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“I’m up for some violence,” Jack snarked.
“You can’t go against the Irish mob, my friend. They’ll eat your eyes with a spoon.”
Jack laughed. I didn’t. My uncle enjoyed telling me brutal stories, the kind even the toughest of men would find repulsive.
“Maybe we need to have another conversation with Rylee,” Hudson suggested. “She’s in over her head.”
“Yeah, she is,” I admitted. More so than I had a feeling she understood.
“And gang up on her again? She shut down because we accused her of some shit,” Jack snapped at him. “Plus, I ain’t gonna talk to her right now.”
I rubbed my eyes, thinking about how it might be best to handle the situation. “Why don’t I go and talk to her? I don’t think any of the three of us want to get on that rig while at odds with her. I also have a feeling she doesn’t realize there’s something else going on.”
“You got some ideas about that?” Hudson pushed.
“There’s another reason Madden wants that rig. Thirty million is exorbitant. Both of you know that.” But why? However, getting to see the nitty gritty of it might provide a few answers.
“He’s right, Jack. That’s like extortion money,” Hudson said, backing me up.
The truth was that all three of us felt more protective of her than we wanted to let on. I’d been surprised at first by Hudson’s reaction at the restaurant, his determination to strangle Madden given the way he was treating Rylee admirable as well as telling.
He had it as bad for the girl as I did.
And Jack’s reaction to her accusations was something I’d never seen before. He’d been hurt. How many times had some asshole shoved my buddy’s record in his face and Jack had done nothing but laugh it off.
Or attempted to beat to death the person tossing trash at him.
Nah. His reaction indicated the same set of feelings and it wasn’t good for the four of us to be at odds. “Fine. Whatever you want to do, brah, I couldn’t care less.” Jack’s statement brought a roll of Hudson’s eyes.
“I doubt you’re going to talk any sense into her,” Hudson said. “I also don’t think she’s going to budge on the sale.”
Which meant Madden would force her into it using less than scrupulous methods.
“Maybe not but I feel like I need to try. Or maybe to extend an olive branch.” The fire in her eyes wasn’t just about her anger for us interfering but also fear.
“You do that. I think I’m headed across the street to the bar. Work off some energy.” Jack got up, immediately heading to the door.
After he walked out, Hudson shifted his gaze in my direction. “He’s fucking hurting. I haven’t seen him this way in a long time.”
“Yeah, I know. Go with him, Hud. You’re the only one who can calm him down.”
“What are you going to say to her?”
I laughed and rubbed my jaw. “I have no clue.”
“Look, man. I can tell how much the three of us already care about her. It’s crazy. I mean it’s not like we’re going to stay here or anything, but I don’t want her to hate us.”
“You’re suggesting I don’t know how to grovel?”
He grinned, mostly because he’d never heard me talk this way before. “Nope. I don’t think you can.”
“Bet me. I know exactly how to get to a woman’s heart.”
“Oh, yeah?” Hudson asked, his look of amusement making me laugh. “How’s that?”
“New York-style pizza.”
He slapped his hand across his heart. “Well, my goodness. You’re a genius and such a romantic at heart. Why don’t I call the Today Show and let them know they need to fly your ass to New York.”
