“What if he does?” I challenge.
The bastard’s eyes widen, but he immediately slips a mask of indifference into place. He glances at his bodyguard, then holds me with his stare and tilts his head. “Are you questioning my word?”
My back molar threatens to crack from sheer force. I want to tell him Morgan’s already interfered. He cheated during the last fight. Nearly took my eye out. But I already know how the rest of the conversation would go if I did. Gus would ask if the ref called it a clean fight. I would grudgingly say yes. Then he’d say my accusation had no merit. And we’d be right back to where we started.
Tossing back the rest of my drink, I stand. “Good seeing you again, Gus.”
“You, too.” He hesitates. “And tell your father I said hello.”
It’s how he ends every interaction. Openly dangling our affiliation in front of my father’s nose. I don’t even like the man, but it still feels like a low blow, and I don’t like being seen as a pawn in a bigger game I know nothing about.
“I’ll be sure to pass along the sentiment the next time I see him,” I lie.
“Good man.”
30
JAGGER
As soon as The Body Shop’s door closes behind us, Ford lets out a groan and drops his head toward the dark sky above us. “What an asshole?—”
“You really think you were helping in there?” Hawke shoves Ford in the shoulder.
Stumbling to the side, Ford catches his balance, then tosses back, “You really thinkyouwere helping in there? Fucking with his niece right in front of him? What the hell?”
Hawke shakes his head. “I wasn’t fucking with anyone.”
“You would if she let you,” Ford counters dryly. His voice raises a few octaves as he bats at his face like a girl in middle school. “I bet you’d love a taste of my slippery nipple. Wouldn’t you, Hawke? I mean, Robin?” Ford snorts. “Bet she’d love for you to brave her bat cave, along with the rest of the guys in there.”
Hawke glares at our little brother, and the idiot has the decency to raise his hands in surrender. “All right, all right. I’ll back off. I’m sure her bat cave is very nice and exclusive and only a few wealthy super heroes with a shit-ton of money have been granted access. Happy now–ouch!” Ford rubs at his shoulder asHawke shakes out his fist, having dealt a quick but hard jab to my brother’s arm in hopes of shutting him up.
Good.
Ford deserved it.
As we climb into my truck, Roman asks, “So, what do you think?”
My finger hovers above the ignition button for a second too long before I press it, causing the engine to roar to life. “I think the only thing we can do is wait and see if Gus breaks our agreement,” I answer.
“You mean if Ethan breaks our agreement with Gus,” Roman counters.
“Yeah.” I scrub my hand over my face. “Guess so.”
“Even more reason to keep your distance from Violet,” Ford adds. “The last thing we need is for any of our customers to question the legitimacy of our system.”
I drop my head against the headrest and sigh. “We’ve had this conversation.”
“That was before I saw you,” Hawke interjects.
Well, shit.
My attention holds his in the rearview mirror, and I swear, it’s like I can read his damn mind. I promised the guys I’d keep my distance. I tried. Trust me, I fucking tried. Then, Violet walked up, got jealous, and…I messed up. “You meanus,” I mutter. “You saw us. Didn’t you?”
“Saw them when?” Ford questions.
“Yesterday,” Hawk answers. “After one of their classes. They disappeared into a classroom and…”
“And talked,” I lie.
