“That’s Jade,” Ryan said. “Is that…?”
I nodded and walked out the door, my pulse racing. My brothers were close at my heels.
I crossed the street faster than a lightning bolt and was ready to pummel the bastard, when Joe pulled my arm back.
“Easy, Tal. You have court on Monday, remember?”
Red rage flooded into me. All I could see was the malignant blur of Colin Morse with his hand on my woman’s arm. This was so not happening right now. I would fucking kill him this time. Totally. Completely. Take him down like I had those enemies overseas.
I yanked my arm away from Jonah. “What the fuck are you doing with him?” I bit out at Jade.
“Talon…what are you doing here?”
“Having a drink with my brothers. What are you doing here?”
“We were having…dinner…because…”
I raised my fist to pummel the motherfucker, but Ryan stepped in front of me, quick as a panther.
“Don’t, Tal. Don’t undo everything we just talked about.”
“Get out of my way,” I seethed through clenched teeth.
“No, I can’t let you do this.”
“Oh, please, let him do it,” Colin taunted. “I’m not thrilled about this deal that you guys cut, anyway. Go ahead. Hit me. Put me in a damned coma. That way maybe you’ll go to prison like you deserve.”
Ryan stood between Colin and me. My little brother, always levelheaded, who’d take a bullet—hell, a cannonball—for me.
“Don’t let him get to you, Tal. He’s not worth it. Remember what we were just talking about. You have things to live for.”
“Things to live for? What the fuck?” Colin guffawed. “Come on. Do it.”
“Would you shut up, Colin?” Jade said. “Look, Talon, nothing is going on. I had to have dinner with him because he…”
“Because why, Jade?” Jonah asked. “Why did you have dinner with him? You know how Talon feels about this.”
“It’s because of Talon that I did it.”
“Yeah.” Colin quirked his lips. “It’s because of you. She’s over you. We’re getting back together.”
Jonah moved between us this time. “How old are you anyway?” he said to Colin. “Did you ever make it out of middle school? You sound like a stupid teenager.”
“I ought to kick your ass, next,” Jade’s ex said.
“You won’t get very far. I’m as strong as my brother and a hell of a lot meaner,” Jonah said.
“You threatening me?” Colin advanced.
Jade grabbed his arm. “You threatened him first, Colin. Just shut up, for God’s sake.” She turned to me. “Could we go somewhere and talk? I swear to you there’s a good explanation for this.”
“Sure. We can talk after I kick his ass.”
“You’re not going to kick his ass, Talon,” Ryan said.
Jade looked at me, her blue eyes sad and…frightened? “Talon, please. Just breathe in and out. He’s not worth it. Listen to me. He’s. Not. Worth. It.”
At her words, her sweet hypnotic voice, my rage began to scatter. Oh, I was angry, for sure. Why was she with him, anyway? But I would ask her about it. And she would tell me. And I could be angry with her, but I didn’t have to risk screwing up my future and hers by pounding the halfwit.