Page 49 of Dirty Roxie

“No, you didn’t, I found her first.”

“Yeah, but you had our help.”

“I didn’t even fucking know you were there when I found her.”

“So, you found her on your own?”

“Yes, I did.”

“And as soon as you found her, you rescued her.”

“Yes. In the middle of a fucking war between two idiots with more gun power than brainpower.”

“But even so, she’s got to get her feelings out, good or bad.”

“Absolutely. And I support that,” I snap. “But, does she think I don’t beat myself up enough over it? That I don’t hate myself knowing she was right there under my nose, fucking literally, the entire time and I didn’t know?”

“No, I don’t think she does,” Mack says.

“How could she not?”

“That’s not the way her brain works. She is scary smart.” He taps his temple. “But also scary stupid where people are concerned. No offense.”

“None taken.” I wave a hand in the air.

“Think about it. She just went through this heinous experience, right? We have no idea what it was like. No idea what she went through or how hard it was on her.”

“This is supposed to help me how?”

“Hold your horses, I’m getting there. Anyway, she went through this horrific thing, and she did it on her own. Having to pull from strength none of us knew she had.”

I wait for him to continue.

“She’s got to be used to us just handling shit for her, right? I mean between me, you, and Dar, we can bulldoze the shit out of anyone or anything. Cutie’s not had to tap into her own strength with us around.”

I nod, reluctantly agreeing with what he’s saying.

“But more importantly, this is strength she didn’t know she had. So, when it comes time for her to process, she will focus on herself first. Which she should.”

“It’s my job to protect her.”

“Doesn’t matter, brother. Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t. But it’s most definitely her job to protect herself, you feel me?”

I finish my drink and signal for another round. I have a feeling I’m going to need it.

“She’ll get around to focusing on you soon. And everyone else and what we all did and how we might feel, ’cause that’s how she is. That girl is always thinking of and putting other people first. But this time, she has to put herself first to heal. Get it?”

He makes sense. So, I tell him so.

“’Course I make sense,” he says with a smirk.

The server sets the drinks down in front of us and removes the empty glasses. “Can I get you gentlemen anything else?”

“No, sweetheart, we’re good. Thank you.”

“How come women never get pissed at you when you call them doll or sweetheart?” I ask him after she walks away.

“Why would they get pissed? It’s a compliment.”