Page 77 of Cavern of Silence

"That's part of her personal business."

He snorts, and I want to punch him. "That's a convenient answer."

"You're such a dick sometimes."

"At least I'm not being fooled."

My fists clench. "Fooled?"

"It doesn't take a genius to put two and two together."

"Why don't you stop talking in code and spit out whatever you're trying to say," I bark.

"All right. I will. We could have gotten killed today. There's no reason Julieta could have an in with the landowners of that crossing if it doesn't involve some sort of smuggling."

"You're wrong, Hunter. It has nothing to do with that."

"I never thought of you as gullible, Ryker."

I shouldn't say it, but I do. "That's rich, coming from you."

"Go ahead, finish what you want to say," he insists.

I rise. I need to end this conversation. It will end up nowhere good. "No. I'm not going there. But you're such an arrogant prick sometimes."

He huffs. "Rather be arrogant than naive."

"Spoken from experience. I'll make a note of that."

"I know it's been a while since you've been in the game, but not everyone is good like Maureen was."

I freeze. Hearing Tinker and now Hunter both bring up Maureen to belittle Julieta doesn't just surprise me. It hurts me. And it pisses me off to a deeper level. "How dare you bring her into this conversation."

His face hardens. "Have fun being deceived by Julieta. It's a real shitshow." He knocks back a mouthful of alcohol.

Every ounce of control I have is required to hold myself back. I should knock him on his ass right now.

He's hurting from whatever is going on between him and Vanessa. And you dug at him with the comment about his ex.

"I'm only going to tell you this one more time. Julieta isn't a liar. I'm sorry about what you went through, but don't put her in the same category. And it sucks you're at odds with Vanessa, but don't take it out on Julieta...or Maureen's memory. This is your last warning, too." I stomp into the house and slam the door. I go into the living room. Julieta and Tinker are talking. I assume Vanessa is upstairs.

"Everything okay?" Julieta asks.

I kiss her on the forehead. "Yep. Do you want a drink?"

"Sorry. I didn't mean to be rude. What can I get you?" Tinker asks. "Wine? The hard stuff?"

She points to his hand. "I'll take one of those."

"You drink beer, too?" he asks in disbelief.

"Yes. Why are you surprised?"

Like a pervert, he licks his lips, and his eyes travel from her head, to her feet, then back to her face. "You don't look like a beer drinker."

She flushes, and I hit the back of his head.

"Ouch."