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“Iwasa hand-to-hand combat instructor at the FBI’s training academy, you know.”
She continued as if Joe hadn’t interrupted her. “—and that stuff’s the real deal because the next thing I knew, my baseball bat was gone, I was on my back, and he socked me in the face. I swear, I thought...” Her throat closed as remembered fear surged through her. She shifted on her feet, fighting to push it away. “Let’s just say that in our struggle, I lost. Thankfully, he figured out it was me and stopped. End of story. It was just a colossal mix-up, okay?”
Quinn opened his mouth to speak, but a quiet knock on the open door halted his words.
Nina poked her head in. “I’m so sorry to interrupt, Roxie, but the mayor’s wife’s here. She wants to talk to you—and only you—about her catering order.”
“Thanks, Nina. Please let her know I’ll be right out.” She shot what she hoped was a reassuring smile to Nina. Once the woman’s back was turned, she stared down the two men. “I swear to freaking god, if you guys start fighting in any way, shape, or form, or if you begin acting like the stupid cavemen I know you guys are, I will kick both your asses.”
* * *
As Roxie left the room, Joe worked his aching jaw from side to side and glared at his best friend. “Seriously, O’Conner, do you honestly think if I’d known it was Rox that I’d have hit her?”
Quinn let out a deep breath. “I don’t know what to think, Buchanan.”
Joe’s hands fisted as his resentment and anger returned. “Then fuck you, Connie. If you think for one fucking second that I’d ever knowingly lay a hand on that woman, then—”
“Relax,” Quinn said. “Relax, okay? I know you wouldn’t ever hit Roxie on purpose. I know that.” He shook his head. “But look at it from my view, man. I come in here to see if she wants to come over for fucking dinner tomorrow night, and all I see is that some asshole has pummeled her face in. Then she won’t tell me who did it.”
“Seriously?” Joe’s eyebrows rose to his hairline. He’d figured she’d have the whole town hating him by brunch.
Quinn nodded. “She didn’t say a damn thing. So that pissed me off. Then you waltz in and sayyouhit her and...” He shrugged. “What the hell did you expect?”
Rubbing a hand over his sore jaw, Joe nodded at his old friend. “I’d expect exactly what you did.” His lips pressed into a tight line as images of his fight with Roxie filled his vision. “When I heard her voice last night and it finally registered in my brain that it was Roxanne... Holy fuck.” Bile rose in his throat. “Trust me when I say I’ve never felt so fucking horrible.”
After a few moments of silence, Quinn met his gaze. “How did younotknow it was Roxie?”
That was the million-dollar question. One that had kept him up until the wee hours of the morning. Yes, it had been pitch-black, but how the hell had he not recognized her presence? They might fight and bicker like crazy, but for better or worse, he had always been in tune with her, had always sensed the exact instant she stepped into a room. And to not have known...
Fuck. He wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to forgive himself.
He’d failed her. Again.
She was hurt because of him. Again.
“I don’t know, man.” Raking his hands over his face, Joe sighed. “The power was out. One second, I’m trying to find my way around the living room, and the next second, there’s a baseball bat flying at my head. I didn’t think. It was all gut reaction. Like she said, all the training kicked in. ‘Disarm the enemy, take him to the ground, attack.’ And goddamn, Connie, I hit her hard.” The bile crept up a little higher in his throat.
He shook his head, hoping to clear the memories, but it didn’t work. Groaning, he leaned his head back and closed his eyes. “God knows I’ve imagined Rox underneath me plenty of times, but it was never like that.”
Quinn coughed, and Joe froze.
His eyes flew open.Shit.You didnotfucking say that out loud.
One glance at the shithead across the room told him he had. Joe squirmed as amused and curious gray eyes gleamed back at him.
You’re a fucking idiot, Buchanan.
His face heated, and he cleared his throat.Dammit. “Could you just, uh, forget I said that last part out loud? That thought wasn’t exactly supposed to leave my brain.”
Quinn laughed. Loudly. The fucker. “No way in hell, buddy.”
“Shit,” he muttered. “Is there even a point in me asking you not to mention this conversation to Alex? Because if you tell her, then she’ll tell Roxanne. And the last thing I need is for Rox to know that I think she’s hot.”
“So, wait.” Quinn’s brow furrowed. “When the hell did you start thinking Roxie was hot?”
“Are you kidding me, Connie? The woman’s been hot since she was sixteen.”
Quinn grinned, and Joe realized he’d just taken the bait. His eyes narrowed.
