Page 149 of Shattered Pieces

“Sorry. It was better than no jacket to ride in. The other one got dirty,” she explained.

“Hunter was telling me. You should be resting,” I reminded her, and Marco scoffed.

“I assume you’re here on business since you have Brick with you. Have you even acknowledged the fact that your boss tried choking your girlfriend to death?”

“He knows I’m pissed and have been avoiding him. If I flip out⁠—”

“Flip out? You should shoot him, asshole. Look at her,” Marco snapped, jerking Rory back towards himself and pushing the collar of his jacket away from her throat. “Look! She’s black and blue. He tried to kill her. The Psychos supposedly changed their ways once Savage died, but from where I’m standing, nothing’s changed.”

“Hey, time-out,” Hunter called as Marco took a step towards me, jogging over to be the peacemaker. “No fighting. Mark, I need you to head out with Preston and Dom. You have that party, so handle it.”

Marco muttered under his breath but nodded, and Rory moved close to me again with a pleading look. “Can you stay a while?”

“I’ve got about one hour before Skeet comes looking,” I confirmed, and Brick gave me a nod.

“He’ll be busy for a bit. Hey, Donovan,” he greeted, surprising her a little.

“Hey. Are you allowed to talk to me?” she joked, making him roll his eyes.

“I personally don’t have a problem with you. Anyone with eyes could see you weren’t playing anyone. That jacket’s a bit of an insult to your boyfriend though, don’t you think?”

She hesitated before unzipping it and pushing it towards Marco, who didn’t seem happy about her taking it off, but he was leaving and needed it anyway.

Brick gave me a flat look like I’d zoned out, and it took me a second to realize he wanted me to give her my jacket. She was probably cold now, and it would look better around the Devils if I reclaimed her with mine.

I slid it off and helped her into it, loving how she wrapped her arms around herself a little as if to hug it as she gave me a small smile. “Thanks.”

“It’s purely alpha bullshit. I have to remind people you’re mine,” I grinned, draping an arm around her shoulders. “Come sit. I want to hear all about your morning.”

Brick headed upstairs with Hunter to talk business, which was mostly a check-in to make sure there were no surprises coming our way from any of the crews, while I sat at the bar with Rory.

Marco was still grumbling when he left, but Bobby seemed content playing bartender and pouring us drinks. At least I got to see her a little, even if it wasn’t for long.

Tyler

“Dude, you’re going to get expelled,” Caden warned as I stumbled into class after lunch, grinning at him.

“You going to rat on me?”

“I won’t have to, you’re a mess,” he hissed, getting up to take my arm before I could sit at my desk. “C’mon, you need to go home. Are you drunk?”

“Just a tiny little bit,” I replied, holding my thumb and finger apart to show him. “A minuscule drop.”

“You need to focus more in Math if you think that measurement is correct,” he deadpanned, steering me from the room. Jensen and Lukas were in the hallway and eyed me knowingly, Jensen sighing.

“You taking him home?”

“Yep.”

“He’s taking me to my man. Marky Poo will look after me,” I announced, earning a dirty look from Caden.

“No, I’m not.”

“Are too! I practically live with him now anyway, we’re bros,” I replied, pulling my phone out and finding Marco’s contact to call him. It rang three times before he answered, his voice flat.

“What? I’m working.”

“Marky Poo, don’t be like that. Are you at the warehouse? Caden’s bringing me to you,” I said brightly, and he paused for a moment before answering.