“On?”
“On whether ornot he learns some respect when it comes to you.”
“My brotherisn’t a bad guy, Huck. He’s overprotective to a fault and I’m the baby,” Itried to explain. “It’s not intentional, he just has resting bitch voice.”
He studied mebefore smiling gently. “Don’t care. He’s gonna have to learn to control thebitchiness. Nobody talks to you like that.”
I cocked myhead. “Are you like this with everyone, or is there something about me thatmakes you think you have some dominion here?”
“Look.” Hesighed. “I like you, Daisy. Obviously, you’re beautiful, but you’re also smart,independent, plus my sister adores you, so you’re a quality human, and thesepeople respect you. I don’t hold dominion over anyone but myself, and Icertainly wouldn’t want to make you feel like I’m doing that to you. What I dohave a problem with though, is other men doing it to the women I care about,whether it’s inadvertently or not. I’d like to get to know you more and yougetting to knowmemight mean putting up with a littleoverprotectiveness of my own. Now, within that, you have the freedom and the powerto tell me to back off. Can’t say I will, necessarily, but you can tell me to.”
I mean muggedhim. “Back off.”
He chuckled.“Damn, you’re cute.”
Buzz sidled upto us, set a fresh beer on the table, and slid onto the bench seat across fromus just as my brother walked out one of the sliding glass doors and motioned meinside.
I squeezedHuck’s arm. “Give me a second.”
I stood and mademy way to Cash, who pulled me in for a hug. “Sorry I was a dick.”
“I’m not reallythe one you need to apologize to, am I?” I pointed out.
“Well, that’snot gonna happen, Ducky, so how about you let me have this?”
“Why are you soamped up?” I gave him a squeeze.
“Honestly? Justpissed Teagan did something so fuckin’ reckless. But I shouldn’t have taken itout on you.”
“Thank you forsaying that,” I said, holding up my wrist and pointing to my bracelet. “Buty’all seem to forget that we are all locked and loaded. You can track each andevery one of us with the push of a button.”
Eons ago, Doc,the president of the Dogs of Fire Savannah (and the man who delivered me) hadinsisted the old ladies wear some piece of jewelry equipped with GPS. Or maybeit was his wife, Olivia. It doesn’t really matter now. The end result was thatold ladies and kids of the club members were tracked and protected at alltimes.
I personallywore a bracelet. Others wore necklaces, some wore rings, and there were rumorsthat one of the Primal Howlers’ women out of Colorado had a tracker in a veryprivate piercing, but I had never been nosy enough to confirm.
“I know that,Ducky,” Cash said. “But a lot can happen between some asshole drugging you andyour finger pressing that button.”
“Which is whyyou can activate it remotely.”
He sighed.“You’re right, you’re right. I overreacted. I’m sorry.”
“Thank you. Now,please go and apologize to Huck.”
“Fuck, no.”
I shrugged. “Itwas worth a shot.”
He grinned,kissing the top of my head before releasing me.
* * *
Huck
I’d beenlistening to Buzz prattle on about hockey stats for more than ten minutes and Iwas about to lose my mind when Daisy finally walked back outside.
I rose to myfeet trying my best to form some kind of neutral expression on my face, when Ireally wanted to grin like a fuckin’ schoolboy and wrap my arms around her.
“Everythingokay?” I asked.
