“One of the rookies made a shitty comment about your girl. Artemis is handling it.”
I’ve always heard or read about people getting so mad that a red haze descends over them, but I’ve never experienced it until right this moment. Seems today is a day for firsts across the board.
No matter what was said, I’m going to fucking kill whoever it is.
My legs are moving before I’ve even made the decision to go to wherever the fuck Artemis is ripping these guys a new asshole. Penelope is on her feet behind me, objecting, but all I see and hear is red.
I barge into the study. Artemis stands in front of two incredibly sheepish looking rookies who literally run and jump over the back of the couch to put space, and a couch, between us.
Ripping their arms off their body and clubbing them to death with their own limbs sounds pretty good about now.
Artemis body-blocks me, stepping in front of me to prevent me from getting near the two kids cowering behind the furniture. “I’ve got it, Tate.”
Snarling at Artemis doesn’t work. He holds still, bracing himself against me so I can’t move forward. I’d love to say I could take anyone on our team, and most days I’d believe it, but Artemis de la Peña is a beast. He eats and trains like a fucking beast. There’s no way I’m moving this brick wall when I’m in a weakened state. And after a couple of seconds trying, fatigue rears its head again, and it’s Penelope pulling me from behind who guides me away.
The rookies are mumbling apologies, or at least that’s what I hope I’m hearing. If it’s defending their behavior, they’re going to eat my knuckles.
In the kitchen, Penelope guides me to a chair and points at it. “Sit.”
“Not a dog.” Except I’m snarling at her like a wild animal.
Folding her arms across her cleavage, the cleavage I was very comfortably asleep on, she pops her hip. “Okay, hot shot. Then stop acting like a fucking animal, and sit your ass down.”
She’s hot when she’s feisty.
“I saw that.” She wags her finger at me like she’s reading my mind.
When I sit, she hands me another one of her magical concoctions from the fridge. This one is pineapple and coconut, like a protein piña colada. “We’ll go upstairs after I get something to eat,” she explains as the other men all remain silent. They’re probably afraid of opening their mouths in case she yells at them too.
My girl is fucking fierce.
“Scott ordered food. It’s why I came downstairs, I wasn’t planning on staying, and I’m hungry. That led to a derogatory comment from your teammate about my size, which led toArtemis tearing them a new asshole, and my caveman boyfriend storming down the stairs looking for his club to beat them over the head with.”
I snort. “My club’s plenty big.”
She shakes her head. “Of course that’s what you’re fixating on.”
It’s Ares who speaks next. “I’m ignoring the club, but I am interested in that comment about my boo being your boo. So it’s social media official? You’re dating?” He points a finger at Penelope. “Is this your ploy to get close to him so you can kill him?” He arches a brow in question.
She shakes her head. “He asked me while under the influence of some incredibly strong painkillers which probably negates the consent, but I’m not letting him take it back.”
“I did not.” I grind out. “I told you that you were my girl.”
She nods. “He did. He lost his mind for half a second and thought he could be the boss of me. So I threatened to cut off his dick.”
The men at the table wince, and she giggles. “It’s too easy.” She turns to me. “Once I get something to eat—which no one will take money from me for... again—” She nails Ares with an exasperated look that tells me he’s still winning the battle of settling the check for our double date. “We can go back upstairs. You need to simmer down and get some real sleep or you won’t heal.”
I’m liking this whole nurse thing.
I know she’s not really a nurse, I know she’s studying to be a speech pathologist which, considering my current struggles with using the English language has become so much sexier to me too. But right now in this caretaker mode? She’s never been fucking hotter.
She rolls her eyes, pointing at the cup in front of me. “Drink.”
I throw her a salute and take a sip. It tastes like sunshine and a tropical island. My satisfied noises make her smile. “Glad you like it.”
Like it? I fucking love it. If every protein shake tasted like my girl's, I’d drink them twelve times a day just ‘cause.
At some point Artemis rejoins the group, but the rookies very smartly make their way upstairs before I can introduce either of them to my fist.
