His cheeks heated with embarrassment.It was just a minor cut.He’d been injured worse by his own brothers over the years.
“Okay, lemme see...”She tipped his chin up.Turned his face this way and that.“It’s deep, but I don’t think you’ll need stitches.And the good news is, the inside of your lip will heal fast, because it’s in a moist environment.”
The only moist environment he was interested in was Cassie’s.And he was such a pervert for thinking about that right now.“Thanks, I’m all right.”
She took the bag of ice Doug handed her, wrapped it in a clean, damp paper towel and guided it back to his lip.“Hold this here.Fifteen to twenty minutes max.”
He glanced over at Gavin, who was grinning like a fool as he raised his beer in salute.
Tristan narrowed his eyes at him, then turned back to the nurse.“Thanks.”
“Yeah, anytime.”She looked closer at his hand, then glanced toward Gavin.“He’s wearing a wedding ring, but you’re not.That mean you might be available if a girl was interested?”Her dark eyes danced with a blend of humor and interest.
He definitely wasn’t available to anyone but Cassie.“It’s complicated.”
She sighed and flipped her hair over her shoulder.“Well, that’s disappointing.And whoever it is, she’s a lucky girl.”
God, what he wouldn’t give for Cassie to think so.
She and the blonde went to their table to order some food.Tristan sat at the bar with the ice on his lip, his mood starting to sour.Those few minutes of controlled violence had barely scratched the surface of the war raging inside him.
“So now what?”Gavin asked, casually helping himself to a handful of pretzels Doug had slid over.“Wanna find another bar and pick a fight there?”
Tristan grunted and glanced at the TV.Shit, it wasn’t even halftime yet?What the hell?
His phone vibrated in his pocket.He pulled it out, surprised to see a message from Ivy.
You talk to Cassie today?
It was a really odd thing for her to ask.His spidey senses started tingling.No.Why?Something wrong?
Dots appeared.Then,Might want to talk to her.And you both need to watch your backs.
He stared at the message.What the hell did that mean?Ivy obviously knew something big.What’s going on?Just tell me.
More dots.Have ID on the prime suspect.
Whoa.Who is it?
You need to talk to Cassie.
Come on.Cassie knew, and she hadn’t told him?Just tell me.I want to know before I talk to her.
He waited, but Ivy didn’t respond.Just when he thought she wouldn’t, the dots appeared again.He stared at his phone, pulse picking up.
Her ex.
It felt like a giant fist grabbed his insides and clenched them.“Jesus Christ,” he muttered, fury blasting through him.Her ex was this dangerous, and she’d never said anything.
“What?”Gavin asked.
“It’s Ivy.Says they think Cassie’s ex is the suspect.”
“Shit, for real?”Gavin leaned in to read the chain.
“Cassiestilldidn’t call me.”Then he noticed the little icon at the bottom of the home screen, showing he’d missed a call.His heart squeezed when he saw Cassie’s number.
“Wait.”He checked the call log, saw she’d phoned right about the same time he’d been getting his lip bashed in.No wonder he hadn’t felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.
