Page 76 of With A Little Luck
Truthfully?
Everything in me believes Quincy would have been better off if she had never met Trigg. He wouldn’t have led Ridge to her, and we wouldn’t be tangled up in whatever dangerous mess they’re wrapped up in.
“You’re not normal private security,” I say, turning toward Ridge. “I’ve worked with a lot of companies over the years, and yeah, they pay their guys well, but not well enough to afford this kind of house. Not unless you grew up with money.”
“You’re an expert on the matter, huh?” Ridge chuckles, but it’s not a friendly sound. “If you’ve got something to say, say it.”
My eyes narrow.
His flippant tone is about to piss me off.
“You’re a mercenary at best.” I shrug but keep a close eye on his face as I go on. “A straight-up assassin at worst.”
“I made a point of telling Quincy all about what I do for a living when she and I talked last night,” he says, looking out toward the street.
“Do you really think that’s a safe lifestyle to have Quincy and the baby around?” I deadpan the question.
I’ve been half in love with her for months—since way before I ever slipped inside her. I slowly put in the work to get to know her, and it scares the shit out of me wondering what he might have gotten her messed up in.
“You don’t want to fuck with me right now,” Ridge growls, jabbing a gloved finger in my direction. “I sure as fuck wouldhave handled the issue if I had known about it. I found out I was being hunteddays ago. Okay, fucker? So, you can go ahead and climb off your high horse at any time. I wasn’t expecting any of this, but I’m doing the best I can. I found out about the baby less than twenty-four hours ago.”
Does he think I’m going to feel sorry for him?
Because I don’t.
He made his choices in life.
He gets to live with them.
The extent of my concern is how those choices might impact Quincy.
“I’m not going to let anything happen to either of them,” he says firmly. “I’ll call in every favor I’m owed if that’s what it comes down to, but one way or another, they will be protected.”
“I have feelings for Quincy. I’m not going anywhere.” I cross my arms over my chest, not backing down when his face transforms into even more of a scowl. “I don’t know how things are going to work out between the two of you, but I’m already attached—to Quincy and the baby.”
“You don’t say,” he says, scoffing. He has on the same reflective pair of sunglasses that he wore when he came to Quincy’s last night, so I can’t see his eyes, but it looks like he rolls them. “I never would have guessed.”
“Are you going to keep being a sarcastic dick?” I growl, taking a step toward him. “Or are you going to grow up and have a conversation with me man-to-man to try to find some common ground?”
“Sorry,bro.” He snorts. “I didn’t know we were having a male-bonding moment.”
A low growl rattles out of my chest. “If you want to go on hating each other, that’s fine by me, but I’ve been the one keeping an eye on Quincy. I’m the one who’s been there, puttingin the work. I don’t think you’d like the outcome if you asked her to choose.”
“Probably not.” His head tilts, and it’s unnerving being able to see the scowl on my face reflected in his sunglasses. His jaw flexes, and he raises a hand, flipping me off. “Doesn’t matter, because I’m not planning on imposing any ultimatums. I’m going to unload that truck, carry in all the shit I ordered, and get to work setting up a nursery for the baby. You can help or you can fuck off.”
My head whips up, and sure enough, he’s right.
The other truck is here.
I was so distracted that I didn’t notice the sounds.
The loud hum of the diesel engine approaches as the truck drives just past the driveway and prepares to back in.
“That’s what all of this shit is?” I ask, gesturing to the pile of boxes we already unloaded and back to the truck. “You bought baby furniture?”
Ridge laughs mirthlessly. “I bought the entire fucking baby store.”
“Without so much as a paternity test?”
