Her fierce look melted into a smile as she dropped her hands. "Besides, I've been to self defense classes with you, remember? I can take care of myself."
"I know you can," I said. "I worry and sometimes I'm not trusting."
"Sometimes?" she scoffed. "Only most of the time." She leaned toward Archer and whisper-shouted, "It's a miracle she trusts you. And Cass. And Boner."
"We're very trustworthy," Archer said evenly. "I am, at least. The others are a little dubious."
Erin laughed. "Anyway, this has been fun. I might call it a night." She tapped on her phone to call a ride share. A small, white car pulled up in front of the gallery a minute or two later.
I waited until she was safely inside and the car peeling away from the curb before I let out a breath.
"You think she'd mind if I put a tracking chip on her?" I was only half joking.
"Not on her personally, and not without consent," Archer said, which was remarkably unhelpful if you ask me. It's not like I hadn't already broken a bunch of laws. What was one more? Especially if it helped to keep her safe.
Okay, I wasn't going to put a tracker on her. When it came down to it, Erin wasn't a puppy. She'd be furious if she found out I was keeping tabs on her. The trust I'd built with her would be gone. That would devastate us both.
"Fine," I said on a sigh. "Let's go back in there. I need another drink."
Archer took my hand and we walked back into the gallery, where the crowds had already started to thin. There was still no sign of Solomon Danforth, and Mr. Smooth seemed to have left as well. Only a couple of handfuls of people remained, talking in small groups and enjoying my sliders.
"Looks like this was a waste of time," Jules said, approaching us with a beer in hand. Cass trailed behind, looking uncomfortable.
"Not at all." Boner smiled his apology to the people he was talking to and stepped over to join us. "I sold three paintings and a sculpture." He shifted from foot to foot, his eyes shining.
"Whoopee-fucking-doo," Jules said sarcastically. "I thought the point was to?—"
Cass elbowed him, cutting him off mid-sentence. "Relax and have a nice time," he said firmly.
"What Titmus the younger said," Boner said. "Have you ever been to a proctologist? I thoroughly recommend it, to get the stick out of your ass."
I choked back a laugh while Jules glared at Boner.
"You're a fucking idiot," Jules snarled.
Boner grinned. "I know this will come as a complete surprise to you, but that's not the first time someone's said that to me.It's not even the tenth. It might be the eleventh or twelfth." He shrugged.
Jules rolled his eyes. "What the hell are you doing with these people?" he asked his brother.
My teeth clenched, I said, "No one made you come here." It wasn't until Boner chuckled that I realized what I'd said. If anyone was going to make someone come around here, it would be Cass. That wasn't in the sense I'd intended though.
Jules glared at me.
I glared back.
"Do you want help finding these pricks or not?" he asked in a tight voice.
"If we have to put up with you—" Boner started.
"Of course we want help," Cass said, interrupting. "Jules is an electrician. He can be useful."
"I know who to call if the power goes out," I said dryly.
"You know what, fuck this," Jules snapped. "All any of you will do is get in my way." He turned and stalked toward the door.
"Jules—" Cass started.
"No, Cassius." Jules threw his hands up, dropped them to his sides and headed out the door.
