Bertie nodded.
“The K.I.N.K.s have threatened the C.O.C.Ks?”
“Woulda’ thought they’d be into that,” Hatter delivered deadpan.
“Did they forget their safeword?” Shoe asked.
Jean’s howl turned into a hissy wheeze.
Both men grinned at her reaction. She waved at them, trying to make them stop.
Bertie arched her eyebrows. “Perhaps we should head to the engagement before the members get out of hand and things take a turn for the worse?”
Nope. She’d started this. And Hatter wasn’t going to miss a chance to make Jean choke on her tongue.
“If you’re hard up, Shoe and I can whip those C.O.C.Ks into shape. Shoe’s got lots of practice. He can whip C.O.C.K. with one hand tied behind his back. I hear he likes it that way.”
Shoe nodded, his serious expression unyielding. “Hatter has a lot of experience with K.I.N.K. He’s a master at dominating those kinds of situations.”
Jean wrapped her good arm across her ribs and whispered. “Hurts. Stop. Oh, gods.”
Ryder rubbed at his face and wiped at the corners of his eyes. His grin was wide and bright, and I wanted to feel that. To smile with him, to laugh at all these stupid jokes, to feel the heat and rub of emotions moving and pressing against my chest, my ribs, scrubbing beneath my skin.
But I was wind and emptiness, chained to the open sky, anything but free.
And I apparently also had a fiber war to deescalate.
“You two jokers will stay here with Jean until one of you can bully her into going home and getting some rest.”
“Wait,” Jean managed.
“Or,” I amended, “help her get comfortable on the cot for some sleep.”
She nodded as she wiped at her eyes. She calmed her giggles, then glanced up at Hatter who waggled his eyebrows. She snorted and leaned her head back, her hand covering her face.
“Gonna die.”
“Roy, you’re working your shift?”
“That’s the plan.”
“Good. Bertie and I will go deal with the knit and crochet problem.” Shoe snickered and I leveled a glare at him that did absolutely nothing.
“Ryder, can you go check in on Ben and see how he’s doing?”
“We could call.”
“I’d rather get eyes on the situation. We don’t need the vamps and weres going after each other.”
“Ben was taken to the hospital early this morning,” Hatter said.
I gave Jean’s shoulder a quick squeeze. “Listen to the boys while I’m gone. You can sleep here. No monsters under the cot. I promise.”
I stood and started toward the door. Bathin fell into step next to me, but Ryder muscled his way up and all but hip-checked the demon. He used those long legs and stopped in front of the door, blocking my way out.
“Hey, boss,” he said. “I could use a second of your time. Are you listening?”
Bertie made a littletsksound between her teeth. “Mr. Bailey.”
