Cody didn’t tell Harley that he loved her too. He had thought that he might, especially the day he thought that scum was going to kill her, but just days ago he thought he was in love with Macy too. He didn’t want to hurt Harley and he didn’t want to promise her anything that he couldn’t deliver. They’d lain there in each other’s arms for a while and before she left, they made love again. Afterwards he drove back to the clubhouse, to finish his prospect duties. There were a few old guys at the bar and Twister was serving their beers. He looked half asleep, like they’d woken him up to wait on them. Cody gave him a sympathetic look and went into the kitchen to get a broom. He saw that while he’d been gone, the dishes had piled back up in the sink. He was filling it with hot water to wash them when he heard loud voices in the great room. As soon as he stepped out of the kitchen and saw Kyle Brady’s back, he knew that it was going to be another long night.

“You looking for me?”

Kyle spun around. He was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt and didn’t look at all like a cop, like he usually did in his expensive suits. His green eyes were filled with anger as he looked at Cody and he wondered if Harley forgot to mention that she’d told Kyle about them. “You little fucker!”

“Hey, now,” Marty, one of the older guys at the bar said, in a low, warning tone.

“It’s okay, Marty. I can handle this.”

“You think you can, you little shit?”

Cody chuckled. “I guess the ‘little’ is referring to my age, because if I’m not mistaken, I’m an inch taller than you and about thirty pounds heavier.”

“That doesn’t matter. I’m going to kick the shit out of you.” Cody saw Twister put the towel he was holding in his hands down on the counter and take a step in his direction. He put his hand up and said:

“It’s okay, Twist, really.”

“You think so, asshole?” Brady said. “You think it’s okay that this fucking piece-of-shit club already stole my little sister and now you’re trying to do the same with my girl?”

“Look, Detective Brady, I am not responsible for Angel, but I can tell you that as far as I can see, she’s happy here.”

“How can she be happy? How can anyone be happy here? She’s damned lucky she was out to dinner last month when her whole fucking house was destroyed by someone that wanted something from her boyfriend. He can’t keep her safe, and one of these days she will be in the house when that shit happens and she might just realize the mistake she made…and it might just be too late.”

“I’m not sure what you want from me. It sounds like you’re worried about your sister and I get that, but…”

“Don’t act like you’re going to fucking reason with me, or like you give a shit about me or my sister. You’re just as fucking bad as Dax, pulling Hannah in and getting her mixed up in all this shit.”

Cody chuckled. “Wasn’t that you, thanking me for saving Harley’s life a few weeks back?”

“Her name is Hannah, you little fuckface, and I was trying to be civil for her sake. But the truth is that she shouldn’t have been here in the first place.”

“She wasn’t here to see me. She was staying with Angel.”

“Yeah, which takes me back to how my sister shouldn’t be here either.”

“So, I have to ask you again, what do you want from me?”

“I want you to leave her alone. Hannah was raised in a strict house by a strict father…”

Cody couldn’t resist. He folded his arms and leaned into the doorjamb and said, “I know. I was there.”

Kyle took a step toward him and Twister stepped out from behind the bar. He looked tense and ready for a fight. Kyle gave him a dirty look and then told Cody, “Tell the watchdog to heel, we’re just talking, for now.”

Before Cody could say a word, Twister threw a hard left hook in Kyle’s direction. Kyle pulled back so it didn’t catch him full in the face, but it did catch him on the side of the head. He stumbled back, but righted himself quickly. He started to go for Twister, and Twist wasn’t backing down. Cody rushed in between them and took hold of his friend. One of the guys at the bar had Kyle by his arms.

“Let go of me. Do you know who I fucking am?”

“Right now it looks like you’re the guy trespassing and causing trouble,” Walt, the guy holding him, said. Kyle started twisting and Walt calmly said, “When you calm your ass down, I’ll let go of you. Until then…”

“What the hell’s going on?” The sound of Dax’s voice caused everyone to stop what they were doing. Cody let go of Twister. Walt let go of Kyle. Kyle pulled away in a huff and his angry green eyes turned on Dax.

“You need to get these little shits you call prospects in check.”

Dax raised an eyebrow. “What are you doing here, Kyle?”

“I came to have a talk with Miller. But it seems like none of the rest of these losers can mind their own business.” Dax looked around the room. Walt was winded, but smiling at his president. Marty was still sitting on one of the stools but he had one foot on the floor like he was ready to go. Twister and Cody stood side by side, and Cody couldn’t help but think they looked like two kids that had gotten caught with their hands in the cookie jar.

“Can I say something, boss?” Marty asked.

“By all means,” Dax said, “Shed some light on what the hell is going on in here.”

“Cody was minding his own business. This guy busted in here looking for a fight. Twist was only trying to protect Cody.” Those words went right through Cody like a knife. Protect Cody…it seemed almost to be the mantra of the club lately, and he hated it.

“Cody, Kyle, if this is a private conversation, let’s take it into the meeting room.”

Kyle glared at Cody but he turned and headed for the room. Cody didn’t want to follow him. He was finished with this conversation. Harley and Angel were big girls and they could choose to do who and what they wanted. Cody wasn’t going to listen to Kyle debate that with him. When Cody didn’t move Dax looked at him. He didn’t say a word, but that look told Cody he needed to move. With a sigh, Cody followed Kyle over to the locked room. Dax used his key to open it and all three men stepped in. “Now, sit down and talk, like grown-ups. Kyle, what’s your complaint?”

“The little bastard is fucking my girlfriend.”

Dax mumbled a cuss word under his breath and looked at Cody. He stared at him for a long time and Cody finally said, “She broke up with him. She’s not his girlfriend any longer. Dax, you know that Harley and I go way back. We’re friends and we have chemistry. She wasn’t happy with this guy…”

“You lying piece of shit!”

Cody shrugged and said, “Just telling you what I know. It’s all I can do.”

“You seduced her with that adrenaline rush bullshit.”

“And you pushed her away by being so fucking boring.”

Kyle came back up on his feet and Dax stood up too. Cody stayed where he was. “I don’t know what this is all about, but you know this is my house, Kyle, and you don’t come in here picking fights.”

“I’m not here to fight. I’m here to warn this little bastard to stay away from Hannah.”

“Harley’s the one that keeps coming back to me…”

“Enough, Cody!” Dax shut him down, but Cody’s words had hit their target. Kyle tried to push past Dax to get to him and Dax shoved him back, hard. Kyle hit the chair he’d been sitting in and fell over it. Dax went over to him and put his hand out. “You and I are family, Kyle. I don’t want to kick your ass. But if you don’t leave right now, I will.”

“Fuck you!” Kyle brushed Dax’s hand away and stood up. “You did all of this. You ruined my family and now that little bastard that you keep making excuses for is ruining the one good thing I had in my life. You both better hear me when I say this…the next time there’s trouble at this ranch I won’t stop until I find a way to shut this place down.”

“Get out, Kyle, now.” Dax didn’t raise his voice but Cody knew it would be the last thing he said before Kyle needed help, maybe a stretcher, to carry him out. Apparently Kyle knew it too, or he was at least smart enough to figure it out. He straightened his shirt, glared at Cody, and then left. Cody continued to sit silently in his chair until Dax was ready to deal with him. Finally, somewhat calmed down, Dax turned toward him and said, “What was that all about?”

“He asked Harley to marry him and she said no. He thinks that’s my fault.”

“Is it?”

Cody shrugged. “She says she’s in love with me. But I promise you, Dax, I wasn’t the one doing the chasing here.”

“Knowing that little red-haired demon, I don’t doubt that. Just promise me one thing?”

“What’s that?”

“If you two do end up together, don’t procreate.”

Cody laughed. Dax tried to keep a straight face, but he laughed too. When they stopped laughing, Dax said, “You know, Angel’s pissed at you too.”

“Because of this thing with Kyle and Harley?”

“No. Because after raising you I’m not sure I ever want to have kids.”

Cody smiled. “Sorry about that. I’m changing my ways. I just had an epiphany tonight, as a matter of fact. You can ask Jimmy and Macy. I promised the two of them to stay out of their relationship and I even promised Jimmy I’d give him the respect he has coming from a lowly prospect like myself.”

Dax looked at him for a second like he was trying to figure out if he was being serious. Then he said, “Good. Maybe there is hope that you’ll grow up after all.”

“Don’t give up on me, Dax,” Cody said, seriously. “You’re all I’ve got.”

“If I haven’t been able to give up on you yet, kid, it probably won’t happen. Now get in there and sweep that floor, it looks like shit.” Dax walked him out and all eyes in the great room were on them. Another handful of the guys had shown up while they were gone and Cody could tell that they’d all been filled in on the drama. As Dax went out the door, Cody started to head back into the kitchen when old Marty said:

“That cop was pissed. Did you really fuck his old lady?”

Cody grinned at the old man and said, “Nope. She wanted me to, but I was too busy with yours at the time.” The room erupted in laughter and Marty flipped him off, but he smiled. They’d been ready to fight for him today and now they were ready to laugh with him. Slowly, he was starting to feel like he belonged. Finally.