His shoulders relaxed a little. “Yeah. You’re right. I was a dick to Brandon and he just said, ‘you two.’”

  I almost grinned at that, or I would’ve, if I wasn’t still mad at him. Mad because he had an ex who was inside, who I had to give “the really expensive stuff” to. I had to say it. “She is not worth that wine, just saying.”

  A gentle grin came over him, and he took a step closer, his head lowering even more. “You’re right. She’s not.”

  I waited for the line, waited for him to say that instead, I was worth it. But he didn’t, and I glanced up.

  He’d been waiting, the side of his mouth curved up. “I know what you’re thinking.”

  I laughed, reaching out to shove him back, not thinking about it. He caught my hand instead, and he used it to haul me up as he surged forward. We were hugging, and I didn’t push him away. My hand curled in on his shirt, holding him in place. He tipped his head back, still smiling at me, as his hands wrapped around me and slid down, moving up under my shirt. “You like me. Like, like-like me.”

  I looked away. “Shut up.”

  “You do. You totally do.” He began to rock us back and forth, his hands sliding up against my back.

  A tingle raced up my spine from his touch, but I half scowled at him. “We’re sleeping together. Of course, I like you, you idiot.”

  He stopped rocking us and his forehead moved down, resting on mine. I could feel him getting serious and held my breath. He said, almost quietly, “I like-like you too. Like, like like like like you.”

  A slight laugh escaped me. “You are not funny. That’s not something to laugh at.”

  “You’re the one who just laughed.”

  “Because you said you ‘like like like’ me.”

  “No.” He was still serious. Almost solemn. “I said that I ‘like like like like’ you.”

  “Such a difference.”

  “It is. There’s a lot of difference between like like like and like like like liking someone. I like like like like you and I might even go so far to say that I like like like like like you, a lot.”

  “You can be kinda…” I was going to say stupid, but he wasn’t. He was being sweet and funny, and he was making me smile. And he didn’t care that I’d been irrationally jealous seconds ago.

  “What? I can be what?” His hand was moving over my back, sensually.

  I was really starting to like like like like like how he was touching me.

  I shook my head. “Intense sometimes, and sweet at other times.”

  His head lifted, but he kept studying me. “Is that an okay thing?”

  I nodded. “That’s an okay thing.” My break was almost done. “I need to go back in. Can you do me a favor?”

  “Anything.”

  I gave him a look.

  He just grinned back at me.

  “Can you put an entire seat between you and your ex?”

  He laughed but nodded. “I can do you better. How about I put an entire building between myself and her?”

  I stilled. “What?”

  “She took off.”

  “What?”

  “As soon as you left, I took the wine and told her there’s no fucking way I was spending that much money on her ass.”

  A surprised laugh caught in my chest.

  He smirked. “You are just not getting it.”

  “Getting what?”

  His eyes flashed, fierce, for a second. “That there is no one in my past you need to worry about. No one. Literally. The only one I’ve come to care about…” His hand reached up and touched a strand of my hair, tucking it behind my ear. “…is you.”

  Warmth burst inside of me, and oh boy. I recognized that feeling. It was way beyond all the likes put together.

  17

  ZEKE

  A month later

  * * *

  I liked baseball. I played at Cain University for my last two years. It was nothing serious, more something for me to do and another reason for the fraternity to celebrate something, but I liked it. It was my thing, kinda. Not counting the guys in the frat, all of my friends had their own things. Blaise had soccer. Well, all of Blaise’s family and their significant others had their own groups.

  I liked sex. Being a social butterfly. I was the glue that connected people, brought people together. Sometimes I got sticky and was walked on, and I knew that part. I was okay with that. No one thought of me as that, but I knew it. Like I was the sidechick for my buds. I said the funny thing, or the mean thing, and people either laughed at me or they got mad at me, but they didn’t understand that I was the spark.

  I made things happen. Someone needed a push? I did it. Someone needed to be checked up on? I did it. The only real time I got nervous was when Blaise wanted to do something to one of my frat bros, and I was like, “Uh, I don’t know, bro.” And he was like, “We’re doing it.” And then I was like, “Okay.” And I did it because that’s what I did.

  I was the support. That was my role. Supporting my friends to shine and do their thing. Though, I’ll admit that I didn’t accept that role until Blaise came back to Fallen Crest. But I needed it. I was lost and wandering, and I wasn’t going to turn into a good guy. I knew that much. I was the dude that did better with structure. Blaise came in, and he became a part of my structure, and it was up to me to give myself the other part of my structure. Later, my dad really gave me structure, and that changed my outlook on everything.

  I’d always be grateful, but still, through college, I was the support for everyone. They just didn’t know it. Then we graduated and everyone went on to their lives. Their careers. I figured out my way, though it was hard at times. I felt that old lost feeling again, and it really sucked for a bit. That’s when I started playing baseball at Cain, and that helped again.

  So that’s what I did again, except I was playing softball for the Kade Enterprises Team. Not baseball. It was made up of a bunch of their employees, and a couple of the board members. My dad had been on it first until he got hurt and asked me to take his place.

  Doing stocks was well and good, but I didn’t have a lot of people in the area. Or like family people. I had a lot of people who knew me, who I knew, who thought we were friends, and we were, but… not the kind that I considered family. The kind that really knew me. Blaise was in Europe. Mara was in another state. My sister’s at college. My dad retired and he and my mom now traveled in an RV. My mom loved it because she could drink and sleep in the back, and my dad loved it because he could act like he’s poor. Legit. He took a picture of a bunch of ramen that they were eating for the week. In all honesty, I thought it was making my dad happy again, and he told me that my mom wasn’t drinking as much. But they were gone, and in Alaska. They had a whole pitstop in Canada. I had no clue why, but the pictures looked very marijuana happy so good for them.

  But… the last couple years, I’d been in one of those ‘lost’ phases again.

  The softball playing helped, but it was just a night every third Thursday of the month. We weren’t a team that played weekly or biweekly. But I was at our game tonight.

  Ava was working at Manny’s, and I had plans to head there after the game.

  We were playing against the Fallen Crest Bankers Association team, who was like us. They only played once every third Thursday, and so far, it wasn’t much of a game. They had a couple young players who knew what they were doing. I was guessing they were roped in, new tellers or something, but the older players—I was fairly certain they were playing with their kids’ gloves, if that’s an indication what kind of team they were.

  We were nearing the ninth inning, and I was surprised it hadn’t been called. We were twelve to one, and the one was walked. I was on deck, so I had my bat, but I didn’t need to warm up.

  “Hey, Zeke.” The first baseman’s ref came over. I had to think, placing him, and grunted hello when I did. He was on the board at Fallen Crest Financial City, had a boy in high school, a girl in college. His wife used to hit on me every Tuesday night at Manny’s.

  “Roger.”

  His eyes lit up. He liked that I knew his name.

  “Heard you got a lady. Is that true?”

  A lady? I grinned at the terminology but nodded. “Yep. I do.”

  “That Ava girl, right?”

  I frowned, just a little. In general, dudes didn’t bring up another dude’s woman unless there was a reason. And if that happened, usually the reason wasn’t a good one, or it was going to go in a not-good place. I was waiting for Roger to tell me which way this conversation was going to go.

  “Uh huh.”

  He nodded, a little bit too eager for my liking. “She’s a pretty one. Her mother is staying at a facility where my girl volunteers. Says Ava comes in and sees her mom every other day. Does lunch with her before she goes off to her job at Manny’s. I always thought it was a shame that she’d not gotten scooped up by someone. Girl like that. Pretty. Quiet. Real pretty. Hard worker too.”

  I was starting to see where this conversation was going to go. The more he talked, the more eager I was getting for that end result. “Really.”

  “Oh, yeah.” There it was, a nice dirty gleam in his gaze. He licked his lips and hitched up his pants. Bending over, peering at home plate, he shook his head. “I gotta ask—”

  I grunted, “No, you don’t.”

  “—what’s she like in bed, man—”

  He didn’t heed my warning.

  He kept on, but I stopped listening because I’d heard enough to hear him talk about shit he shouldn’t be talking about. Bed. Positions. Energy. How her legs felt wrapped around me.

  All calm-like, as the batter struck out and I was up, I tossed my bat in the air.

  Roger was still talking.

  I had a fleeting thought that it would’ve been nice if Blaise was here for back-up, and I caught the end of my bat and swung, just like I was going to hit a grounder. A nicely aimed grounder where I still had follow-through, but the ball was directed to hit immediately down but with a bounce. Not where I took the bat and bunted. Not that kind, because that wouldn’t have been satisfactory, but this guy, this Roger, he should’ve heeded my warning.

  My woman. She didn’t deserve to be talked about like that, and as I swung, as I clipped him clear across in the face, I heard yells in the distance. There was a whistle sound. People were shouting. Then running. Roger was on the ground. I got him clean, not in the front, to the side. I’d aimed it just right, but he was bleeding and he was unconscious, and my teammates were shoving me backwards.

  His team members were up in arms, yelling.

  Someone was threatening me. More than one, actually.

  I didn’t care. I walked backwards, letting my teammates push me back, but I kept watching Roger. If he woke, I wanted to see him. I wanted his eyes on me.

  “What the fuck, Allen?! Why’d you clock him?”

  “He was disrespecting Ava.” Seemed simple to me.

  My teammate swore. “Cops are coming. That’s Roger Mitchell. He could sue you.”

  I dug into my wallet, and pulled out a card, handing it up. “Call my lawyer.”

  He cursed again, but took it, and swore a third time. “Logan Kade?”

  I grinned. “Something tells me he’ll be happy to represent me. Make sure to tell him the reason.”

  He shook his head but took the card. He was pulling his phone out as a squad car was turning into the softball fields. I knew the officers who were getting out of the car, and as one headed my way, the other one cut across to check on Mitchell.

  “What the fuck, Zeke?”

  I grinned. “Still think it’s funny you decided to go law enforcement after college, Ryerson.”

  Race Ryerson shook his head at me, his mouth all tight-lipped as he liked to get when he was worked up. I knew him from when we were in high school, but the better connection was because he’d married Blaise’s sister.

  He sighed. “It was this or doing custom race cars.”

  “No. I think it’s funny considering your family lineage.”

  His partner was coming over, shaking his head. I also knew him from high school. Branston Strandling. Before Blaise, he and his brother were considered my closest friends. He cursed at me. “Why’d the fuck you do that? They’re saying you just all-out swung on him? He wasn’t even looking at you.”

  “He was being disrespectful toward Ava.” I gave him a warning look because his brother had been close to doing the same not that long ago as well.

  He stilled but swore under his breath. He got the look. “Brian’s an asshole.”

  “You’re considered an asshole as well.”

  Race cursed. “Zeke. My God.”

  Branston shot back. “Fuck you, Zeke. You were the king of assholes back then.”

  “Hence, why I swung. I’m also loyal and in love with Ava—” I stopped because holy fuck. I blinked a few times, letting the surprise filter through me. I was in love with Ava. I—I’d never loved a chick before.

  Both guys had quieted, watching me.

  Race asked, quietly, “First time realizing?”

  “Yeah.” I blinked some more and held out a hand. “Holy fuck. I think I have to sit down.”

  Branston snorted, but the ambulance was turned in, lights all flashing. We watched as the paramedics rolled up, went over and checked on Mitchell, and it wasn’t long before he was put on their stretcher and they loaded him up into the wagon. One of the paramedics came over, grimacing. “He’s going to have a concussion. You got his teeth, so there’ll be dental work.” He gave me a pitying look. “He’s talking lawyers already. Sorry, man.” He gave a small wave to us. Race lifted his chin in a salute, but Branston was looking my way.

  “We’ll need to arrest you.”

  I gave him a look, still dazed from my realization. “The world is brighter. Is that normal? Maybe I’m in shock too.”

  Race wheezed out a laugh before coughing, covering it up. A couple of Mitchell’s teammates came over. One was scowling. “That was a very stupid—”

  I growled. “Get lost, Ditterson. He was talking dirty about my woman. And if you think I’m not going to fight him because of that, you’re a moron.”

  He stopped talking. The guy next to him drew up as tall as he could. He tugged at his shirt. “What—uh—what do you mean by that?”

  I wasn’t caring that I was in the presence of two cops as I swung my gaze now his way. I fixed both with looks of frustration. “If you think I grew up in Fallen Crest, in the belly of the white-collar crime part of it, that I didn’t take note of every dirty thing you all have done over the years? And that I didn’t keep it put away in a nice folder somewhere, then you deserve what I’m going to let loose on Mitchell. My father was on the board of Kade Enterprises. He used to golf with you dirtbags. He ain’t stupid. Neither am I.”

  “How would you know—” He shut up, remembering who else was standing beside me, wearing badges.

  “Because I’m good with numbers, stocks, and computers. And no one knows that about me, except Blaise.”

  Race looked my way.

  Branston pulled out his cuffs and held them up in the air. “Do us a favor and walk away?”

  They snapped their attention to him. One snipped, “You just remember to do your job. You work for us, you know.”

  Branston’s tone was tight. “We’ll do our jobs.” They walked off, and he swung to stand in front of me, blocking their view.

  “You’re going to put cuffs on me?”

  His eyes were flat. “Fuck no, but those pieces of shits have to think I am.”

  “Hey.” My teammate hurried over, holding out the card that I gave him. “I got a hold of your lawyer.”

  “Yeah?”

  “I told him what you said, and he said it’s no problem. Anything for Ava or Nate’s adopted son.”

  I laughed.

  My teammate frowned, confused.

  “Is he flying in?”

  “He’s in the area. He can meet you at the station.” He scanned Race and Branston. “I’m assuming that’s where you’re going, right?”

  Branston sighed. “Yes. We’re here to do our jobs. An assault happened, so we’ll be taking him in.”

  My teammate gave a nod before joining the rest of the team.

  Race asked, “What about your car?”

  I shrugged. “I can get it later.” But I was seeing how he was studying it and remembered his other vocation he’d considered once upon a time. “You mentioned custom race cars?”

  “My dad had a shop, worked on bikes, but I don’t know. I always liked the car part of it.”

  “If you ever think of doing that, I’ll invest.”

  His attention jerked back to me. “Yeah?”

  I nodded, knowing what my gut was telling me. “Yeah.”

  “Thanks, Zeke. I might take you up on that offer.”

  “Okay, chicas, not to break up your future business deal, but we need to go.” Branston held his hand out to me. “Give me your keys. I’ll drive it to the station for you.”

  I handed them over. “Thanks, man.”

  Branston jerked his head toward their squad car. “Pretend you’re handcuffed and get inside.”

  I opened my mouth.

  He shook his head. “And don’t be a smartass. We both know it’s not the first time you’ve been in the back of a cop car.”

  I couldn’t help myself. “First time where you’re supposed to be in the driver’s seat.”

  He snorted, before shaking his head and heading off to my vehicle.

  Race drove instead, and once we were on the way, he glanced back in the rearview mirror. “You’re really in love, Zeke?”

  I could let myself think about it, about what I did, what I had no problem doing, and what I’d do again, all because he was talking dirty about my woman. It wasn’t my first time in a fight. Hell. Blaise used to start fights all the time and I’d wade in, but how it happened, how I just swung without batting an eye, that was out of the ordinary for me. Or it was now.

  “Yeah, man.” Ava. Just the thought of her was making me smile. “I’m in love.”