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“Yeah, he got shot protecting you,” I pointed out reasonably, thinking Jesse meant Celt. “Why were Hellfire there? Were you following us?”
“No, we were heading to the baby shop. Chance’s old lady Clio is pissed because she’s ten days overdue, and we were getting her some shit. Trying to cheer Clio up,” Pyro explained from where he stood at the door.
“Co-incidence that we’re here together?” Jesse sneered.
“Kid, with your attitude, you’re gonna get a mouthful of fist if you carry on!” Pyro warned and caught Jesse’s gaze. Jesse held Pyro’s eyes without a blink. “Fuck me, it’s Celt’s asshole clone,” Pyro muttered.
“Look, we’d no idea you were here. We were honestly picking up some baby shit to cheer Clio up. Clio’s upset, and we wanted to make her smile. If Clio is miserable, Chance becomes a raging dickwad,” Bear grunted.
“We saw the shooter as we approached the shop. Heard the first bullet, and then Celt was moving towards his boy,” Pyro explained. Both Jesse and I bristled.
“Jesse isn’t Celt’s son!”
“That asshole ain’t my dad. I don’t want a wife-beater as a father!” Jesse’s words hit true and strong, and Celt flinched before everyone in Hellfire winced. “You can’t deny it!” Jesse roared.
“Baby,” I said, drawing Jesse towards me. “Celt still protected you and took a bullet for you. Say thanks,” I insisted.
“Least the asshole can do after he murdered my twin,” Jesse muttered. Again, Celt paled at the words. “Thank you,” Jesse snarked, and I rolled my eyes.
“Oi, kid!” I warned Jesse. Jesse glowered and looked to Mick for support. Finding it lacking, Jesse squared his shoulders and faced Celt.
“Thank you for saving my life and taking a bullet for me,” Jesse smiled sweetly. My gaze narrowed as Jesse turned away, and I caught his whisper. “Shame it didn’t take you out.” Mick and I exchanged exasperated glances, but Hellfire remained oblivious to the last.
“Cops are here!” Pyro hailed from the doorway as a car screeched to a halt in front of the shop. From where I sat, I saw a good-looking Mexican man and a white guy get out and stroll towards us.
“Lio, Gold,” Pyro greeted.
“No uniforms?” the white guy asked. Pyro shook his head, turning to the Mexican man.
“I called it in, Lio; uniforms should have been on the scene before you.”
“So what the fuck happened this time, Bear?” the police officer named Lio demanded, his legs splayed and hands on his hips.
“Not our party; we were witness to it,” Diesel replied and waved at me.
“Damn, you’re the lead singer of The Wild Wind? You were shot at?” Lio asked, coming closer. Mick stepped in front of him.
“ID,” Mick demanded.
“Detective Emilio Hawthorne, here’s my badge. That’s my partner Phil Gold,” Lio said, pulling his badge from his hip and handing it to Mick. Mick studied it carefully before returning it.
“Miss Markham, call me Lio. Can you tell me what happened here today?” Lio asked as he dragged a chair over and sat.
“I’m not sure,” I replied but told Lio what I knew. Mick offered a slightly different statement while I listened to Celt give Detective Gold his own account. Jesse paced back and forth, sending concerned looks in my direction and dark ones in Celts.
“Miss Markham, you said there was hate in his eyes, but you don’t recognise him?”
“No, I’ve no idea who he was, but he seemed to know Jesse and me. He recognised Jesse, which is hard because there are no pictures of Jesse on social media. The newspaper and tv channels have a restraining order against them protecting Jesse’s image from being published. Yet the gunman knew who Jesse was.”
“The asshole targeted Jesse,” Bear agreed, interrupting.
“Chey?” Lio questioned Bear’s shortening of my name. “Who are Miss Markham and Jesse to Hellfire?” Lio said, his gaze narrowing. The cop’s sharp eyes wandered across the faces, lingering on Celt’s before turning to Jesse. Awareness dawned, and Lio straightened.
“Holy shit!”
“Whatever you’re thinking, detective, we have nothing to do with Hellfire,” I announced instantly. Lio’s mouth twitched in response.
“Celt is Jesse’s father?”
