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She headed off, and I looked, but Scout was gone.
He’d vouched for me.
I pulled my phone out and texted.
Me: Why did you do that?
His answer came twenty minutes later when I was in Kira’s very expensive-looking Mercedes-Benz SUV after we’d stopped for lattes.
The Dick: Didn’t do shit.
Right.
But he had.
15
SCOUT
“That was surprising.”
Cohen and I were heading out to grab something to eat. “Shut it.” I knew I was going to get shit. Williams already texted me a thank you. We didn’t need to talk anymore about it. It was a momentary lapse in judgment. To be honest, I didn’t know why the fuck I vouched for her. “I did it for Alex.”
“Right.” Cohen was laughing under his breath, right before his phone buzzed. “Shit.”
“What?”
“Amalia.” He was reading his screen. “She’s saying she’s having a bad day. Could do with a pick-me-up.” He glanced my way. “What do you think?”
“Tell her we’re on our way to pick her up.”
He sent off the text, then we were heading out to my truck.
When we picked her up, she didn’t run from their aunt’s place. She walked with her bag half dragging behind her. Cohen and I shared a look. Despite all the shit happening in her life, Amalia didn’t let it show how it got to her. She was infectious, usually all smiles. Happy. That normal spark from her was gone, and I wanted to wring a guy’s neck not for the first time. My hands tightened around the steering wheel right before she got in the back seat.
“Heya, bug.”
She gave me a small smile, and a little giggle slipped out as she got in. She tossed her bag to the other seat and closed the door.
Cohen turned his head to watch her. “You going to say hi?”
“Hi guys.” It was a mumble from her. She crossed her arms over her chest and slid down in the seat. Her face looked out the window.
Cohen and I shared another look.
She had a situation going on with a guy she liked and thought she was dating, but he was, in fact, a prick and a predator. We knew what was going on, or what had gone on, but if we talked too much about it, both Cohen and I started having murderous thoughts. Amalia tended to get even more upset when that happened, so for her mental well-being, it was the topic we didn’t cover.
“We were thinking pizza and arcade?” Cohen spoke.
She groaned. “Uh. Cringe. Carby’s and a trip to Arts n Cats!”
She wanted to go to her favorite crafting store in Pine River.
“Amalia,” Cohen started.
“Come on. Thirty minutes. Not even.”
I hated that damn store, but Cohen was already giving in. I saw it as he gave me a pleading look, and I grunted. “Fifteen fucking minutes and we’re doing the drive-thru at Carby’s.”
Cohen chuckled.
“Suh-weet! Thank you, Scout.”
Cohen got a burger and fries, Amalia got her chicken strips and coleslaw, and I ordered a salad with chicken. The store’s manager handed me the food with a wide smile. “It’s on us, Mr. R—”
“I can fucking pay.” I tossed him a twenty, hoping that covered it, and sped off.
Cohen was grinning, looking through the bag. “They never make you pay, and you always act all pissed about it. You’re a local celebrity with your fighting. Just deal with it. More of that shit is going to happen the further you progress in your career.”
I had stiffened, so I forced my hands to peel from the steering wheel. “Right.”
“How are you going to eat your salad?”
I was pulling out of the lot and headed for the craft place. “I can eat while you two go in and buy crafts.”
“What? No fair. You gotta come in too.” Amalia’s little hand lifted over the seat, taking her tenders. “I like going in there, but it’s more fun to see how annoyed you get with Mrs. Meomeuooux.”
Jesus. That name. Only Amalia knew how to say it. It sounded like a mix-up of meow and Sioux.
“I’ll eat my salad. You go and get whatever new stamp you need.”
“But—”
“We went to Carby’s for you, Mals. Scout and I wanted pizza. Give this to him, huh?” Cohen gave her a wink. “Besides, you know Mr. Raiden here can’t handle how a grown middle-aged woman has a crush on him.”
I rolled my eyes. “It’s the fucking cats. She’s got like nineteen in there. It’s weird.”
Amalia was back to giggling, which helped ease some of the tension. “It’s only six cats.”
“And twelve kittens,” Cohen added. “I’m with Scout. It’s weird. She’s a cat hoarder.”
“She’s a craft hoarder!” Amalia exclaimed. “And it’s amazing. I’m going to open up my own Etsy store and sell enough where I can actually get a store.”
“Right. Mom and Dad will love that.”
She only laughed. “You just wait and see. I’ve got plans. Big plans for the future.”
