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“He wants you to take the opportunity to practice your good cop routine. I won’t always be there to help.”
“Does he know what he’s asking?” I never had to temper my questions. My gruffness and levity evened out Dexter’s easygoing friend-next-door demeanor.
“It’s a test.”
“Fuck.”
Dexter touched my shoulder. “You can do it. He wouldn’t have asked you to take lead if he didn’t think you could do it without sacrificing the investigation. Your promotion to sergeant is on the line.”
I shrugged my shoulders to ease the tension in my back. “I know.”
“You can do it.”
“Jesus, Dex. I don’t need some pep talk.”
“Don’t you? Isn’t that what Remi gives you?”
“Are you serious right now? Don’t talk about Remi. She’s off-limits.”
Dexter smiled wide, sitting on the desk across from mine. “Oh, is she? Is that because she’s taken?”
“As far as you’re concerned, she is.”
Dexter turned to face the room, raising his voice. “Listen up, guys. Colton Castle is off the market. He’s claimed Remi Lennox.”
“Who’s Remi Lennox?”
“Nobody for you to worry about,” I said through gritted teeth.
Everyone in the station was paying attention to our conversation, and since I was the center of attention, everyone was interested. I’d never dated anyone publicly, much less admitted I was serious about someone.
“Isn’t that the juice shop girl? She’s the one who wears those tight leggings and bright tops.” That was said with a gleam in his eyes.
“Listen up. Remi Lennox is mine. I don’t want to hear any talk about how she dresses or jokes about drinking her juice.”
I winced when I said the last part out loud.
It was met with loud guffaws.
One of the guys held his stomach. “Oh, that’s a good one. Wish I’d thought of it first.”
When the laughter died down, I said evenly, “That’s your last warning.”
Dexter moved closer to me. “Sounds ominous. You know they’re just messing with you, right? They’ve got your back. They’d never step in on your girl. Especially not after you declared her so publicly.”
“Fuck off, Dex.”
“You better work on your bedside manner because Ryan and Corey Kenna are here.”
I turned to see them standing at the front counter next to their attorney, Avery Arrington, one of the founding partners at Gannon, Arrington, and Winters.
“You want to take a couple of deep breaths first?” Dexter teased.
If the guys found out about my meditations with Remi, I’d never hear the end of it.
Lowering his voice, he added, “I hope you can keep your cool better than you just did.”
“I just hope he’s not going to try to weasel his way out of this.”
