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“Well shit, this just got good.” Wit leaned in and whispered to Hen, “Just let him say shit. He’s harmless. Once the steam stops rollin’ out of his ears… it’ll all be fine.”
17
“Don’t makethe same mistake I did, brother,” Killion warned Cane. “I said sleeping with the enemy, and in hindsight, it was the wrong choice of words.”
“Thanks for that.” Sarcasm dripped from Cane’s heated words. “I don’t know whose hindsight you’re leaning on, but I feel like you hit the nail on the head there.”
“Whoa. What’s going on here?” Hen backed up a few paces as Cane moved in. “Why am I the enemy? Anyone want to clue me in here?”
“You’re sleeping with my baby sister,” Cane went on, poking Hen in the chest. “That makes you enemy number one. Tell me this isn’t true.”
“I’ll do no such thing. I ain’t a liar,” Hen said back, looking at Ashlyn, who shrugged and rolled her eyes at the behavior. “And I ain’t your enemy, O’Reilly. Just the opposite, actually.”
“Really? You’re Dirty Dozen. How’s that opposite?” Cane questioned.
“Cane,” Ashlyn warned, stepping between her brother and Hen. “You’re being ridiculous and sound like a Neanderthal.”
“That’s an insult to a Neanderthal,” Hen quipped.
Cane puffed his chest. “Come again?”
“You heard me,” Hen fired back. “C’mon. We’ve had your back more times than I can count and saved your asses even more. Hell, we were in the shadows –– I was in the shadows –– doing you favors, and you didn’t even know it. So enemies, we are not.”
“Because we had a common goal,” Cane said.
“And we still do, or we wouldn’t be here. We don’t need you to solve my problem just like you don’t need us to solve Wit’s,” Hen said. “We’re here as an ally. A friend.”
“She’s my sister,” Cane said between gritted teeth.
“Oh, that’s what this entire thing is about. You’re willing to destroy a relationship –– comradery –– and compromise a case to play tough big brother. Says a lot ’bout you, O’Reilly.”
“I told you not to say it.” Killion interrupted while his focus remained on his computer. “Hindsight, remember? Sorry, Ash. Hearing it out of him made me realize just how bad it sounded.”
“Apology accepted.” Ashlyn shook her head in disbelief. “Can we stop beating our chests now?”
“No,” Cane answered, stare fixed on Hen. “Not until we resolve this… issue.”
“I’ll solve it for you.” Hen stepped to Cane. “I… I love her.”
Ashlyn spun on her heels with a wide-eye stare for Hen. “You do?”
“Ha.” Ayelish snickered. “You do?”
Wit leaned in and whispered, “You do? ’Cause he might hit ya now, then it’ll be fine.”
Cane crossed his arms and sized Hen up. “You do?”
He nodded without taking his eyes off Cane. “I fuckin’ do.”
“I, uh, love him too,” Ashlyn said with her hands on her hips. “Back off, Cane. This isn’t cute, and it isn’t who you are.”
“First, this guy and Aye.” Cane pointed at Wit. “Now this jackass and you? You love him? How well can you possibly know him?”
Bozz leaned his back against the wall, seemingly put off by the whole exchange. “Great. We got ourselves some Romeo and Juliet shit going on here.”
“I love me a good romance.” Wit joined him on the wall.
Nico turned to him with surprise. “They die at the end, bro.”
