Page 36

“I’ll feed the dog.”

That promptly gets her attention, seeming shocked at first that I’d do something so humane—which is, again, crazy, I’m a public servant—and gives me a small smile.

“No chocolate.”

“Okay.”

“Or grapes.”

“Got it.”

“And no raisins.”

I make a face. “I don’t have raisins. Who the hell buys raisins, Adeline?”

“No onions, garlic, or⁠—”

“Adeline…” I warn, pointing to my bathroom.

“No bones, either—Briggs, lemme talk to Dodger for a minute, so I can make sure—” I reach for her, turn her around, and pluck the phone out of her hands.

“Change your damn clothes, or I’m gonna do it myself.”

I see Adeline perk a brow, but I give her a little shove before she can say anything that’s going to get me to hang up on Briggs, and she walks, semi-stumbles, toward the hallway.

This woman is going to drive me stark crazy.

Bringing my phone up to my ear, I’m about to tell Briggs that I have everything under control when he speaks first.

Don’t know how he knows I can hear him when I put the phone up to my ear, but he knows.

“You’re gonna do what now?”

Rolling my eyes, I’ve already dealt with enough of one Kerrigan. I’m not about to deal with the alpha asshole Kerrigan. “Your sister is a pain in my ass.”

He chuckles slightly, but then it’s wiped clean like he forgot he had his protective brother pants on. “Behave yourself.”

“Wrong person,” I retort with a bit of a bite because I have been behaving.

Sort of.

And, just as I expected, Briggs is not a fan of his sister dating.

She’s older than him.

“I appreciate you goin’ out and getting her,” Briggs says. “She’s⁠—”

“What did you mean for me to behave myself?”

The comment pissed me off, honestly. I’m the sheriff in this town, and he’s the one who’s never behaved himself.

“I meant behave yourself,” he repeats calmly, as if that’s just going to settle in and make the question go away. “Adeline is beautiful and⁠—”

“And?”

“Vulnerable.”

“Who do ya think has been playin’ prince to her damsel in distress?”