Page 62 of Junkyard Dog

“I’m going to be here for another two hours clearing tables.” He stood and held out his hand, ignoring Bo’s hardened face and booting his chair when Charlotte tried to pass over him and Bo lifted his knee a fraction.

He led her onto the dance floor, the other couples awkwardly breaking apart as the song switched to a slower song he had seen on the upcoming playlist. Charlotte’s arms wrapped around his neck loosely, her expressions shifting every few seconds.

Over.

He looked down. “There’s enough room for a bible between us.”

Charlotte smiled, holding position for a few beats before she stepped in closer to him and tightened her hold on his neck. “Do you want to come by after work for a bit?”

A bit?

He looked over Charlotte’s head at Bo. “Should I?”

She went quiet, her fingers twirling his hair while she avoided answering him or meeting his eyes. He pulled her flush to him, rested his chin on her head, and stared his twin down until Bo looked down at his drinks and pounded them back.

*

The last customeropened the tavern door, stepping aside to allow the sprite-like strawberry blonde to skip in, her hulking onyx-eyed protector stalking behind her. As Seph beelined it toward the end of the bar where Bo was slumped over, Hades stood stoically beside Alex, watching his wife.

“Boreus!”

Bo turned his head toward the familiar voice, grinning when Seph cupped his chin in her tiny hands and fussed over his bruises. “It was Alex,” Bo ratted, wincing for show as Persephone ran her thumbs over the darkest one.

Lips pursed, she turned to him, her hands flying to her hips. “You damaged him!”

“He’ll live,” he muttered, snatching the last of the dirty rags from the counter and storming to the kitchen, Hades hot on his heels.

His master scanned the back room. “You two haven’t fought since you were pups.”

“We fight plenty,” he called out, his spine prickling with Hades’s proximity. “And we’ve got a lead. Ryan’s been called in.” He kept his eyes averted, pushing back through the swinging doors. “Hear that Seph? We’ll be home soon.”

Bo was on his feet, shirtless and swaying slightly as his mistress examined the various scratches and markings peppering his torso. She glanced up at Alex. “I should hope so. My pretty boys are getting all marred up here. Hades. Come take a look at this.”

Obliging, Hades strode past him and bent down to scan Bo’s healing injuries. “None of these are permanent,” he stated, squeezing Seph’s hand in reassurance before rising to face Alex. “If you have a lead, explain to me why you aren’t tracking it right now.”

He snorted, waving his hand toward his drunken twin, who was struggling to pull his shirt back over his head. “Someone has to babysit that.”

Seph’s blue eyes narrowed as she assisted Bo, running her hands over the tattoo that matched that of his brothers. “Aw, honey. You know it upsets me when you two fight.”

Hades crossed his arms and regarded him for a moment before calling over to Bo. “Anything to report on this one’s extracurricular activities?”

His twin flopped back down onto a bar stool and shrugged, yanking his phone out of his pocket. “Got a bunch of pics here.” His unsteady hand held the cell out to Hades and he smirked at Seph. “Don’t flip too far back. There’s a few on there that aren’t safe for work.”

He watched as Hades swiped through the photos, mentally preparing himself for a grilling about Charlotte until the images flashed across the screen.

Aside from the shots from his drunken night at that Allison woman’s apartment, Bo had several pictures of Alex at work.

Smiling down at a pretty blonde as she reached up to trace the outer ridges of his tattoo.

Leaning against the counter as another woman backed up tight against him.

Resting his hands on the hips of a brunette, her lips tilted up toward his.

What was missing from each picture was the context.

Alex, stepping away when the unwanted fingers grazed his skin.

The beer bottle that tipped off his tray moments after the customer bumped into him, her apologies profuse as she and her boyfriend pushed cash toward him to cover the accident.

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