Fighting Dirty
Page 50

“Want me to stick around and keep an eye on things?”
“Yeah.” He popped his neck, feeling evil. “But if possible, don’t let any of them see you. Denver and I will be there as soon as we can.”
“Should I call the other guys?”
“Sure.” Armie liked that idea. Anticipating their reactions, he said, “Let’s make a party of it.”
Leese laughed. “Damn, as a single man, I’m almost jealous.”
Officially, Armie was still single himself. But he went right past that fact to tell Leese, “You should be. Now keep an eye on things and I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
WHAT A DAY. After explaining everything to the police, who’d apparently been to the house many times, Armie tried talking to Bray alone.
The kid wasn’t real receptive. Armie remembered what it was like to be fifteen, feeling so adult, wanting to control his own destiny while others were actually in charge. He gave Bray his number and told him to call anytime. He also promised him that he’d be in touch, that he wasn’t going to disappear on him.
Bray hadn’t looked convinced. Never one to hold back, and having no skill at prettying up his words, Armie told him, “You’re not a problem I’m trying to dump, okay? I just have to follow the law, that’s all.”
That had startled Bray.
“When I say I’m not disappearing, I mean it. And damn it, I want you to know that.”
Reluctantly Bray had nodded. “Yeah, sure. Whatever.”
It was a start. Armie held out his hand and that confused Bray, too. But finally he accepted, and when he did Armie pulled him in for a bear hug. He felt awkward as hell, but he liked it all the same.
To cover the emotional moment for both of them, he mussed Bray’s hair and grinned. “I’ll see what’s what and be in touch, okay?”
Bray nodded. “Yeah.” His skinny chest expanded. “Thanks.”
A social worker approached, her careful smile in place, and Armie wondered how she did it. He’d rather fight in the cage naked every day than deal with the emotional devastation of shitty parenting. At least the woman was familiar to Bray and by the time Armie left, some of the suffocating worry had loosened. It seemed the last foster parents who’d had Bray adored him. It was only the mother’s insistence that she get him back that kept his life in turmoil.
The foster parents would be taking him in again. Armie heard the social worker tell the kid that they still had his room all set up.
I always end up back here.
Maybe this time would be different—but Armie doubted it.
After talking to Carter earlier, his mood had soured. Now, after this, he was literally spoiling for a fight. He needed to expend some energy in a bad way, and violence would suit him just fine.
Not the good sportsman competition of the SBC. No, he wanted a street brawl.
For that reason, he’d have preferred to steer clear of Merissa tonight. Maybe Cannon could just—
“You ready to go?” Denver asked. “Bray looks to be in good hands, at least for now.”
He’d clued Denver in earlier and naturally he wanted to get to his wife.
“I was thinking—”
“Don’t,” Denver told him, shouldering him to get him headed to the truck. “You’d break her heart.”
Denver’s tendency to act like a damn relationship specialist just because he’d gotten married was starting to rub him the wrong way. “What the hell do you know about it?”
“I know all the other guys will be there, in on the joke, and if you’re a no-show it’s going to devastate Rissy.”
Bullshit. Armie got in his truck and slammed the door shut. Stewing, he started the truck, then gripped the steering wheel.
Denver slid in on the passenger side. “You’re looking at this all wrong, you know.”
“You don’t know shit about how I’m looking at things.”
Whistling, Denver eyed him. “You don’t want to take your bad mood out on Rissy.”
“No, I don’t.” And in a dozen different ways, his past was catching up. His entry into the SBC, notes left by cowards and now memories stirred up by a boy in need. He didn’t want to see himself as Bray, but damn it, how could he not? And since he wasn’t a boy anymore, why the fuck did it have to make him feel so hollow?
“She’s not fine china,” Denver said quietly. “Women have a nice way of blunting the bad shit.”
Armie jerked the truck into gear and pulled out. “You don’t need to lecture me on the joys of sex. Trust me, I know.”
“I’m not talking about getting laid, dumbass, but yeah, that helps, too.”
Don’t ask, don’t ask—
“I’m talking about a woman you care for.”
So he didn’t even need to ask? Denver would just continue to regale him with a married man’s wisdom? “Can you be quiet? I’m trying to think.”
“No, you’re looking for a way out. Big difference.”
“You—” Denver’s phone rang, cutting off Armie’s venom and making him grind his teeth in frustration.
But then, as Denver said, “It’s Cannon,” Armie decided it was just as well that he take a breather on the animosity.
After all, he wasn’t really pissed at Denver. But this was a perfect example of why he shouldn’t be around Merissa tonight. He might say or do something that would—
“Cannon wants to talk to you.” Denver put the phone on speaker. “I already told him we can head straight to the shop and Cherry can take me back for my ride.”
After giving Denver the evil eye, Armie said, “Cannon, what’s up?”
“We’re already here, just waiting on you two, so thanks for making it a straight shot. The ladies might head out any minute.”
“They’re still inside shopping, huh?” What the hell was Merissa buying?
“Lots to see,” Cannon joked. “While we wait, I figured I might as well get an update on Bray. How’d it go?”
Armie spent the next few minutes telling Cannon everything he knew, as well as his plans.
“I know the foster parents. They’re good people. And since Bray will still be in the area, I’m betting they’ll let him continue coming to the rec center.”
That was a relief.
“See you in a few,” Cannon said. “And Armie?”
Dread had him mentally cringing. “Yeah?”
“I’m glad Merissa doesn’t have to go home alone tonight.”
The call ended and Armie could only stare at the road and concentrate on his driving. What the hell? Cannon knew his little sister was buying porn, for God’s sake. And he was glad that she’d be going home with him?
Laughing, Denver gave a light shove to Armie’s shoulder. “Guess Cannon knows she’s not made of fine china, huh?”
At the moment he didn’t understand Cannon at all, so no way would he weigh in on that.
As they pulled up to the shop, Armie shook his head. “This is probably the most traffic that joint has ever gotten.” He knew the ladies were inside, while Cannon, Gage, Stack, Leese and Justice waited outside. If it weren’t for his visit with Carter and then Bray’s fucked-up situation, Armie would be enjoying this a hell of a lot more.