"I might not know them."
"And if you don’t, I’m sure you’ll figure out a way to know them."
She ground her teeth. "I deserve to know. I have a right to know, Aidan."
"You’ve got a right to stay safe. To keep your ass out of the firing line. Just because you don’t give a shit if it gets scarred along the way doesn’t mean that I don’t." I pulled back, chest heaving as I jabbed a finger into it. I’d let down my guard when I’d been detoxing, I’d had no choice, but look what fucking happened when I stopped watching out for her? She was a trouble magnet. "I’m the one who’s been cleaning up after you as you stride through life like you’re a bull in a fucking china shop. Well, you almost got yourself killed last night, Savannah. I think your way isn’t goddamn working, don’t you?"
Not waiting for a bullshit answer, I moved around her, limping as I trudged toward the shower which I slammed on. The water scorched me but it felt good as I tipped my face back and let it course over me.
I’d showered at the warehouse, but after a workout and our fuck, I needed to clean up some more.
I knew when she left the stall, and not just because she growled under her breath either. It was like the energy was less charged in here. As if, by her presence alone, she made me tune into something I’d never noticed before. Something I couldn’t even begin to describe.
If I were a fanciful man, I’d say it was the universe, but there was no room for fantasy in my life. No room whatsoever.
I washed up, brisk and to the point because I needed to get her downstairs so she could grab some clothes. The thought of Kid seeing her in a fucking bathrobe—one of his, not mine—riled me up even more, but after I switched off the shower, I heard her on the phone.
I started to tense up, but then I remembered she was here of her own volition. It wasn’t like I was keeping her a prisoner—well, she didn’t realize that yet. She wasn’t going anywhere without my ass at her side. Whether she approved or not.
As I ducked into the first aid kit to retrieve some antiseptic cream, antibiotic cream, and a fresh bandage, I heard her snipe, "I still can’t believe you did that. I swear you need to go see a therapist. You’re getting crazier."
"I’m so not, bitch. He was cheating on me. Did you forget?"
Two things surprised me—one, that she had the call on speaker, and two, that I recognized the voice on the line.
I didn’t have men on her constantly, but I would have thought they’d have reported on this friendship.
Apparently, someone on my crew needed their ass kicked.
"I didn’t forget," Savannah said with a huff. "But you’re definitely crazy. It’s six AM and you’re calling me like it’s eleven."
"What else was I supposed to do?"
"Wait until the sun had risen?" Savannah responded dryly as she toweled her hair dry, the reason, I assumed, why she had the call on speaker with Jen of all people. I knew her because I spent a lot of time at Finn’s place, and Jen did as well because she was best friends with Aoife.
How the hell did she know Savannah too?
Their personalities didn’t gel at all. At least, I didn’t think they would.
"Like he did? My lawyer said we should discuss things, have an informal meeting. See if I can work on him to lessen the suit."
"And you listened? Shouldn’t you avoid him until the day of the court case?"
"Maybe. I don’t know. I can’t afford what he wants, and he’s rich. Don’t rich people always win in court?" She huffed. "You’d know. You’re rich."
Savannah rolled her eyes. "You know I’m the one who got fired, don’t you?"
"For thwacking that prick’s prick," Jen retorted, but she was snickering. "There’s a difference. I notice the studio didn’t take you to court. Just tried to wipe it under the carpet. Fuckers. If I’d have done what you did, they’d have had my ass in front of the Supreme Court."
"Not sure you’re that important, Jen," Savannah consoled with a laugh.
"Oh, you bet your ass I am."
"You’re not apologetic enough to meet with Damian," Savannah pointed out a second later. "How the hell can you work on him to lessen the settlement if you’re not sorry for what you did?"
Crap, I remembered now. During my detox, Finn had been whining about Jen because she’d keyed her boyfriend’s Ferrari.
Evidently, the court case had yet to take place...
Because I didn’t need this shit show in my life, I stepped over to the dresser where Savannah had placed her phone, and murmured, "Jen, if you have him come to The 68 bar in The Sharpe, I’ll sit in and adjudicate."
Silence fell at my words, and Savannah scowled at me, then shoved me in the side. "What the hell?" she mouthed.
"Aidan?" Jen queried, her voice confused. "Is that you? What are you doing at Savannah’s?" She paused. "Oh, my God. You’re there at six AM. Are you two fucking?"
"You know each other?" Savannah questioned, brow puckered even more.
"You stay scowling, the wind’ll change, and you’ll be stuck like that forever." When she harrumphed, I shot her a wink. "Trust me. It’s not bullshit. Why do you think Brennan looks the way he does?"
She snickered, which fuck me, had my heart leaping in my chest.
I’d think it was a heart attack, but men like me didn’t die of cardiac arrest. We endured horrendously violent passings.
The only consolation was that the most brutal of those endings would occur at my father’s hands, and I highly doubted he’d ever kill me that way.
At least, I hoped I’d never be the target of that insane wrath.
A man had to have goals, didn’t he?
Eyes twinkling, she mumbled, "I guess I don’t have to introduce my favorite people to one another."
"Favorite people? Girl, how much have you been holding out on me? Aidan’s miserable ass is no one’s favorite person."
"I can hear you, Jen," I told her wryly.
"Good. I want you to hear me. It’s been a while since I saw you at Finn and Aoife’s but your grouchy ass made Aoife cry."
"Aoife’s always crying at the minute," I discounted, but I wriggled my shoulders with discomfort. "I just said the cookies were too sugary! Jesus, you’d think I was accusing her of homicide."
Jen hummed. "You have a point about her being teary-eyed."
"Who’s Aoife?"
I arched a brow. "I thought she was Jen’s best friend."
Jen huffed. "Don’t you be throwing shade at me, Aidan O’Donnelly. A woman’s allowed to have more than one best friend, and those best friends may never meet."
Savannah snorted. "I feel like you’re about to admit to cheating on me, Jen. I’m not sure my heart can take it."
"Technically, Jen would be cheating on Aoife with you. Didn’t you go to school together?" I directed the question at Jen.
"We did." Jen sniffed. "Ever since Aoife married into your lot, it’s not like I can take her to parties anymore. Not without Finn showing up and threatening to slice people’s hands off."