Kella isn’t happy with the pathetic excuse for a fucking meal we gave her, but there isn’t anything I can do about that now. I should’ve planned better and gotten her a real dinner. Fuck, why am I even feeling bad about this. Pushing those thoughts aside I check in with Bree.

“Dave wasn’t a pain in the ass was he?” I ask her, leaning my elbows on the bar.

“He was fine,” Bree says, but something about the look on her face bothers me.

“Tell me,” I growl, leaning closer. I’m already running through possible burial locations in my head before she answers.

“It wasn’t him, okay?” She takes a deep breath. “But it felt …” her voice trails off and her cheeks tinge with pink. “It feels stupid saying this out loud but it felt like we were being watched or something. The hairs on the back of my neck kept standing up, and I felt the need to run from a bad situation. Like when Mom …” She lowers her eyes tears beginning to pool in the corners.

Everything inside me freezes. I swear my heart stops for a moment. I’m used to someone trying to tail my guys, hell I’m pretty sure I’m followed most of the time I’m outside the bar or my apartment. Usually, it’s a newbie cop who doesn’t know who runs this city yet, or a lowlife feeling scrappy. But not Bree. Never Bree.

“Dave!” I bark, marching toward my office knowing he’ll follow me.

Once he comes inside and shuts the door, I sit behind my desk and face him.

“I didn’t touch her, Boss, I swear. We barely even talked.” He looks terrified. In my panic, I didn’t even think about how this must look to him, but I’m enough of an asshole to be amused by his reaction for a second before continuing.

“I know, do you think I would even waste my time talking to you if you did?” I pause, giving him a chance to nod his agreement. “Did you see anyone following you? Get a weird vibe?” I ask him, trying to hide my inner panic. If someone is after Bree I will burn this city to the fucking ground before they get their hands on her.

“No, I didn’t. But to be honest, I was focused on her, she kept handing me shit to carry,” he grumbles, looking both relieved and annoyed at the memory. He quickly remembers who he’s talking to and his face goes blank.

“All right, keep an eye out for anything suspicious and spread the word.” He nods and starts to rise, “Oh and if Declan isn’t with Bree, she doesn’t walk home alone anymore,” I add, waiting for his confirmation before dismissing him. Bree’s going to be pissed, but I don’t give a fuck. My daughter has gone through hell and back and I’m not going to be responsible for another damn thing hurting her. But I can’t control everything, can I? I grimace as this extra burden settles on my shoulders. This is a problem I don’t have the time or patience for right now. My phone buzzes, pulling me out of my thoughts.

You have got to be fucking kidding me. I start to stand up, planning to tell the guys to tell her I’m not here when my office door is practically kicked open.

“Oh. My. God. I’m so happy to see you, baby!” Lexi shouts in a high pitched voice, slamming the door behind her.

Jesus Christ, she must have texted me when she was already inside the building. This bitch is fucking psychotic.

“What the fuck do you want?” I bark, at the end of my patience with this day, with her, with everything really right now.

“Baby, I missed you!” she purrs making her way toward me.

“Not your baby,” I growl, thankful for the desk between us.

“Ron, you know we have something between us,” she insists, plopping down in one of my leather chairs.

Her cheap perfume permeates the air and I notice she doesn’t look as put together as she usually does. Overall she dresses in what I would say is a classical style, but I can see cracks in her veneer today. If you saw her on the street, you would think she was a soccer mom with her infinity scarf and cardigan. Her eyes give her away though. You can see that crazy coming a mile away. If only I had been paying attention to her the first time I met her. I wish I hadn’t been so nice to her that night she came in with a message from Kella. It was the only way I could think of to get more information from her, information she hadn’t had in the end.

“Look.” I give a deep sigh, hoping it conveys my aggravation. “I told you to lose my number and I meant it. Forget we ever met, okay?” I give her an expectant look.

“You look stressed,” she says, acting like I hadn’t just basically told her to fuck off.

“Listen …” I start, but the office door opens. I jump slightly and reach my hand under my desk where I keep a piece taped to it. No one barges into my office without knocking and twice in a row is unheard of.

I pull my hand back when I see Kella saunter in, looking at Lexi then immediately dismissing her. She makes her way toward my desk, perching on the end of it. She’s trying to look seductive, but it’s obvious she has no practice. Fuck if that doesn’t make the whole thing hotter.

“Who are you?” Lexi hisses, clearly seeing Kella as a threat. I almost give a snort. If only she knew.

Then Lexi’s question hits me. Interesting. Despite using Lexi as a messenger, Kella never let Lexi know her identity. A very smart move indeed.

“Who are you?” Kella replies, the look on her face is benign, but I don’t miss the tension coming from her body. Her eyes are glued to Lexi, ready for an attack.

I should probably try to stop what’s about to happen but I can’t bring myself to care. Something about the way Kella came in here to challenge Lexi is working for me; I mean really working for me.

“I’m Ron’s girlfriend, Lexi,” Lexi says, a fake smile plastered all over her face. She extends her hand to Kella who doesn’t bother to acknowledge it.

“Oh, why didn’t you say so!” Kella says, a brilliant smile on her face before it turns into a sinister grin. She leans in conspiratorially. “This is kind of awkward, you know, me being his side piece and all.”

It takes exactly two seconds for Kella’s words to register in Lexi’s vapid little mind.

“What?!” she screeches, jumping up from her seat. She shoots me a desperate look before turning to face Kella again. “He’s mine, bitch!” She throws her arms in the air in a frantic waving motion. I’d always thought the windmill gesture was more of a joke than an actual move people tried in fights. Apparently, what they say about women fighting is true. Well, average women. Something tells me Kella has never wasted her time in a fight.

Kella takes a step back and gives me a confused look. It takes her a minute to realize she’s trying to swing at her.

“I think she’s trying to fight you,” I say, the laughter bubbling out of my chest before I can stop.

Kella doesn’t answer, simply giving me a bright smile before pulling her fist back, hitting Lexi in the stomach. I hear an “oomph” as Lexi doubles over, holding her stomach in pain.

“Get the fuck out of here,” Kella says, walking past Lexi kicking her in the ass which makes her fall forward.

Lexi catches herself on her hands and looks at me, tears rolling down her cheeks.

“Ron …” Lexi whines, slowly raising herself up to stand.

“I told you this wasn’t going to happen.” I motion between us to be clear. “Now you know I mean it. Don’t come back.” I sit down at my desk and ignore her as she gathers her purse and leaves. I know I’m a fucking bastard but I can’t be any other way. Even if I wanted something like that in my life, it would never be with a woman like Lexi.