Page 59 of Stag

“Wait. Wait. I can’t follow this. What’s going on?” I pointed at Rocket. “Can you please explain?”

His shoulders lifted in a sigh and he nodded.

“He’s not a bad guy, he just has a mouth on him. He’s upset most of the women in our lives at some point, and been smacked or punched about as many times.”

He’d told me he had issues, but it sounded like they felt he didn’t care that he messed up when he spoke to them. Did he hide it all behind bravado, so they never knew?

“He’s never upset me,” I said pointedly, although I instantly second guessed my tone, because would it sound like I was saying all other women were easily offended? That wasn’t the point I was trying to make.

“Wait, I didn’t mean… wow, I just did what he does, didn’t I? Do you all know how bad he feels for every misstep he makes when he’s talking? He genuinely doesn’t mean to be offensive. He’s… he’s incredibly sweet really.”

“I’m sure someone says that about every serial killer at some point,” I saw V saying, and bit back a grin. She was probably right.

“He’s not one though, and regardless of the fact that he’s stuck working for those Bennett guys, he’s really very decent and sweet.”

“He told you?” Harley asked incredulously when I let my attention be drawn to him by his frantically waving hand.

“It was a secret? He’s working for them tonight, right? That’s why you’re all here.” I glanced at Rocket next to see if he was reacting to this news, since he seemed to be friendlier about Stag than the others.

“He’s what? You really let him do that?” Rocket elbowed Harley, and the two of them started arguing with each other, again at angles I couldn’t fully read, nor could I read two sets of lips at once, so I sighed and turned to look at Caroline. She offered me a small smile.

“They’re always like this. Arguing seems to be fun for them. I don’t think Stag’s a bad guy, by the way. He says some pretty messed up stuff, but I think you’re right. I think he doesn’t mean them to come across like they do. Sometimes…” she chewed her cheek, “Sometimes he looks shocked at himself after, like a little frown appears, but then he’s dug his hole, so he just keeps going. I think he feels like he can’t backtrack after.”

“So has anyone tried making an effort to get to know him, you know, beyond letting his words push you away? You just said you can see it bothers him, but you didn’t try either?”

Caroline’s jaw dropped, and V tapped my arm, glaring at me when I turned to her.

“This isn’t on her. This isn’t on any of us. If he can’t make conversation like a person, instead of an asshole, that’s on him. He’s had plenty of opportunities to get it right, and calling women ‘chicks’ or ‘bitches’ or worse isn’t how to get it right!”

I leaned down to press my lips against Nixie’s little head as she gazed up at me, those huge brown eyes blinking adorably. It wasn’t her fault she was family to a bunch of arrogant morons who couldn’t understand when a person needed support instead of anger.

“I think you all should leave now. Thanks for coming, but I’d like to rest and wait for Stag. He deserves the best of me when he gets here, and I’m not wasting that on the likes of you.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

Ithink I preferred beating a guy to death, and I hated that like you wouldn’t believe, but sitting in a car with a guy I barely know, staring at a building across from us? Dull as fuck.

“So this is all we do?”

The guy sighed, dragging a hand through his girly blonde hair. He seemed to sigh a lot, but was that me, or just him being an annoying fucker?

“You’ve asked me that four fucking times now, Stag. Yes. This is all we fucking do for now. We’re waiting to see who comes and goes, and so far, you’ve spent most of the last two hours whining. How about we have some quiet time?”

Whoa. Someone’s pissy. His name was Danno, which made me think of Hawaii 5-0, but the guy was nowhere near as much fun.

“But like, literally, a camera could do this. They pay two guys to waste their fucking evening sitting here like this? That’s bullshit.”

Danno groaned, ignoring me, or pretending to at least. He was so nice when we met, smiling at me, re-introducing himself. Not acting like a mobster bastard at all. Almost gentlemanly, but he’s a pissy little bitch. Well, until he reminded me that the last time we met, he had a knife to my throat, and dragged me into this hell.

“I mean, I could be at home with my lady, you know. She’s been abandoned in a place she barely knows, while I sit here in a fucking car breathing in your farts, and dying a slow boring death.”

This time he laughed, shaking his head at me.

“First off, I haven’t farted, so you’re probably breathing in your own. Thanks for that. Also, you think I wouldn’t rather be with my sweet lady too? You’re not the only one who’s got someone waiting for him, although…” he trailed off and I groaned, because I had a feeling I knew what was coming.

“Just don’t.”

“So they were right? I mean, they’re rarely wrong. They read people really fucking well. It’s actually pretty annoying, but it’s saved lives before, so I’m not knocking it. When’s the big night, man? You gonna make it special?”