Chapter 23
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
MATTHEW
“To Matthew.” Nico lifts his bottle in the air, smiling widely at me from across the table as the rest of the group echoes the same.
I shift in my seat, feeling self-conscious under all of their praise. “Well, I’m hardly the only one responsible for this success. We couldn’t have done it without everybody sitting at this table and then some.”
It’s the truth. Yes, the idea was mine, but so many people contributed to it. Becky with her refreshment table idea and paw cookies. Mae and Chase, who brought Duke so people could meet him. All the officers who posted flyers around town and worked their asses off today.
“Maybe, but we wouldn’t be here without you.” Mary winks at me. “I think even Jenkins was impressed.”
I rub the back of my neck. “Yeah, right.”
“Aww…” Nico mocks jokingly, not missing my discomfort. “Look at him. The Rookie is blushing.”
Everybody chuckles at that, making me shake my head. “Shut up, Rivera. I don’t blush.”
“Your face begs to differ, Williams.” Mae points her beer bottle at me, her statement accompanied by hoots of agreement.
I’m seriously outnumbered.
After we were done at the station, Nico invited everybody who helped to join us for a celebratory drink. Some people declined, but a few of the fellow officers, as well as Jessica and Maisie, have joined us at The Hut.
My hand falls, my knuckles brushing against Jessica’s and sending tingles up my arm. I glance at her to find her watching me, a soft smile tugging at her lips.
My heart does a little flip inside my chest, like it did earlier when I saw her.
It’s been a few days since the last time we saw each other; the day she offered me comfort.
We’ve both been busy with work. And if I’m being honest, if only with myself, I needed that time.
Time to compose myself. Time to put that wall back in place.
Remind myself that while Jessica is nice, it doesn’t mean anything.
She’s nice to everyone. Cares about everybody.
But this thing between us? It’s fake. That’s the only way it can be.
She leans closer, her flowery perfume surrounding me and awakening all my senses as she wraps her fingers around my biceps. Her voice is soft as she whispers into my ear, “Look at you, getting these two to agree.”
Just then Nico smirks at Mae. “Did you just voluntarily agree with me, Doc?” He extends his hand toward her forehead. “Are you okay?”
Mae slaps it away, shooting him a death glare. “I’d be careful where I put my hand if I were you, officer.”
Nico lifts his bottle to his mouth, taking a sip, but even that doesn’t hide his smile.
“So, what now?” I ask, deciding a change of subject is in order before the two of them really get into it. “We have the money, so what’s the process?”
Nico shrugs. “Chase will continue working with Duke and get the certification and then the department will decide who’ll be the one who goes through the training to become his handler.”
“So, did you start buying dog stuff?”
“Why do you think it’s going to be me?” Nico sits up straighter.
I roll my eyes at the obvious answer. “Because it was your idea?”
“So what? It’s for the department. Anyone can become Duke’s handler. They could give it to Molly, or hell, even you.”
I quirk my brow at him. “Oh please, do you seriously think Jenkins will give me the dog? Yeah, right.”
“And I don’t want the dog.” Molly shoots Mae an apologetic smile. “He looks lovely, but big dogs scare the crap out of me.”
“Shit.” Nico runs his hand through his hair, and I can’t help but laugh.
“What’s with the grim face, Rivera?” A dark-haired guy joins our table, slapping Nico on the shoulder, and I recognize him from earlier. He and a few other guys from the fire department came over with their trucks to support the cause, and he and Nico seemed to know each other.
I smirk. “It just clicked with him that he’s getting a new pet.”
“No shit? That means you guys hit the goal?”
“Yeah, it was a good turnout.” Nico glances at the guy, extending his fist. “Thanks for coming, man.”
“Anytime. Having a search and rescue dog will be good for the whole county.” He rubs at his chin thoughtfully. “Although now we’ll have to come up with something of our own at the fire department. Can’t have your skinny asses outshine us.”
“Oh, shut up, Morales.” Nico laughs wholeheartedly. “The only skinny ass I know is yours, and ain’t nobody wanna see that.”
Morales turns around without blinking and shakes his ass. “You can bounce a quarter off this thing. Maybe your friend over here wants to give it a try.”
Mae chuckles at that. “Well, I mean, if it’s for science…”
“The hell you will,” Nico says immediately, glaring at Maisie. Which is the completely wrong thing to do.
Maisie crosses her arms over her chest, bristling. “And who are you to tell me that, huh?”
Morales watches them with raised brows, his eyes meeting mine. “They always like this?”
“Pretty much.” I tip my chin to the empty chair. “Why don’t you sit down? This might take a while. I can grab you something to drink.”
“Nah, thanks. I’m gonna go back to my guys, but it was nice catching up.”
He pats Nico’s shoulder in goodbye, but Nico is too busy provoking Mae to pay him much attention.
I eye the empty bottles before my gaze scans the space.
The bar seems even more packed than usual as the live band plays in the corner. Some people are dancing in the middle of the room where the tables were cleared to create space for a dance floor, but there is no waitress in sight.
I lean toward Jessica, my lips brushing against her ear. “I’m going to the bar to order another round.”
“You’re going to miss all the fun.” She giggles softly.
I glance at our best friends. “I’m not too worried. Try to prevent them from killing each other?”
Jessica shakes her head. “I’m not making any promises.”
A snort escapes me. Leaning down, I press my lips against her forehead before getting to my feet.
I move through the crowd toward the bar, noticing a few familiar faces.
Some people nod in my direction, recognition and approval evident in their eyes.
I return the gesture as I slide to the bar and wait for Mick to finish on the other side, my gaze darting back to our table where Jessica is biting her lip while Mae and Nico continue their discussion.
She catches my gaze from across the room, and even from here, I can see the amusement dancing in her irises.
“What can I getcha?” I turn to Mick and place our order, asking him to send it to our table. I’m just about to push off when I overhear a familiar, petulant voice behind me.
“He can have her for all I care,” Damien grumbles, his words slurring. The guy is drunk again.
My fingers curl and uncurl by my sides as I grind my teeth.
He’s not worth—
“I already stretched that pussy reeeal good. Did I tell you she was a virgin?”
His words make me freeze in my spot, his cackles echoing in my ears.
“I thought I could mold her to what I wanted, but the frigid bitch only gets hot at the idea of work.”
Red.
I see fucking red.
I spin on my heel before I can think it through, my fingers wrapping around the collar of the asshole’s shirt and pulling him to his feet.
“Say that again.”
His eyes are wide when they meet mine, his throat bobbing as he swallows.
“Let’s hear it.” I shake him a little. “Not so brave now, are we? Huh? You have the guts to talk shit with your buddies over there, but not in front of me?”
“Let. Me. Go,” he pants, trying to struggle out of my hold, but it’s useless. His cheeks are beet red. “I’m going to—”
“What?”
I drop him suddenly, and he trips over his own feet, barely managing to stay upright. He’s bent forward, hands pressed against his knees as he tries to catch his breath.
“What will you do, asshole?”
He looks up, his pupils are blown, swallowing his irises as he glares at me. “Fuck you.”
He stands upright, and I move toward him, using the few inches I have on him to my advantage. “Say it again to my face.”
The corner of his mouth twitches upward. “You want to hear it?”
I take another step toward him, but it’s like the guy doesn’t possess a drop of self-preservation.
Good.
I’m itching for a fight. My fist is clenched so tight, I can feel the bite of my nails digging into my skin. I wait for him to utter the words so I can slam my fist into his smug mug.
“I can give you every detail of how I…”
A body brushes against mine. Soft hands land on my chest, those familiar tingles coming to the surface.
Jessica.
“Matthew.”
I glare at Damien over the top of her head, the adrenaline coursing through my body making my ears buzz.
That smirk on the asshole’s face grows bigger, and my eyes zero in on his mouth. “A girl’s gotta save you?”
I grind my teeth, but gentle fingers brush against my jaw, cupping my cheeks.
“Matthew, look at me.”
Her tone is firm.
Insistent.
Unyielding.
I can’t refuse her.
I’ve never been able to refuse her.
Since the moment she entered my life, she’s slowly snuck under my skin. My downfall and my salvation.