Page 36 of Petty's Crime

“Coffee? Yeah.”

I get the answer eventually, and line a third cup along with the others. I make them just as the guys like to take them.

“Usual plans?” Cobra checks in professionally, his mind, unlike Petty’s, obviously on the job in hand.

“Uh-huh.” I blow on my hot drink while answering. To the casino and then home, nothing different to that.

Cobra’s drunk his coffee much quicker than I can, and checks the time on his phone. “I’m just going outside to make a phone call.”

Dismissively I wave my hand toward Cobra. When he leaves all I seem able to think about is the distress my ex put me through yesterday, as well as the financial impact he’s having on my life. I’m having to fork out for this hotel for one thing. Already I’m not in the best of moods so I’m not pleased to see Petty staring out the window, as if his mind is somewhere else.

Anger gets the better of me as I snap, “Why didn’t you stay with your wife if you don’t want to be here today?”

That, he certainly heard. He swings around and looms close, almost threateningly over me. “What do you fuckin’ know about my wife? Who the fuck told you anything about her?”

I refuse to let him intimidate me. Instead, I broaden my shoulders. “I didn’t know it was a secret.” I can’t understand why he’s so upset and justify why I asked. “Since you’ve arrived, you’ve been distracted. How can you do your job if your mind isn’t on it?”

“My mind is on my job, and my business is just that. My fuckin’ business.”

“And it’s my life we’re talking about.” His response has done nothing to calm me down. “Cobra will be sufficient to protect me today. Why don’t you go back toher.”

“My job is here—”

I slice my hand through the air. “I won’t tell if you don’t, and if your mind’s not here, then you could be a liability more than a help. Go back to your wife, Petty. I’m sure you’ve got plenty of things to sort out and time to make up for.” I turn my back in dismissal.

His fingers clutch my shoulder and turn me to face him. Doing so, I see his free hand clench and his face darken. “And what do you fuckin’ know about things I’ve got to sort out?”

He’s not going to let me get away without answering him, so I shrug. “All I’ve heard, Petty, is that she’s been gone for a very long time. You must be elated now she’s back.”

“You know fuck all,” he snarls.

“Hey! What’s going on?” Cobra runs between us, his hand landing on Petty’s chest and pushing him back. “What the fuck’s gotten into you, Brother?”

Petty slaps Cobra’s hand away. “You been spilling my business,Brother?”

Cobra’s eyes open wide. “The fuck you talking about?”

Petty has an inch or two over Cobra and he uses them now, looming threateningly over his brother. “My private life is exactly that and not something to be gossiped about. Our client doesn’t need to know anything about me.”

Cobra raises his hands defensively. “Hey. You talking about your wife returning?” As Petty glowers, Cobra takes a step back. “Brother, I wasn’t the one who told her.”

I don’t think Petty believes him. Worried I’m going to have bloodstains on the floor if I don’t do anything to stop it, bravely I step in between the two men who tower over me, putting one hand on each and fruitlessly trying to push them apart. Although I can’t physically move them, they do break their stares at each other, and I’m the immediate attention of two pairs of glaring eyes.

“I can’t remember who originally said it.” I keep my voice steady as I look from one to the other, then settle my gaze on Petty. “It wasn’t Cobra, I know that. But I’d simply asked why you weren’t on duty, and was told you were reconciling with your wife. I’m sure no one realised it was such a big secret and thought there was no harm in telling me the reason why.”

The tension doesn’t completely leave Petty, but he does back down. He doesn’t apologise that he’d accused his friend, but at least it no longer looks like they’re going to beat the hell out of each other.

He might not have said anything, but his reaction to me knowing his wife has turned up speaks volumes. If he’d have been happy about it, I’m sure he wouldn’t have acted like that.

Of course, it could just be that he’s a biker used to being able to do what he wants, and people now knowing he has a ball and chain will prove a cockblock. What do I know about the faithfulness of bikers, or how they treat their women?

While standing my ground, making sure they’ve both backed down and that I’m not going to have to mop up blood, I consider Petty for a moment. In all my dealings with him, he might not be the pleasantest person to be around, but he’s been professional. He’s not flirted with myself or Kylie, nor any of the other females I’ve witnessed him coming across. There are plenty of skimpily clad dancers at the casino where I work, and I can’t remember his eyes lingering on any longer than they should. And that was before his wife was on the scene.

So if it’s not that she’s cramping his style, I wonder why he’s not over the moon to have her back.

But as he said, it’s none of my business. I’ve enough problems of my own.

No longer required to play referee, I pick up the coffee I’d made a short while ago, and grimace when I realise it’s gone stone cold. Collecting the three full cups, I put them on the side for room service to clear up. Cobra says he’s going to check the SUV for trackers andsnakeshe adds with a wink which makes me shudder and roll my eyes. Then he’ll wait for us outside.

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