THEO
Theo
Justice had a hand on the back of my chair. I guess to indicate the one he wanted me to sit in? I scooted it closer to the table while Justice slipped the hostess a bill and leaned into her to say something private. Ren held out Mackenzie’s chair, sitting her directly across from me.
She winked and held up a hand to cover her mouth, hiding her whisper. “I have a secret.”
“What?” I soundlessly responded.
“Later.”
Justice was the last to take his seat. He looked across the table, almost surprised to see Ren there, and he took, in my opinion, an overly dramatic steadying breath.
“You really didn’t have to do this,” I said softly.
“Consider it a favor to me. I have a strict policy against dining with assholes.” Justice smiled brightly, but I could still feel the sharp edges of his agitation.
Mackenzie giggled. “Is that written in your company bylaws?”
“Section 3, paragraph 2.” Justice didn’t miss a beat. “Right after the dress code violation for cargo shorts.”
“What do you have against cargo shorts? Dar—"
Both Ren and Justice made a disgusted noise.
“Okay, I didn’t know shorts were a touchy subject for alphas.” Mackenzie put up her hands.
“Maybe just for these alphas.” I snorted. I was suddenly thankful I hadn’t packed my cargo shorts.
“The wine list, sir.” The sommelier held out the leather-bound menu to Justice, who waved it away without looking.
“Just bring us the Brunello,” Justice said, his eyes fixed on the menu in front of him. “The ‘15, if you have it.”
Ren leaned into me and loudly whispered, “Justice won’t tell you it’s a three hundred dollar bottle of wine, so he’s going to love it when you tell him you hate it.”
“Somewhere in your misspent youth, you got training as a sommelier?” Justice zinged back at him.
“Nope, not a wine expert, just a criminal.” Ren turned his attention to the menu.
Mackenzie giggled, “Seriously, what do you do for a living?”
“Doll, I never have and I never will lie to you.”
“So, what, you like do crime and stuff?” Mackenzie gave a little jazz hand wave.
I snorted. Ren chuckled, but it was Justice who broke into near hysterics.
The server approached the table, but it still took us a solid 30 seconds to rein in the laughter.
“What will the lady be having today?” He said to Justice, not Mackenzie. They all had their heads in their menus, so they didn’t notice.
“Can I, um,” Mackenzie started and then stalled out.
Ren cleared his throat. Mackenzie nodded her head once and whispered something to herself like a pep talk.
“How about you start with Mr. Twill here?” Ren interjected.
“Of course. Sir?”
We all placed our orders. When it came back to Mackenzie, she lifted her chin and said, “The stuffed pork chop, please,” like she had rehearsed it.
“Excellent,” the server said, taking my menu.
“Oh and,” she shot a quick glance at Ren, “shrimp cocktail.” She twisted her fingers and then hid them in her lap.
Justice sat up straight to get the server’s attention. “No mushrooms for her.” How did he know she didn’t like mushrooms?
I looked between Ren and Mackenzie. Something was happening there. Ren had a satisfied smirk on his face. No. That was pride. And Mackenzie was… freaked out, but relieved.
“So tell us about the crime, Ren.” That came out harsher than I had wanted. But I couldn’t tell if Mackenzie needed protection. But from what? I reached under the table for her foot and she hooked both of hers around mine.
“Cheating at high-risk-high-reward poker, mostly.” He snapped his napkin open and looked up at the ceiling. “I’m not sure that’s technically a crime, come to think of it.”
“I’m sure the PHPD would have an opinion on that,” Justice said.
“I’m sure Port Haven’s finest have much better things to do with their time.” Ren countered. “Oh, I’m also fantastic at getting into places I shouldn’t.”
“Like that Camaro you ‘borrowed’?” Justice leaned back in his chair and threw up air quotes.
“You’re the one who wanted to learn how to drive my stick.” Ren pulled an innocent face and covered his mouth. “Oopsie. Sorry. Drive stick shift.”
“They’re angry flirting again.” Mackenzie leaned into the table and stage whispered.
“I know.” I said.
“It’s hot.”
“We are not flirting.” Justice said in a huff.
“It really is.”
She sat up straight with a naughty smile on her face as the server approached and put her shrimp cocktail in front of her with a “Ma’am.”
“But seriously,” Mackenzie popped a shrimp in her mouth, “are you a criminal?”
“Absolutely.” Ren didn’t hesitate. “Mostly I steal cars, but never Camaros.” His eyes locked with Justice across the table. “High-end, one-of-a-kind custom cars that have their own garages and security details.”
Ren took another bite of his appetizer, chewing thoughtfully.
“Actually, I think it’s just rich people’s pranks,” he added, like he was surprised at the realization.
Mackenzie said, her eyes bright with curiosity. “How do you mean?”
“Okay, so rich dude number one will buy a very fancy, very expensive car. Rich dude number two wants that very fancy, very expensive car. Pays me to go steal rich dude number one’s car. Then six months later, rich dude number one pays me to steal it back. And they are all making money on the insurance, to boot.”
“Aren’t you afraid of getting in trouble?” I asked. I wasn’t sure Ren was telling the truth at this point. He did say he’d never lie to Mackenzie. Justice was leaning back in his chair, plate ignored, pushing his wineglass in little circles.
Ren belly-laughed, the sound rich and deep. “Oh honey, the police don’t care so long as you don’t fuck with the wrong people.”
Honey . He called me honey. That warmth shot straight down to my toes. I looked down at my plate and concentrated very hard on my appetizer.