All the Missing Pieces

by Catherine Cowles

“I’ve seen you two together exactly once and that I-hate-you-so-bad-I-want-to-tear-your-clothes-off vibe was so strong I’m pretty sure the whole bar could see it.”

Chaos, I’m so sorry for being an even bigger ass. It seems I can’t help myself. But I’ll work on it. —Law Man The use of the nicknames had me simultaneously scowling and warming. Damn him. I didn’t need to be softening toward the douche.

“She’s staying with me,” Baker snapped. “The hell I am. I’d rather swallow shards of glass followed by ghost pepper juice.”

“What’s wrong?” I jolted, my gaze snapping back to Colt, who was staring at me intently. “Nothing.” “Don’t lie,” he ground out. “Tell me to mind my own business, but don’t lie.”

“Be safe, Chaos. It’s going to piss me the hell off if you end up dead.” She grinned up at me. “You say the sweetest things, Law Man.”

“I’ll help, Chaos. But you are going to stay safe. No more putting your ass on the line.” I opened my mouth to argue, but Colt shut me down with a single look. “We aren’t taking chances. Not with you. Not ever.”

“Don’t,” she whispered. “It’s a bad idea,” I rasped. “We’d be playing with fire.” Those ocean eyes sparked. “Then let’s watch it burn.”

“Let. Her. Go. Or I’ll happily remove your balls from your body.”

Trey glanced at the man on the floor and then pressed his lips together to keep from laughing. “Never seen a fall quite like that one.” “A-plus on form,” Patty called as she tucked her tray under her arm and offered Ridley a high five. Ridley choked on a laugh and hit Patty’s palm with her good hand. “Thanks.”

“She broke my balls,” Baker wailed. “Arrest her.” Ryan tried to cover her laugh with a cough. “What do ruptured balls fall under in the penal code anyway?” Ridley pressed her lips together to try to hold her laugh in but failed miserably. “Penal code.” “I give up,” I muttered. “Marshall, will you arrest this asshole and get him medical attention if he needs it?” “You got it, Sheriff. Just as long as I don’t gotta look at his balls.”

“You’re Ridley Sawyer, taser of douchebags and tamer of ornery brothers. You can do anything.”

Her gaze jerked to mine again. “What about the no-sleeping-in-the-same-bed rule?” I chuckled, the sound moving from my chest to hers. “Haven’t you figured it out yet, Chaos? You’ve had me breaking all the rules since the day I met you.”

“I know not leaving this house might make me seem weak⁠—” “It doesn’t,” I argued. She held up a hand. “It makes you think I’m delicate, that I could break. So you step in and try to fix everything for me. But the more you do, the less I have to try. And I need to stretch myself, Colt. I need the challenge of trying to accomplish new things. That’s what this was.” Emerson