"Need me to run him off?" I asked, quoting something Cy had asked when he'd shown up to find me here.
A little smile touched his lips. "Nah. Pretty sure I can run him off myself."
I had to press just a little more. "This is the guy that cheated on you, huh?"
"Mhm," Cy said.
"It wasn't like that," Kindle told him, all but ignoring me. "I had no idea he was going to do that, Cy. You have to believe me!"
"So it took you, what, eight months to come up with that line?" Cy asked. "And you fucking came to myhome?"
"This?" Kindle asked, looking around. "I thought this was where you worked. The letter said your license was being transferred..."
"It's both," Cy explained, but there was no patience in his tone. "This is Southwind. This is where I grew up. It has horse shit and bugs, Kindle. I promise you don't want to be here, and I have no intention of leaving."
"I quit my job," Kindle admitted, turning so his back was to me. But then he glanced back. "Do you mind? This is personal."
"Considering you're talking to my boyfriend, yeah, I do mind," I snapped. "You were just the placeholder."
"Luke, stop," Cy warned. Then he turned back to Kindle. "Yeah, I'm with someone. Luke's a good friend of mine, and an even better wingman. So, how about you show my friends a little respect, hm?"
This feeling in my chest? Yeah, it was jealousy. There was also a layer of fear. I hadn't expected it with Cy, and the fact that he was making it clear we weren't together? That wasn't helping at all. I'd been a damned idiot with Violet, and I thought I'd learned, yet this was different. I could still remember how Cy had talked when he'd explained about his fiancé cheating on him. He'd been ashamed and hurt, and every instinct in my body told me I should make this man pay - but I couldn't.
Then the sound of something yipping made Cy look up. "Emilio?" he asked, moving to the car. "Are you fucking insane, Kindle? You left him in the car? He'll roast in there."
"I just thought..." Kindle let the words die as he trailed after Cy, because the big guy wasn't listening.
He wrenched open the back door of the car and scooped up a little mongrel. It was mostly white with black and brown spots, and it was wearing a fucking sweater. Cy hugged the dog to his chest and the thing began licking him like crazy, earning a laugh.
"I missed you too, buddy. Oh, aren't you a good little boy," Cy crooned.
"Put the dog down!" Kindle whined, trying to grab it away from Cy.
I was fucking done. Grabbing Kindle's shoulder, I pulled him back and shoved him against the driver's door of the car. "You put your hands on him, and you will regret it," I warned.
But Cy forced me back and then handed me the dog. "Luke, take him inside and get him some water, ok? I got this. Promise."
I didn't want to. Damned if I wanted to put my fist in the pretty boy's face. Instead, I took the dog. "You're actually going to hear him out after what he did?"
"Just..." Cy paused to lick his lips, his eyes much too serious. "Please, Luke?"
"Fine."
I turned for the house, carrying the happy little dog. Yeah, Emilio was cute, but he was clearly Kindle's, not Cy's. Still, seeing that big guy cradling the pup so gently did something wicked to my heart. Never mind that I'd called him my boyfriend! We weren't really to that point, but it had just fallen out - only to be denied!
Inside, I was seething. I was furious. I was also really fucking confused. I was so insanely jealous, and I'd never felt that way about a man before. That I didn't know where I stood with him - or where that guy did - made it even worse.
This fucking sucked.
As soon as I was inside, I set the dog on the ground, but I didn't head for the kitchen. The little guy's nails tapped on the tile at the entryway, but if I'd been dismissed, then it was time to call in backup. I honestly had no clue how to handle this situation, although I had a feeling I knew a man who did.
Heading for the hall, I made for the first door on the left, then entered without knocking. Ash looked up, his phone to his ear, but I could give a shit about his business. All I could think about was that nice-looking man and Cy, alone. Kindle was trying to get Cy back, and I'd be damned before I lost him.
"Cy's ex is here," I said. "I'm supposed to be getting the guy's dog some water."
"Leslie?" Ash said into the phone. "I have to go. Someone's trying to poach one of my boyfriends. Use your best judgement." Then he hung up and dropped his phone onto the desk. "Kindle?"
I nodded. "That was the closest he could come to Violet, I think. The guy's not ugly."
