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I’m startled. First passarounds, then a stripper. I’m starting to realize how little I know about Trigger. “I’m not a stripper.”
Fortunately, I’m rescued by Jess, who enters holding hands with a darling girl who has the same grey eyes as Max and Hangman.
“Evanee!” Jess exclaims. “What brings you here?” We hug like we’re long-lost friends.
“You know her?” Oscar says to Jess.
“Of course, I do. Evanee’s the new vet in town.”
Eyes swing towards me again. “You’re a vet?” It’s the young girl, her tone full of skepticism.
I sigh. Veterinarians are so stereotyped. “I am. And who might you be?”
She steps slightly behind Jess, but before she can answer, Max says, “She’s Brielle.”
“I see. And you’re her big brother.”
“Half-brother,” Max corrects. “We have different moms.”
Trigger walks in at that moment and I’m happy to see him. Adults I can handle, but children in large quantities unsettle me. As a vet, I’ve had direct conversations with them, one or two at a time, but I have little skill in socializing with them.
“Hello,” I say with a smile that fades when I see blood on his beard and T-shirt. However, I don’t ask or comment. I’m not the swooning type and I’m not going to bring attention to it unless he does.
Jess, however, has no such compunction as she gives him a concerned pat down. “What happened to you?” For a minute I think I’m going to have to punch her for touching my man, but Trigger disentangles himself from her.
His eyes are flat as he replies. “Ran into a brick wall.”
Max smirks. “I bet my dad hit him.”
First of all, I am not aggressive in the conventional sense, but when something or someone I care about is attacked, I get agitated. Usually, that only extends to my furry and feathered darlings, but it turns out no one shits on my man either. “You’re a disrespectful little jerk, aren’t you?” I say to him in the same tone of voice he uses on others.
“Evanee!” Jess exclaims. “He’s a kid.” She has mad protective skills, which is something to admire, but not in this situation.
“He’s old enough to know better,” I murmur to her, but my eyes, as flat as Trigger’s, are pinned on him.
“Evanee,” Trigger says in a low voice, but doesn’t otherwise intervene.
Max opens his mouth to retort, but I stall him. “You’ve earned nothing but bragging rights because of your relationship to your father. You think it makes you powerful, but it doesn’t. Respect is what gives you power.”
He shoots to his feet. “I have respect!”
“So far, all I’ve seen is an entitled bully with a big mouth.”
Oscar snorts and I move my attention to him. “You’re no better, pretending you don’t give a fuck about anyone or anything.”
“Holy,” Brielle says breathlessly.
“Stop swearing in front of the kids!” Jess exclaims as she glares at me.
Trigger wraps his big meaty hand around my upper arm, making me shiver. “Let’s go.”
I smile up at him. “I’m not quite done.”
“You’re done,” a deep voice says from behind me. I turn towards him and see that the voice matches the man. Tall, hard, dark hair, eyes, clean shaven but tatted. There’s no denying he’s Oscar’s dad.
I give him my best fuck-off smile. “I’m Evanee,” I tell him. “It’s important for you to know that strangers don’t tell me what I can and cannot do.”
“Control her,” Eight snaps at Trigger.
