THIRTY-SIX

Dagne

I knew when we returned to Fort Worth, Hooch would have a stack of responsibilities as president to take care of. Just how many, I grossly underestimated.

Now I know why King’s partner gets grumpy when he doesn’t make it home in time for dinner. Hooch has barely stepped foot outside of the office the past four days.

I rinse and stack dishes in the kitchen while Beth loads the dishwasher. The southern clubhouse doesn’t see nearly as many people through it day-to-day as their Lincoln counterparts. At most, there are half a dozen regulars who eat and sleep here, and no more than a handful who pass through sporadically throughout the week.

“You seem happier since you were here last,” Beth states out of nowhere.

I smile over at her as she lines up the cutlery in their slots. “That so?”

“Yeah.” She dusts her hands off on her shorts and shuts the dishwasher. “I just hadn’t said anything until now because I wasn’t sure if it was a permanent thing or not.”

“My happiness?”

“You and Hooch.” She catches my shocked reaction. “I didn’t mean it like that; he seems real sweet on you. It was more I didn’t want to put my foot in it if it was just a … you know …”

“Fling?”

“Yeah.” She smiles, punching the buttons to start the machine.

I pull the stopper out of the sink and wipe down the sides with the dishcloth. “Has he had many women in the past? Like, is a fling his usual MO?”

“Ah, I see what you’re doing there.”

“What?”

“You’re comparing yourself to his past conquests.”

“Pfft. Whatever.” I totally am.

“Nope. Not going there,” Beth sing-songs as she snatches the cloth from me and wanders through to the dining area to wipe down the tables.

I follow her through, stopping in the doorway and resting my shoulder into it. “Does it ever bother you?”

“Past conquests?”

“Yeah.” I frown. “I mean, you’re not exclusive with anyone, right?”

Hurt flashes in her eyes before she schools her expression and wipes an already clean table. “No. I mean, if I had the opportunity with the right guy here, maybe. But no, they’re all no strings attached.” She laughs, but the hollow sound doesn’t reach her eyes.

“You wish it was with one in particular?”

Her smile tells me to stop being so silly—of course I know.

“Crackers.”

“Yeah.” She stops wiping, wringing the cloth in her hands. “He’s a real sweet guy under it all.”

“They all seem to be.”

Her eyes shoot wide, and she waves the cloth in my direction. “Oh, no way. No they aren’t. Trust me, sugar, some of these men around here?” She tutts, shaking her head side to side. “No good for anybody.”

“Well,” I appease, “Hooch seems to be like that: one guy on the outside, another behind closed doors.”

“It’s his job to be like that. He has to put up a strong front so the guys all respect him.” She moves to the next table, wiping as she looks at me from the corner of her eye. “I heard he had a bit of a meltdown while y’all were up north.”

“Nothing stays a secret around here, does it?”

“Nope.”

She stares me down, waiting on details. “He had a rough run, what with the trouble when he picked Mel up, and all that.”

“You know she’s gone back up to Lincoln, right?”

“With Dog. Yeah.”

“Are those two a …” She dangles the cloth left and right.

“I think so.”

Beth lets out an intrigued sound as she moves to the last table. “Hopefully she can tame that wild child then, huh?”

“If anyone’s got the sass to do it, I think it’s her.”

“Agreed.”

I push off the doorway, ready to leave Beth to it and head upstairs for my morning shower, when I’m boxed in by an unwanted visitor behind me.

“Oh, don’t leave on my accord.” Heather pushes past to enter the room with Beth. “I just wanted y’all to know that the guys are headin’ out soon. No idea when they’ll be back.”

Funny. Hooch never said anything about a trip. “Gee, thanks,” I snap, despite the fact I’m pissed as hell at him for not telling me.

Between his hours in the office, and the time he spends eating, sleeping, and showering before disappearing back in his hole, we get maybe an hour a day to hang out if I’m lucky.

Sure as hell not what I signed up for when he asked me to come back with him. If this is us ‘figuring out how we work’ then shit, I think his puzzle is missing a few edge pieces.

“Anyhow. I’ll leave you two maids to it,” Heather says, heading back past me. “I’ve got more important things to be doing, like taking care of Digits after you broke his damn heart.”

Hold up one goddamn second … “Excuse me?”

“You heard me.” She stops level with my shoulder, her too-thick makeup glaringly obvious at this proximity. “You come in here and lead him on, use him for your own advantage. Just an end game to get at the top prize, was he?”

“I never lead anyone on.” I struggle to keep my voice low and even, but it must have the desired effect as she reels back. “And if he has a fucking problem with me being here, then he can come and speak directly with me about it.”

Not that I’d want him to. It took Digits another two days to get back to the clubhouse after we did, and even then he’s kept his distance the past forty-eight hours. It’s unnerving, to say the least.

“And why the fuck would I want my man anywhere near you, bitch?”

“Hey now.” Beth laughs awkwardly. “Let’s all cool our jets, huh?”

“You know what?” I cry, stepping into the hallway to put distance between us. “I’m done with this shit from you, Heather. If I wanted a piece of your man, you’d goddamn know by now. But you projecting your own insecurities onto me is getting real old.” She tucks her chin to her chest, scowling. “You got an issue with how he feels about me, take it up with him. He was the one harassing me when I made it real fucking clear I had no interest, love.”

“As if he’d do that.” Heather crosses her arms, clearly taken aback.

Wonder what stories he’s been spinning her, then?

“Afraid so.” I jut my chin out defiantly. “You don’t believe me, ask Hooch. He saw the messages.”

“When,” she snaps. “What messages? When did he send them?”

“The whole time I was in Lincoln.” I narrow my gaze on her. “Why?”

Heather glances to Beth, seeming to seek support. “He was here, with me.”

“Not my problem.” I’d feel sorry for her, but … you know. “I get it sucks, Heather, but you’ve got to understand that I never asked for any of this. Surely?”

Her chest heaves with each stolen breath, her eyes glassy with unshed tears. But she’s not upset, not sad; she’s angry, frustrated, and looking to place that hate somewhere convenient and close.

I’ve seen this look before, many a time. Only it was on a man’s face: my father’s. Shit’s going south, fast. I step sideways, ready to bolt, but she pre-empts my move and cuts me off, effectively boxing me in the dead end between the kitchen and dining room.

“Heather,” Beth warns. “Perhaps you need to go talk about this with Digits.”

“No,” she snaps. “None of this would have happened if he hadn’t brought this whore back here.”

“Excuse me?” I scoff. Who’s the whore?

“You heard me, bitch. We had it good until you turned up. I was goin’ to be his old lady.”

“You know that’s not true.” Beth steps between us. “You know he has no intention of doing that.”

“He will.” Heather visibly shakes, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. “You’ll see. He loves me.” The girl’s lost it. Completely cuckoo. A whole fucking basket short of a picnic. “He’s just blinded with her around.” Her lips peel back in a snarl as she points her bony finger around Beth at me.

“I don’t know what you want from me,” I exclaim. “I’ve told him I’m not interested. I made it clear.” Jesus. He’s been messing with her, too. Why the hell did I think I’d be the first one he tried emotional blackmail on?

“He wants kids,” Heather snaps. “You know that? He’s told me I’d make a great momma.”

This is way worse than anyone realizes. I flick my wide-eyed gaze to Beth. She stares back at me and shrugs. What do we do?

“I thought he was playin’ around on me.” Heather laughs sadly. “But he promised, he told me I’m the only one. He told me how pretty I am, how he loves how small I am.”

He’s the cause of her frail size? Oh, no way. Beth seems just as surprised by the revelation.

“Yeah.” Heather mistakes our shock as something other. “He buys me these clothes. That’s how much he loves me” She picks at the edge of her shorts that I’m pretty sure could be found in the kids department. “Says if I stay small enough to fit them I’ve always got a place in his bed.”

“You realize what he’s doing?” I ask softly.

“He loves me,” she reiterates. “He just wants me to look my best.”

“No.” I shake my head. “He’s controlling you, Heather. Can’t you see it?”

Her head whips left and right, her gaze flicking between us. “No. No way. You’re lying!”

“Why would I lie?”

“Because you’re trying to break us up. You’re makin’ a move you filthy fucking slut.” She launches forward, hands outstretched.

Beth manages to hit Heather in the shoulder, sending her spinning, but the madwoman regains her balance and lunges around Beth to lock onto me by the throat. I grasp at her wrists, prying her off, but she raises a knee and catches me in the stomach before I can fully comprehend the level of insanity I’m dealing with here.

“Get off her,” Beth yells, tugging at Heather.

A sharp crack sounds as Heather whips an elbow around, and Beth stumbles back, her hands covering a bloody nose.

“You crazy fuckin’ two-bit hooker!”

“You’ll never have him,” Heather screams, still not getting the fact I’m not interested in Digits in the slightest. “You hear me?”

I try to speak, but my words come out garbled through her tightened grip. White spots mar my vision as she shakes me back and forth, and I flail madly in the hopes I connect with something. Only problem is, the waif is a slim target and most of my hits go unanswered.

Certain I’m going to blackout if I don’t get oxygen, I do the only thing I haven’t tried: pushing into the fight. Instead of trying to pull away, trying to escape, I delve deeper into the ruckus by launching my head up and towards her. Our foreheads connect, and it’s enough to startle her into loosening her grip.

Free, and able to breathe, I manage to choke out a single word to Beth. “Hooch.”

She sprints toward the front of the house, hollering at anyone who’s available to come help. But not just anyone will understand—I need Hooch to see this. I need him to realize that the problem with Digits isn’t going to die a natural death.

Murphy is first on the scene, arriving in the exact moment Heather recovers enough to swing a wild right hook at my head. I duck, and her knuckles connect with the hardwood flooring. She cries out in pain, cursing as Murphy grapples her from behind, restricting her arms to her sides.

“What the hell, woman?” he says, struggling to contain her thrashing body. “What’s going on, Dagne?”

“You need to find Digits,” I answer, my voice husky from the choking. “He needs to be here for this as well.”

Jo Jo casually strides down the hall to check out the carnage, his usual cold eyes roving over the mess we’ve left around the place. There’s one of Heather’s hair extensions to my left, a spray of blood from Beth across it, and a hand print on the wall where she pushed off to get help. My shirt is torn, and I’m pretty sure my new skills with mascara have gone to waste given the black that’s on my hands from where I’ve wiped away the tears caused by lack of air.

“You girls have some fun without invitin’ me?” he teases.

Murphy rolls his eyes at the crazed idiot. “Go get Digits. Last I saw he was out in the garage gettin’ ready to leave.”

Jo Jo nods and heads down the hall, disappearing out the front doors.

“You going to stay put if I let go?” he asks Heather.

“Sure.”

I push to my feet and step back to the far side of the hall anyway. The rage still simmering in her eyes warns me to stay on guard.

“What the hell started this?”

“I’ll explain when Digits and Hooch get here,” I say. “Best just to say it all once.”

“How fucking hard is it to repeat one word?” Heather snaps, crossing her arms over herself. “You. You started this.”

I don’t bother answering her; she doesn’t deserve a response.

Beth returns, cloth to her face and Hooch in tow. His gaze flicks between the three of us, and he strides over to where I stand, touching my throat gently.

“What the hell?” He ducks his head, checking out the marks that no doubt have been left behind. “You did this?” He spins on Heather.

It’s the first time I’ve seen her truly afraid.

“Wait.” I catch Hooch’s elbow, stopping him in his tracks. “Let Jo Jo get back with Digits, and then I think he’s the best one to explain what he’s done here.”

“What the hell are you on about?” Hooch eyeballs Heather. “Looks to me like she’s the one at fault. What’s he got to do with it?”

“Just wait,” I plead, slipping my hand in his.

He pulls me to him, crushing me against his chest. “Hell, Dagne. I can’t leave you alone, can I?”

All he’s done of late is leave me alone. “It’s not my fault,” I say, shocked he’d think so.

He pulls away, hands on my shoulders, and kisses my forehead. “I didn’t mean it like that, baby. I meant that I feel responsible for not being here to protect you.”

I don’t need to be protected, I just need to be heard. “I told you this thing with Digits would be a problem,” I whisper.

“I’ll sort it. Promise.”

“You two make me fuckin’ sick,” Heather whines from her corner.

Hooch whirls on her, arm outstretched as he points at her. “You so much as speak another word, and so help me, you won’t have a tongue left to utter another.”

Murphy reaches across and shoves Heather in warning. “Learn when to keep your trap shut, woman.”

Normally I’d agree, but in this instance I think Heather’s inability to keep her emotions in check is exactly what the men needed. Her outburst, as much as I’d rather not have had to endure that, has brought up an important subject.

Digits is controlling her, abusing her, and using her to get at me. Which leads to the question, who else has he used her as a pawn over? What else is he doing if toying with Heather is one of his favorite past times?

I told Hooch that having me around would only cause trouble. But now that I stare at this fine tea party we have going on in the bowels of the Fort Worth clubhouse, all I can think of is one line Hooch gave me back at Lincoln.

“Violence is how I resolve things.”