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She tried to wiggle out of his hold, but he held her tighter. “Stay where you are.”
“I just want to talk to Renard and Jake.”
“You can talk to them from here.”
Okay, what was going on? Sure, he could be bossy, but he was never this . . . possessive.
“If the girl wants down, you should put her down,” Renard challenged.
What was he doing? Couldn’t he tell Butch was riding the edge of his control?
“I’m all right where I am,” she said quickly. “Really, I’m fine. Good as gold. Hunky-dory.”
The last thing she wanted was to cause any arguments. She’d already been enough of a bother for everyone.
“Shh, Lara,” Butch said gently. “No one is upset with you. Or each other. Right, Renard?”
“Depends. You gonna treat her right, boy? Because now that I’ve saved her, our lives are entwined. So, I’ve got to look out for her. I find out you’re just toying with her and we’re gonna have more than words.”
“Saved her?” Butch asked tightly. “Saved her from what?”
“Oh, just dying on the side of the road, that’s all.”
“What?” Butch roared. “What the fuck are you talking about? Someone better tell me. Right. Fucking. Now.”
She winced then turned her face to glare at Renard. “You didn’t have to tell him like that.”
Renard gave her a fake-innocent look back. “Like what? Don’t know what you’re talking about, girl. Just telling the truth.”
“You are not. You’re exaggerating to rile him up.”
Jake sighed. “Renard, stop trying to stir Butch up. And Butch, calm down. We need to talk about Lara’s welfare.”
She put her hand up, twisting to look at Jake.
“Uh, yes?” Jake asked.
“Shouldn’t Lara be involved in talking about Lara’s welfare?”
“Not if Lara isn’t going to do what’s best for Lara,” Renard said.
Butch growled and she patted his chest soothingly. “It’s okay. Renard comes across as surly, but inside he’s a big marshmallow.”
For some reason, Jake gave her an incredulous look while Butch just sighed.
“Marshmallow? I’m no marshmallow, girl. You take that back before I take off my belt.”
“You will not threaten her,” Butch said in a menacing voice. He set her down and stepped toward Renard.
Uh-oh.
For some reason, Butch was really on edge. The only other time he’d been this on edge was the night that her motel room was broken into in Crabapple. She wondered if the cops had found that guy yet.
As Butch took a step toward Renard, she did the only thing she could think of and leaped onto his back.
“Lara! What are you doing?” he asked, freezing, before reaching behind to support her.
“Don’t hurt Renard! He might be a bit of a grouch, but he did help me, and I owe him.”
Renard gave Butch a smug look, crossing his arms over his chest. “Like he could take me, girl. I’m an ex-marine.”
Jake heaved a huge sigh. “This town is making me go gray.”
Renard made a scoffing noise. “You love this town.”
“Yes, but certain members make me want to pull my hair out.”
“Yeah, those Malones probably give you daily headaches.”
“Renard,” Butch warned.
“Stop. All of you,” Jake warned. “Butch, will you sit down so we can tell you what’s going on?”
“Please?” she whispered, leaning her head against his back.
Grumbling, Butch crouched so she could climb off. Turning, he picked her back up, holding her against his chest as he walked to the chair she’d been sitting in before.
Once he was sitting, he arranged her on his lap, with his arms around her.
“I could have walked,” she whispered.
“No.”
That was it? No?
She stared up at him.
“What?” he asked.
“I just . . . you’re being very . . . uh . . .”
“Caveman?” Renard supplied. “Men around these parts tend to get that way when they find the woman who can bring them to their knees.”
But that didn’t explain why Butch was acting this way . . . because she wasn’t his.
“Lara, you want to tell Butch what happened?” Jake asked.
“Uh, yeah, right. Um.” Why couldn’t she find her words? That wasn’t usually her problem. Her issue was generally stopping the words.
Butch carefully maneuvered her around on his lap so her legs straddled his and she faced him. He then gently tilted her face back. A flash of rage entered his face once more as he took her in properly.
“Fucking hell. Who. Hit. You?”
She sucked in a breath.
“That’s something we all want to know,” Renard said. “According to Lara, she bumped into a doorway.”
Butch’s eyes narrowed. “Nope.”
“Nope?” she repeated.
“That’s not what happened. Tell me. Was it Chandler?”
“Chandler? Who is that?” Jake asked.
Fuck. Shit. This was going to be tricky.
“Wait,” Jake said. “You were in Devotion. Shit. Chandler Devout? He’s your stepfather? Christ, his daughter got married this weekend. Why didn’t I put that together when you said you were at your sister’s wedding?”
“We look nothing alike. You had no reason to suspect I’m Emily Devout’s sister,” she said to him.
