened.
“Why does he have such a hard-on for you?” Brad asked.
“I have no idea. But when we met at the station, he seemed to recognize my name. He seems to have some personal vendetta I just don’t understand,” Mack said.
“Good thing those friends of his didn’t jump in.” Anger flushed Brad’s cheeks. “You could have seriously been hurt.”
“Might still be,” Reggie said, staring into Mack’s eyes. “Track my finger.”
“I know my own body. Would you stop?” Mack sighed. When Reggie kept moving his hand in front of Mack’s face, he gave in and tracked Reggie’s finger. “Happy now?” He swore when someone shone a light into his eyes. “I’m not concussed, damn it. I’m annoyed. I wanted to be here before you broke out the subs.”
Reggie lowered his hand. Finally. “Saved you a roast beef. It’s over there.” Wrapped and on the side table near a big red bowl full of ice and bottles of beer.
Tex blew out a breath. “I’ll talk to the chief. Don’t worry. I was going to anyway, but this caps it. Templeton is a fucknugget.”
“That’s too nice.” Brad fumed.
