I glanced behind him but didn’t see Herc anywhere.
He flipped the napkin over, squinted again to bring the writing into focus, and began reading from the other side. “—but now I have realized that Hercules also deserves better. He deserves someone who remembers he exists and doesn’t treat him like an unwanted reminder of a dream that didn’t come true.”
I sucked in a breath. Direct fucking hit. Under other circumstances, I would have applauded. As it was, all I could do was stare at the drunk avenging angel in front of me and pity every person who’d ever underestimated him.
Including me.
“So Herc’s mine now.” He looked up at me with a drunken glare as if emphasizing the point. “A-and you’ll just have to accept that. And, in addition,” Quinn continued after another hiccup, “your mother is way cooler than you are, and I know she’s probably not perfect, but neither are you, and she’s just trying to love you in her own flawed way, and you don’t deserve her either, so I’m keeping her too. And the prosecution rests.”
The team sat frozen in shock around us. I was sure they’d never seen me get my ass chewed out by anyone before.
Quinn crumpled up his napkin and stuffed it back in his jacket pocket before looking up at me again.
He didn’t move his head, but I saw his eyes suddenly jerk around the room to note the audience we had. He stood a little taller and puffed out his chest defiantly.
“So. Okay, then. That’s all I came here to say.” He nodded once, firmly. “Ava and her friend are waiting to drive me home. Alone. Without any lava! Because I sure as shit don’t need lava. Even though it’s really hot. Also? Goodbye.”
He turned on his heel and stormed out. I stupidly stared after him.
“Oh my God,” someone whispered.
“Champ has a boyfriend,” someone else added.
“A boyfriend who’s fierce as fuck,” Jordan breathed.
“But he’s sure as shit in the doghouse,” another chimed in.
I turned to glare at them. “Do you mind?”
Riggs came closer and clasped my shoulder before meeting my eye. His brows were furrowed in concern. “No offense, boss, but you fucked that up pretty big time.”
“No one asked you,” I hissed.
Elvo stood up and moved closer. “Riggsy’s right. What the fuck did you do, man?”
“Nothing. I… I maybe told him earlier tonight that I’d be there for the date dance, but then Hux called about the farmhouse being empty, and plans had to change.”
“You broke your promise,” Jordan said flatly. “Not cool.”
Riggs held up a placating hand. “Not ideal, but sometimes it happens,” Riggs said. “What did Quinn say when you told him you had to leave? Was he this angry even then?”
“I didn’t… You know what? Fuck this. We have stuff to do—” I shifted my weight to stand, but Riggs set a hand on my shoulder to keep me in place.
“You didn’t what?”
I shut my eyes briefly. “I didn’t tell him, okay? I… We were in a hurry. I asked Kev to relay the message, but I guess he didn’t because he overheard Tommy leaving. We don’t need to talk about this right now,” I gritted out through tight lips.
Hux sighed. “Oh yes we do. You need to fix this.”
I ran my hands through my hair. “There’s nothing to fix. It’s not a big deal. For some reason, this guy’s got me all twisted up, but it’s not a big deal. I’ll let him cool down, and I’ll get my dog back, and then… it’s not a big deal.”
Riggs’s lip turned up slightly. “You’re repeating yourself.”
I glared at him. “It’s not a big deal,” I said again, feeling acid in my throat.
Elvo nodded. “No, no, I get it. You’re saying Quinn’s not a big deal. That makes sense. I mean, who even is Quinn? Some silly wedding planner? No one, really.”
I had him up against the wall with my hand around his throat before I even realized I was moving. “Get his fucking name out of your goddamned mouth,” I growled in his face.
Elvo simply grinned like a fool. “Really? I thought he wasn’t a big deal. Pretty sure that was the phrase you used.”
“Several times,” Jordan agreed.
Riggs was smiling just as big. “Hoo-boy. This is gonna be fun. The boss is whipped. I knew it. Didn’t I call it?”
Hux groaned. “Riggs is going to be insufferable.”
I let go of Elvo and clenched my hands into fists to keep from shoving him. Or worse. “Can we get back to work? Tiny matter of a fucking vault to break into.”
Riggs stepped closer and grabbed my upper arms. “Boss. For real, though. This is good news. You deserve to have someone twisting you all up. It’s about time. I fucking hated Vince, and you know that’s the truth.”
Elvo nodded. “Douche.”
“Besides, take it from someone who never thought he was gonna get involved with anyone,” Riggs said. “When shit on the job goes south, it’s good to know you have someone who’s there for you, not for the mission.”