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Wait, what? What the hell was he implying? The fucking gall. Ryden’s jaw muscles tightened, and he ignored the weird sensation spreading through him. “There goes that fuckin’ mouth again.”

“You seem to have an unhealthy obsession with my fucking mouth,” Jay purred. “Wonder why that is?”

“Stop,” Ryden warned. He wasn’t going to let Jay get in his head. Not that he ever did. He was perfectly in control of the situation.

“Stop what? You’re the one who keeps bringing up my mouth.”

“See, this is what I’m talkin’ ’bout,” Ryden snapped. He leaned in, one hand on the brick wall to each side of Jay’s head. “You’re a fuckin’ tease.”

“You sure do like telling me what I am. Here’s a little secret…” He leaned forward. “I’ve dealt with guys like you my whole life. You think you know me, but you don’t know shit.”

“I know you . I know your type.”

“My type?” Jay laughed, leaning back against the wall. “And what type is that? Flirt? Cocktease? Trouble?” He licked his bottom lip and looked up at Ryden from under lowered lashes. “Baby, you haven’t seen trouble.”

With a growl, Ryden pushed away from the wall. “You think this is funny? Do you think you can do and say whatever the fuck you want and to hell with the consequences?” Jay was sorely mistaken if he thought he could play mind games with Ryden.

“What’s going on here? Hey, you! You need to back away, pal.”

Ryden glanced over his shoulder, his frown deepening. Great. Just what this evening didn’t need, one of Jay’s many burly admirers sticking his bearded face where it didn’t belong. “And you need to mind your own business.”

The huge, bearded man narrowed his eyes at Ryden, then moved his gaze to Jay. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Jay replied. “Thank you. And don’t worry. He was just leaving.”

Yeah, no. That wasn’t happening. “I’m not going any-fuckin’-where,” Ryden replied. Here he was, trying to apologize, and Jay was being an ass. Every time. Why did things have to be so damned complicated between them?

Bearded Guy took a step closer. “You heard him. Fuck off.”

Was this guy serious, right now? Ryden turned. “You need to walk away. Now.”

“You should go,” Jay told the guy. “I’m okay.”

Was that a hint of concern in Jay’s voice? Concern for Ryden or his burly beau? Did the guy think that, because he was bigger and broader than Ryden, Ryden could be intimidated? How many others had underestimated him and then regretted their life choices?

“You heard him,” Ryden said with a smirk. “Fuck off.”

“Really? I’m way too sober for this shit,” Jay grumbled. “Can we not do this? This night’s already been ruined. I just want to go home and regret my life choices in peace over a glass of wine. Or three.”

Bearded Guy balled his hands into fists, and Ryden’s smile faded, his gaze on the guy’s fists. So it was going to be like that, huh? Normally, Ryden would have de-escalated the situation and sent the guy on his merry beardy way, but tonight was not that night.

“You don’t wanna do this,” Ryden warned him, giving the man one last chance to back out.

Jay grabbed Ryden’s arm. “Don’t.”

Ryden shrugged. “It’s his call.”

Mr. Muscles bolted toward him.

Wrong call.

Ryden shoved Jay to the side as the guy took a swing at Ryden. He ducked under the beefy fist and came up with a right uppercut. This could be over in two moves, but what fun was that? If this asshole wanted a fight, Ryden would give him one. Like Jay said, this night was already shit, so why not?

Bearded Guy was a wall of hard muscle, and the couple of blows that landed would leave Ryden bruised, but he wouldn’t hurt as much as this guy was about to. He was not in the mood.

“You fuck,” the guy growled. He lunged at Ryden, grabbing him around the waist, only to have Ryden slam his knee up into the guy’s chest and his fists down on the man’s back. The guy hit the ground hard. Ooh, that was going to leave a mark.

“Ryden, stop,” Jay shouted, but Ryden ignored him. He grabbed a fistful of the guy’s hair, lifting his head, and pulled back a fist.

“Stand down, Marine!”

Ryden jerked back and stood at attention. It took him a heartbeat to realize the order had come from Mason. Once a Marine, always a Marine. What was Mason doing here?

Mason marched over and hauled the bleeding bearded guy to his feet. “You need to get gone, friend.”

The guy wiped at his nose. “Fucking lunatic.” He stomped off, and Ryden stepped forward, only to have Jay grab his arm again. Reluctantly, Ryden stayed put. When the guy disappeared around the building, Mason turned to Ryden and threw his arms up.

“What the fuck, man?”

“He came at me first,” Ryden growled, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Fine. So he did. I’m not telling you not to defend yourself, but you know better than this. Where the hell’s your head at?”

That was a really good fucking question. Where the hell was his head at? He instinctively turned, but Jay was gone. Fan- fucking -tastic. It was probably for the best, considering how things were going and how quickly everything had escalated.

“Ry?”

Ryden rubbed his hands over his face. “Sorry, man. I don’t know what the hell got into me.” He pressed his lips together, ready to bury it all down, but he could hear his therapist’s voice in his head reminding him to do the opposite.

Like Saint, Mason was family to Ryden. When Ryden accepted King’s offer to work at Four Kings Security, he’d done so with the knowledge that he’d be sharing an office with a man he’d tried to murder. A man Ryden had wrongfully blamed for all his misfortune.

Instead of sending Ryden to prison, Mason had refused to press charges.

Then he’d offered Ryden his apartment, while Mason’s boyfriend, Lucky, and the rest of his Green Beret buddies had offered Ryden a job.

They took him under their collective wing, introduced him to a great therapist, and helped him get back on his feet.

Six years had gone by since that night. It had taken a lot of therapy and hard work for him to reach this point. He was finally in a good place. Hell, a great place. Except where Jay was concerned.

Ryden shoved his hands into his pockets and sighed. “I said somethin’ real shitty to Jay and I meant to apologize, but instead….” He waved a hand around, indicating what Mason had diffused.

“You put your foot in it. Again,” Mason replied, shaking his head. “What is it with you two?”

“That’s an excellent question,” Ryden muttered. “Unfortunately, I don’t have an answer.” Maybe because anytime Jay popped into his head, he quickly moved his thoughts onto something, anything else. Unfortunately, Jay popped into his head far more than Ryden was willing to admit.

Monday was going to be an interesting day at the office. They both worked in the same department within the same open-plan office space, and due to their job responsibilities, they had to see and speak to each other daily.

Jay wasn’t going to let this one go, and whatever hell he gave Ryden, he’d brought it on himself.

He had to find a way to rise above it and not let Jay get to him.

They could be civil. Mature. Professional.

He could ride the rough string. All he had to do was not be reactive to anything Jay said or did.

Easy as pie.