The guys love giving me a hard time over my research, but I know they’re also grateful for the time I spend on things they consider mundane.
Of course, I have to annoy the shit out of them any chance I can get.
“ECBC, that’s Edgewood Chemical Biological Center for a simpleton like yourself.” He rolls his eyes. “They have a new one, but Wren pulled a list of all the newest ones.”
“What did I do?”
My spine stiffens at the sound of his voice. I’m not surprised he’s out here. Maybe he’s wanting to give me a hard time about Parker in front of everyone. He’s a smart man. He’s put the timeline together. There’s no doubt I left the office the other night, went home for less than an hour—I had to shower and unload the gun—before going to Parker’s place. Hell, he’s so thorough, I wouldn’t bat an eye if he already had time stamps and video to corroborate his discoveries.
“I was just telling Brooks how amazingly fast you got the information I needed on the new masks.”
“It’s what I do,” he says, reaching past me and grabbing the cup of coffee I managed to make since I’ve been in the breakroom. “Thanks.”
I don’t say a word or try to grab the coffee back, and despite Brooks narrowed eyes filled with suspicion, I just let it happen.
This type of blackmail I can handle. If all it takes is a cup of coffee to keep Wren’s lips zipped, then I’m willing to make that sacrifice.
I’m not embarrassed about my night with Parker. I’ve relived it over and over and over, and spent more time in my bed than I have since I discovered my dick as a preteen, but bragging about it doesn’t feel right.
“My man!”
Us three guys turn around to watch Puff Daddy fly into the room and land on the back of the couch near Alex’s head.
Ignacio frowns, but doesn’t open his mouth to complain about the dirty-mouthed bird being near his son. Alex grew up in a very rough neighborhood in Houston. I can’t imagine that bird will say anything that kid hasn’t already heard.
“What’s new with the honies!”
Alex’s brow furrows in confusion.
“Girls, Alex,” his dad clarifies. “He’s asking about girls. You’re showing your age, Puff.”
“Not old,” the bird insists as he struts. “I pull more tail than—”
“I thought we weren’t talking about tail,” Ignacio says, raising an eyebrow to challenge the damn bird. “Seeing as—”
He points in the bird’s direction, indicating his missing red feathers.
“You take pleasure in my pain? Making fun of disabilities is wrong. Tell him, Alex.”
The kid laughs, always finding Puff ridiculous.
“Always the victim,” Ignacio mutters as he stands. He lifts his phone to his ear, walking away, with Russian dialect coming from his lips.
The bird screams something at his back in a language I don’t recognize—it could possibly be gibberish—pulling a laugh from everyone in the group.
Wren claimed earlier that we hate the bird, but that’s not true. He’s a break, comic relief that we all need on occasion.
“Can he come to my game?” Alex asks Wren with hopeful eyes.
Wren looks guilty for the first time where his bird is concerned. “I don’t think that’s the best idea.”
“Will there be hot bitches there?” Puff snaps, his attention back on the people in the room after spending a long time staring angrily in the direction Ignacio disappeared.
“Because of that,” Wren says, pointing to his feathered friend.
“What if he promises to behave,” Alex barters. “Can you behave, Puff?”
“Fuck the man!” the bird snaps. “Can’t nobody hold me down. Oh no! I got to keep on—”
“What the fu—Oh hey, Alex! Looking forward to the game coming up,” Deacon says, but the roll of Alex’s lips between his teeth tells me he’s well aware of what the boss was going to say.
“You’re gonna be there?” Deacon nods.
“Anna, too.”
“Can Puff come?”
Deacon looks to Wren, and I catch the slight shake of Wren’s head. None of us like telling the kid no, but that crazy bird isn’t meant for public life. I can picture the stares and pearl clutching already.
“He doesn’t do well in public,” Deacon explains.
“I’m a Rockstar!” Puff insists before humming the tune of Trey Songz Mr. Steal Yo Girl.
“Wren,” Deacon warns, and it’s enough to make Puff fly back toward the office.
The rest of the day seems to drag on and on. I can’t keep my mind on the information Wren provided. I can’t focus on any other work either, but the smile never leaves my face.
After work, I head to the gun range, knowing the chances are slim that Parker will be there since it isn’t a class night, but I take my chances anyway.
As suspected, Parker is nowhere to be seen, but her best friend Hayden is in one of the lanes when I arrive.