Page 76 of The Woman By the Lake

“You’re not gonna beat her, Riggs, because you’re not that man. You’re not gonna steal from her, because she’s got a lot, but you aren’t hurting, though mostly because you’re not that man. And you’re not gonna put her in danger by doing asshole shit with asshole people.”

Riggs cut in at that, at the same time burying the rest, “Right, and buying that bottle from Bubbles didn’t put her in it?”

“That’s on Bubbles, it’s not on you. You know you got a woman who knows expensive things on your hands, and you wanted a decent apology. If I had a friend who owned a bar, I’d go to him and swing a deal on a bottle of wine that’d cost me a shit ton more if I went to the liquor store. It makes sense. It’s Bubbles that put you both in it, not you. Though, I’ll note, you missed my whole fuckin’ point.”

“Right, we’ll talk about me getting serious with Nadia after we talk about you getting your head out of your ass and realizing you’re pissing your life away. I loved her, fuck knows you loved her, but your woman died a long time ago, Harry. You’ll never get over it, but she’d be pissed as all fuck at you that you stopped living when she did, even if you didn’t quit breathing.”

Harry’s face was stone when he said, “I think we’re done here.”

“I coulda guessed you’d shut down the minute you heard that honesty.”

“I hate to take us back to the playground, brother, but it takes one to know one.”

They scowled at each other.

Riggs was angry, hungry, and he wanted to be with his son and Nadia, so he ended it.

“I get a shot at Bubbles, I’ll do all I can,” he bit off.

“Appreciate it,” Harry bit back.

Riggs walked by him to get the fuck out of there.

“Riggs!” Harry called.

Goddammit.

He turned back.

“You shrug off the baggage he landed on you, I’ll consider finding my way to do the same,” Harry said.

Goddammit.

“She lives in Chicago, man.”

“Rus lived in Virginia, now he’s here. Delphine lived in Cali, now she’s here. Stop putting up walls.”

“She’s not my type. We’re total opposites. She can barely climb up in my truck.”

“And Delphine is an award-winning author, and famous actress, and she’s with a retired FBI profiler. And Rus is former FBI, living with a woman who runs a burlesque club. Got more?”

He didn’t, damn it.

“Fuck off,” Riggs bid, earning a dirty look from a passing nurse.

Harry cracked a smile.

Goddamn.

He flipped his friend the bird.

Then he got the fuck out of there.

SEVENTEEN

Pick A Lane

Riggs

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