of the stories. Hey, my fiancée left me because apparently you’re better in bed.”
Jared stood, his shoulders squaring. “She left you because she was a bitch and you didn’t see it. She left you because she couldn’t stand to have you walk away from her. She left you because just like the rest of us mere fucking mortals, she couldn’t quite live up to your standards.”
Shit. He did not want to do this here. “Fine. All I’m saying is I find it highly unlikely that none of those women called you back.”
“Seriously? This is what you want to talk about? Are you trying to solve a murder or fix my love life?”
The door slammed open and Kai was surprised to see Erin Argent standing there. She was dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, her face makeup free and her wild red hair up in a messy bun, as though she’d rolled out of bed to come here. “Is Case with Mitch?”
“Yes. They called him out a while ago. He’s not in trouble or anything,” Kai explained. “He was there when we found a body.”
Erin’s left brow rose, a queenly gesture. “So it was a fun night. Big Tag wasn’t answering his cell so Case called me and told me to get the lawyers down here pronto. Then he told me to go back to bed and not worry. Yeah, like that was going to happen. I called Mitch, who called the subby boy, and then I got Hutch on the case. He was on guard duty.”
“Guard duty?” Jared asked, looking Erin over as though trying to figure out if she was a threat.
She was. Erin was deadly when she wanted to be. Years in the Army and then private training with Big Tag had turned her into a deadly weapon, but she wasn’t a threat to them. “A couple of months ago an op went wrong and Big Tag is simply making sure Erin’s safe.”
“He’s making sure crazy pants Doctor Evil doesn’t come back for seconds.” Erin rolled her green eyes. “Which she won’t since she’s off happily fucking around with unsuspecting victims somewhere that’s not here. But Big Tag, Little Tag, and Should Have Covered His Tracks Better Tag decided I should have protection, at least at night, so they all take turns sleeping in my guest room. I swear I’m going to be pissed if someone breaks in and I don’t get to kill someone. No one ever lets me have fun anymore.”
Erin’s idea of fun could get grisly. And Big Tag had been worried about more than Hope McDonald. He’d been worried about her being alone, worried she might hurt herself or run away. So far she’d been pretty solid. Tonight she even sounded like the old Erin. She was apparently seriously amused that Case had gotten caught. “You didn’t have to come down here. We’re not in any real trouble.”
She gave him a sour grin. “Maybe not with the police, but I’m intrigued. You see, Hutch is a very smart hacker and he works for candy. I wanted to know what had gone down here that would require not one but two lawyers for our boys. So I shoved a bag of gummy bears his way and he managed to find some very interesting video of the hall outside the private lounge.”
“What?” Kai moved in close. What the hell was Erin thinking? “This is a police investigation.”
She shook her head. “I’m sure the murder is. I’m not concerned about some Hollywood chick. I’m concerned about what the hell you handed Case and why he’s running an op that isn’t on the books. Don’t tell me it wasn’t an op. Case had his op face on. It’s a little like his I-ate-too-many-fries face but with a hint of his vicious-badger face. I love my broth…I like the guy, but he’s pure muscle. He can’t play a role to save his life.”
It wasn’t inaccurate. Of the two, Theo had been the better operative while Case could kick ass and take names all day. “You should take it up with Case.”
“What does she mean about an op?” Jared asked, looking between the two of them. “And why would she hack into the video feed from the club? Is the hacker five? Who else eats gummy bears?”
Naturally that was what Jared would hit on. “Don’t worry about it. We need to worry about making a statement and getting the hell out of here. We can talk more when we get