21. Barrett
21
BARRETT
My skin felt weird, and when I said that in my head, it made no sense. Something about it just felt like it shouldn’t. Like a buzz vibrating inside me.
I could blame the asshole in charge at work for chewing me and others out about not solving the case yet, but that wasn’t it. I had to refrain from walking out of the room when he started in on his tirade. Instead of helping us, instead of doing something besides sitting around and kissing ass, he yelled at us. What I wouldn’t have given to tell him to go to hell. God, I hated him.
It wasn’t him that had me feeling this way. It was something else. Something bigger.
“Fuck,” I muttered as I got out of my car and locked it. Jordan had given me a free dinner at his steakhouse, so I was using it tonight. Marshall was in his studio. He needed quiet. Granted, I could be quiet at home. With this weirdness going on in me, I would have ended up pacing and annoying him.
I pulled open the door to the restaurant, the lights low inside as soft conversation floated to me. It wasn’t busy being a Wednesday night. There was no line waiting for a table, although at least three-quarters of them were full. My eyes quickly scanned the room, always looking for something out of the ordinary.
Absently, I started rubbing my chest through my shirt. Fuck’s sake.
A woman stepped up to the hostess stand, a smile on her pink lips. Her hair was pulled back in a fierce bun and her skirt and blouse didn’t have a wrinkle on them. I wondered if she had a gun behind that little stand. This was Jordan’s place. I wouldn’t put anything past him. “Can I help you, Detective North?” Of course, she knew who I was. Jordan probably had a shared drive with photos and names on it.
“I’d like a table, please.”
She glanced down at the tablet in front of her. “For one?”
“Yes.” It didn’t bother me to eat alone. I’d gotten over that a long time ago.
She lifted a menu. Where restaurants were going digital, Jordan kept it old school with menus against leather with golden metal edges. “Follow me.”
We went through the restaurant until we were at a table near the back in the center. Great. All eyes were on me. I didn’t need to connect with each person to know it.
“Will this work for you?” she asked.
“No,” I heard from behind me.
Then that weirdness, that what the fuck sensation I’d been feeling, just fucking disappeared. Gone. I didn’t bother turning around.
He rounded the table to stand next to the woman. “I’ll take that if you don’t mind.”
She handed Reghan the menu. “Sounds good.”
“Please bring him a lemonade and a glass of water.”
“Will do.” She left before I could say a word.
“Bear,” Reghan said in that deep voice that crawled over my skin with memories of how he touched me.
It had been a week and a half since we had a night together. I’d seen him when Jordan killed someone in front of me, but that wasn’t a social call.
“Reghan.” I nodded. “Are you going to hand me my menu, or should I guess what I want?” I used my foot to pull out the chair, but Reghan was quick, moving to stop me.
“You’re eating with us.”
“Us?” I swallowed. Who was he here with, and why didn’t I notice them when I came in? I usually had radar for this man and hadn’t even felt he was in here.
“My parents and brother.”
“No.”
His eyebrows rose. “No?”
Leaning close, I rushed to whisper, “I’m not meeting your parents and having dinner with them. I didn’t know that was what we were doing.”
This must have been what it felt like to stand on the edge of a mountain. One gust of wind and I was going to tip over. Meeting his parents? Was he serious? Granted, we didn’t do things lightly when we were together. It wasn’t a wine and dine kind of thing. We slept together. We talked. He made me feel so damn cherished.
“Bear, get your ass over to the table before I move it myself. You’re not eating dinner alone. You never have to again. I’m here now.”
“When did we decide we were boyfriends? I missed that conversation.”
His lips were pressed to my ear. “When I slipped inside you and made you fucking scream. You’re mine, and you’re going to have dinner with my family.”
I shivered, unable to help it. All the man had to do was let his breath coast over my flesh, and my dick was halfway hard.
His hand went to my hip. He gave me a gentle squeeze. “You’re more than a quick fuck. I thought we’d been over this. Now, turn around, smile, and say hello to my parents before Raiden laughs so hard the entire restaurant looks our way.”
If I glanced over my shoulder, Raiden would barely contain himself. The two of them were trouble when they were together. Lethal, but trouble.
“You’re not going to let me eat in peace, are you?”
“No.”
“Fine.” I could have been angry, could have told him to go fuck himself. We were past getting in each other’s faces. At least when we weren’t in bed.
Turning, Reghan’s hand slid along my waist until his arm was around me, and I faced a table of Reghan’s family, who were tucked into a corner away from others. Raiden had his napkin to his mouth as he about choked from trying not to laugh. Reghan’s mom didn’t wait for me to take a step before she stood.
She was tall and slender, wearing a pair of jeans and a black V-neck sweater. Dark-brown hair fell over her shoulders, and there was radiance to her brown eyes. She had to be at least five foot ten.
“Hello,” she said and held out her hand. “I’m Lily. It’s nice to meet you, Barrett. Reghan has told us absolutely nothing about you, but luckily, Raiden gave us just enough to know who you are.” She lifted an eyebrow at Reghan.
“I would have told you.”
“Uh huh. Sure.”
“Barrett North,” I said and accepted her hand so we could shake. “It’s nice to meet you as well.”
“You’re the reason my son lit up like a firework the moment he heard your voice.”
Now, it was my turn to stare at Reghan. My lips curved into a smile. “You did that?”
“Shut up,” he grumbled.
Raiden fucking lost it and began laughing out loud. Only a few diners watched us. Then Reghan’s dad stood, and they all went back to what they were doing.
“Come have dinner with us,” Lily said and led me to the table. She grabbed a chair from a nearby empty table and pushed it between her and Reghan.
I wasn’t sitting until I introduced myself to Reghan’s dad. The man was nearly the same size as his sons. Same height but not as broad. He was still muscular and big though. I wouldn’t want to get on his wrong side.
“Barrett North,” I said. “It’s nice to meet you, sir.”
“Is it?” he asked.
Lily lightly smacked him with the back of her hand. “Knock it off.”
“Thane Sutton,” he said and smiled. We shook. “It’s good to meet you, son.” He sat, not understanding what that word did to me. The last time anyone called me son, it was with hatred. My father didn’t give a shit about me or my brother and let us know it.
Reghan giving my hip a squeeze snapped me out of my head so I could take a seat. A waitress came by the moment I was in the chair with the drinks Reghan had ordered for me.
“Thank you,” I told her, my mouth suddenly dry.
Reghan’s hand went to my thigh when he had his chair pushed in, a subtle comfort I hadn’t realized I needed.
They had already ordered, so I glanced at the menu quickly and put mine in.
“Raiden told us you’re a detective with the East Dremest Police Department,” Thane said. “How does that work with you dating my son? Jordan hasn’t blown your head off yet, so that must count for something.”
“We shouldn’t be talking about guns during dinner,” Lily stated, then turned to me. “But seriously… You’re a cop, and he works for Jordan. I don’t have a problem with it. In fact, I love how much my son seems to care for you, but that can’t be easy.”
I took a drink of the lemonade, letting the sweetness of the sugar make my taste buds happy. “I keep my personal life separate from work.”
“Jordan knows,” Reghan said. “I already talked to him about it, and he’s fine with it.”
Thane leaned his forearms on the table. His thermal ivory shirt had the sleeves rolled up, showing off tattooed forearms. “I’d tell you not to bring trouble to my boys, but I think it’s the other way around. They cause trouble for you, don’t they?”
“No, sir. It’s more of a mutual shit-stirring on both sides.”
He grinned. “I like you, even if you’re a cop. Just keep my boys out of prison. Jordan’s on his own.”
“I don’t think Jordan has any problem with handling himself.”
“No, I doubt he does.”
It wasn’t long before dinner was brought out. The conversation after that was kept lighter. They didn’t dig into my past, and I didn’t ask intrusive questions. In truth, I probably would have told them about Marshall if they’d asked. I wasn’t sure what it was, but I felt like I could trust them.
“So, this must be serious then,” Thane said once our plates were cleared. “Between you and my son.”
I opened my mouth to answer, to say what I wasn’t sure, but Reghan beat me to it.
“It is.” His hand was back on my thigh, a warm presence reminding me he had me and wasn’t letting me go. I didn’t mind being caught by him.
Reaching down, I laid my hand on his and threaded our fingers. Reghan turned and smiled. I nearly whimpered with how damn gorgeous he was.
“Oh god, this is what I have to deal with now, isn’t it?” Raiden asked. “It was bad enough when you two wanted to kill each other. Now, I have dreamy looks to deal with. One extreme to the other. Lovely.”
“You be quiet over there,” Lily said and tossed her napkin at him. Raiden easily caught it. “Your brother deserves to be happy. Just wait until it’s your turn, and he gets to watch you be a lovesick fool. And don’t give me that face. I know damn well you have two men to keep you on your toes.”
Raiden sputtered and glanced wildly around the table like he wanted one of us to save him. Reghan sat back smugly while their dad chuckled. Eventually, Raiden lifted the napkin and returned it to the sender. Lily caught it much like her son had.
“Payback’s a bitch, Brother,” Reghan said.
“Just wait until we’re in the gym, I’m going to kick your ass.”
Without thought, I released Reghan’s hand and reached in front of him to grip Raiden’s wrist hard. “Hurt him, and I’ll come for you.”
“Jesus, Barrett, I was joking.”
I gave him another hard squeeze before letting go and sat back. Reghan practically glowed. “Not a word,” I said to him.
Lily patted my hand nearest to her. “You’re going to be good for our son.” At least she didn’t yell at me for threatening Raiden.