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I smirk at Mason. As insults go, that’s as weak as they come. “As Evanee can attest, my ejaculation timing is pretty much on target.”
“Oh my god,” Brooke moans.
“Then why?” Jennifer’s thigh brushes mine.
I shrug as I shift towards Alison who shifts further from me. “Ain’t always a reason. Sometimes a name just sticks.” I don’t tell them that mine came about because I shot four men in three seconds. Didn’t kill them all but earned the reputation as being quick on the trigger. Hence, the road name.
For about a minute all I can hear is the clinking of forks on plates. The butler offers me coffee, but I hold up a hand. “Another beer’d be welcome,” I tell him.
He nods and moves on.
Finally, Alison breaks the silence. “Have you been to jail?”
Brooke gasps. “Alison, we don’t ask questions like that.”
Don’t know who ‘we’ is because I’ve been asked it a hundred times. Mostly by cops. “Yep, I have. Juvie record then a small stint in county for B & E.”
“You have a record?” Brooke says. She locks eyes with Lyle. “Did you know?”
“Of course, I knew,” Lyle tells her with a furrowed brow. “I know everything about Mr. Horne.”
I’m waitin’ for him to list my deficiencies, but Jennifer jumps into the conversation. “So you’re a criminal?” She’s takin’ shallow breaths and her eyes are glassy.
Mason glares at her from across the table. “He just said he was in prison, so yes,wife, that makes him a criminal.”
Time to settle the family down. “The jail stint was five years ago. I’ve kept my nose clean since.” Meaning I’ve never been caught again, but they don’t need to know that. “So, formerly, I was a criminal. Just like Lyle here, formerly knew Jeffrey Epstein.” I do my homework too. Well, Coyote does my homework for me, but he don’t mind. Callin’ out assholes is one of his favourite things to do.
“Business dealings,” Lyle says defensively as his eyes dart towards Brooke. “Met him maybe three times, all in the boardroom.”
I shrug. “Exactly like that, Lyle. In the past.”
Silence intrudes and I’m proud of myself for shutting down the conversation.
Turns out Alison isn’t about to let my lifestyle go. “Do you carry a gun?”
“I’m a fu… an American. Of course, I carry.”
“Not all Americans carry guns,” she counters. “Psychopaths do.”
“The successful psychopaths do.” I pretend I’m thinking. “The rest are puffed-up wannabes.”
“Sweetie,” Evanee says to me, her head lower, her pretty eyes looking up at me through her thick eyelashes. “Let’s talk about the wedding.”
I give her a grin and a wink. “That’s a great idea.” To Brooke, I say. “Evanee wants a big wedding, full out bash. No expense spared.”
Brooke smiles for the first time tonight. “I can’t wait to start planning it,” she tells Evanee, seeming to forget who her daughter is marrying. “Jennifer and Alison will help. And your friends of course.”
Evanee beams at her mother while Lyle glares daggers. “We have to set a date soon. Trigger says whenever I want. Next spring I’m thinking. Then we can hold it here.” She turns to Lyle. “Of course, you’ll be walking me down the aisle.”
Dad nods dutifully, but his lips are pressed so hard together it’s making the rest of his face turn white.
“That’s not much time to plan. And you’re busy with the vet clinic,” mama Brooke says. “But I think we can do it if all the girls pitch in.”
Jennifer squeals and claps her hands and Alison rolls her eyes.
Lyle clears his throat. “Why don’t you lovely ladies take the planning into the living room. Mason, I have a few contracts in my office I want you to look over.”
Mason seems like he’s about to protest, but a glare from his dad shuts him down. To me, Lyle says, “You a cigar man, Casper?”
