Page 22 of Redemption

He laughs. “Gotta pay better attention, Nicky. You never know who’s gonna sneak up on you. Now, what’s this I hear about my dear old sis? You heard the buzz she’s back, I take it?”

Ah, fuck. He just had to go there, didn’t he?

“What?!” Nicole shrieks, drawing the attention of everyone in this damn place. “Since when? Why? More importantly, when’s she going back to New York?”

All questions I’d like answers to, and if Nicole hadn’t interrupted my conversation with Clay, I’d probably have them by now.

“Retract your claws there, kitten.” Clay holds his palms out, laughing. “I thought Beck would’ve told you, that’s all.”

She whips her head over to me with an accusing glare. “You knew?”

I blow out a breath, pinching the bridge of my nose. Why this jackass is stirring up trouble right now, I don’t know, but it’s starting to piss me off. “I don’t know any more than you do, Nic. I just found out this morning.”

“And you didn’t think to tell me at any point today?”

I clench my jaw, giving Clay a look that says, thanks a lot, dick. “No, I didn’t, seeing as I’ve been working all day. I don’t see why it matters anyway.”

She laughs, but there’s no humor behind it. “Of course, you don’t.”

“Jesus fucking Christ,” I mutter, rubbing my temples. “What is the right thing to say here, Nicole? Because I feel like you’re mad at me, but for the life of me, I can’t figure out why.”

Nicole stands and hauls her giant purse over her shoulder. “No surprise there, Beckett. I’ll see you later.”

I groan and thunk my head on the bar after she walks away.

“Yeah, I hear ya.”

I sit up and point a finger at Clayton. “Don’t start with me. You’re on my shit list, asshole.”

Twin dimples pop on his cheeks as he laughs. “You know what I can’t figure out?”

“What’s that?”

“Why you’re still with Nicky. I mean, she’s fuckhot, obviously, and that thing she can do with her tongue...”

I make a hurry-up motion. “Move the fuck along with that train of thought.”

“All I’m sayin’ is I don’t get it. She’s not your type. At all. We both know you have a thing for blondes and that she-devil’s hair is black as night. Plus, she’s so fucking uptight, man. Also, not your type. I mean, who the hell cares if someone calls her Nicky?”

“She does, evidently.”

“No, kidding.” A shit-eating grin lights up his face. “Hence, why I use it every chance I get. I just meant, what’s the big deal? There’s nothing wrong with the name.”

“I gave up trying to figure her out a long time ago, bud. Now, are you going to tell me what I want to know, or what?”

Clay’s expression instantly sobers as he pours another shot. “Whatever’s going on, it ain’t good, Beckett. That’s all I’m saying for now.”

I give him a wry look before I tip it back. “Wow... that’s really helpful. Thanks for absolutely nothing.”

“Look, man. I love you. You know that.”

“I told you, Clay, I don’t care how drunk I get or how much you sweet-talk me. I’m not sucking your cock. I will never be that hard up.”

He flips me off. “Very funny, dickhead. The point I was trying to make is you’re like my brother, but she’s always going to be my baby sister. And as much as I want to run this by someone and speculate ‘til I can’t see straight, I need to respect her right to privacy. When she’s ready to talk, she’ll talk.”

I nod, digging some bills out of my wallet. Clay tries waving them off, but I pin the cash under one of the shot glasses. “You cool if I pick my truck up after I get done workin’ tomorrow?”

“It’s all good. You need me to find you a ride?”

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