Page 66 of Brooks

“I get it. You were right. This is exactly what I was worried about. One of you getting hurt because of me. Nazari and Al Issa both want me dead. Apparently, Leon Brown now wants me dead, too. All of this is my fault. If I’d stayed on my own, none of you would be in danger. Brooks wouldn’t have had some asshole’s barrel on his head and you wouldn’t have had a near miss.”

“None of it is your fault. I overreacted. It was…” he trailed off.

“It was, what?”

“Close. Inches. I could feel the wind moving as it went by my face.”

“Shit. Max. I’m glad you’re okay.”

“Yeah. So I’m not excusing my behavior, I was a complete dick. Brooks is gonna rightfully kick my ass. What happened had nothing to do with you and everything about me being a scared pussy.”

“Why would Brooks want to kick your ass?” I asked, ignoring the rest. A man like Max wouldn’t listen to me if I tried to explain that having a momentary lapse of judgement after having narrowly escaping death didn’t make him a pussy, it made him human.

“Babe, I pointed a gun at his woman, who is also a member of this team. You don’t do shit like that, and I know better. Good news about Brooks is, when he doles out a beating he expects to be hit back.”

Was he nuts? Why was he smiling? Yeah, that’s what I was focusing on instead of questioning Max calling me Brooks’ woman. It was easier to concentrate on the news the two men would go to blows.

“Are you crazy?” I finally asked. “No one needs to get into a fight. Especially over me. I can handle myself.”

“Yeah, babe, you can. I think I have a miniature fist-sized bruise on my stomach. It’s a good thing you took me by surprise.”

“Why’s that? And if you’re not careful, you’ll have a miniature footprint to match.”

“Why is it a good thing you took me by surprise?”

I nodded.

“I didn’t have a chance to tighten my abs. If I had, we’d be wrapping up your broken knuckles.”

“Pu-lease.” I couldn’t stop my eye roll. “You wish, tough guy.”

“You still gonna kick me in the balls if I promise never to point a gun at you again?”

“Yep.”

“Damn.”

My grin turned into a smile. I must have been even more worn-out than I’d originally thought.

“What’s going on?” Brooks asked, joining us in the hall.

“Nothing,” I said.

“We were discussing the future of my testicles.”

“Come again?” Brooks frowned and Max smiled.

“My balls. I was asking her what she had planned for them.”

“The fuck.”

“Stop, Max.” I laughed. “He was saying he was sorry and asking if I’d still planned on kicking him.”

“We good?” Max asked.

“Yeah.”

“Are we?” Max turned to Brooks.