“Do you think you get to order me around, little girl? Your britches a little big today, or do you think it’s time for you to sit down before you embarrass yourself?”
Her eyes dim. They even turn a little glassy, as though she might want to cry. She licks her lips, and shakily tucks her long hair behind her ear.
I worry she’s going to lose it, but then she slams her fist against my chest and pushes me back a step.
“Order the damn system, Spencer!”
She turns on her heels and rushes away, but she does it with her head held high and her shoulders broad. She takes the phone from her back pocket, and when she turns into my office, her eyes meet mine. She ain’t crying. If anything, she might be smiling.
“Jesus.” Kane rubs a hand over his face as soon as the door closes. He steps toward me with a shake of his head. “You push, push, push her, Spence. You’re always pushing her. I thought you went too far.” He extends a hand, and swipes it over mine for a low-five when I oblige. “I thought you fucked it up this time.”
“Nah. She’s tougher than we give her credit for.” I walk to a steel table to the side of the room and unclip my thigh holster. I take my 9mm CZ in hand and drop the holster to the table. “She’s not hiding away to cry, Bish. She’s going to call Ang, she’ll tell him she stepped up to me, then she’ll do the girly squeal and dancing on her tippy toes thing, because she’s riding her adrenaline. Our precious blonde isn’t so precious anymore.”
“You better order that shit tonight,” Jess says. Her voice is tight and verges on a grunt, but when Kane comes back to fuss, she smacks him away. “Don’t make her yell at you again tomorrow. You probably won’t live.”
“Where’s her man, anyway?” Jay sneers. “He’d better not be taking any online tests right now.”
“You’re not marrying us!”