Page 159 of Risking the Pucking Defense

“He’s an asshole and shouldn’t be near any of us.”

“Hailee had it under control,” Linc states confidently. “And she’d never go for an asshole like that.”

“She’s more likely to castrate him than entertain any shit that comes out of his mouth,” Rett agrees before he turns as if someone called his name and whispers, “Go,” in my ear.

I don’t hang around to see if he knows what he’s doing, or if the others watch as I escape. My focus is purely on how much trouble I’m in with Hailee.

I slip down the hallway that leads to the VIP restrooms, and I’m halfway down when the door to the ladies' opens and the woman I’m chasing emerges.

“Hails,” I say, continuing toward her.

Her expression is hard, her eyes are narrowed, and anger is coming off her in waves.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have spoken for you like that.”

She softens a little, silently letting me know that she appreciates that at least I know I fucked up.

“No, you shouldn’t. I have my own voice and can fight my own battles. I’ve been doing it for years. Just because we…nothing needs to change.”

“I’m sorry,” I say again, stepping a little closer and reaching out to brush my fingers against hers. “Watching him with you…the way he was looking at you. Fuck, Hails. It drove me fucking insane.”

Her lips thin as she stares up at me. “You’re gonna have to learn how to lock that down, Monroe.”

Her use of my surname takes me by surprise, and I take a step back as if she just hit me.

But I get it. Right now, we’re not Hailee and Hayden. We’re Monroe and Caldwell, and I need to get that into my head before I fuck all of this up.

She’s asked for time, and I’ll give her anything she fucking wants.

Heavy footsteps pound behind me, and when I glance back, I find Killer walking toward us.

“All right?” he asks, his eyes darting between the two of us.

“Of course,” Hailee agrees, her frustration falling away before my eyes, before she smiles at him.

“Great. I need a piss.”

“Wonderful. The cars are coming for us in thirty,” she reminds him.

“Yeah, yeah. I got it, Mom.”

Hailee rolls her eyes before she mutters, “Excuse me,” and slips around me and back to the party.

“What did you do to piss off the ice queen?” he asks when I catch up with him and slip into the restroom behind him.

“Do we ever really know?” I say lightly, hoping like hell he’ll buy it.

“Just don’t let her learn your weakness. She’ll use it against you.”

“That bird incident really scarred you for life, didn’t it?”

He groans as we go about our business.

It was before I signed with the Vipers, but I’ve heard all about it.

He’d done something to piss Hailee off, so she set up a charity event that included birds of prey handling, and Killer shit his pants.

“Yeah. I swear to God, I still have nightmares about it. Be careful around her, Marilyn. She knows how to get in here,” he says, tapping his temple as he turns toward the hand dryer.