I waved pathetically.
“That’s why you insisted on picking me up,” he said to Ox. It was an accusation.
Ox didn’t look perturbed. “I wanted to spend time with you.”
“You brought me a muffin. You never bring me food. Especially muffins. Seeing as how that’s what Joe did when he was jailbait and trying to get up all on your junk, I see right through you, alfa. I won’t fuck you, and I’m still going to be pissed off.”
“I like one of those things better than the other,” Ox said, patting him on the shoulder.
“It better be the pissed-off thing,” Rico grumbled. “Because I’m fucking sexy. Bambi says so.”
“Sure, Rico,” Ox said. “Whatever you say.” He pushed by him and came to stand before me. I itched to reach out and touch him but kept my hands at my sides. “All right?”
I nodded. Then shrugged.
He leaned forward and pressed his forehead against mine. “It’ll work out,” he whispered, and I heard the low, deep thump of packpackpack in my head, foreign and quiet. “You’ll see.” He stepped around me and went back into the garage. Tanner and Chris called out in greeting as the door swung shut, leaving Rico and me alone.
I fidgeted next to the desk, unsure of what to do, what to say. If I should say anything at all.
Rico sighed. “So I guess you’re back, huh.”
“I guess.”
“For good.”
“I think so? I’m still trying to—”
“Would you hear me, dear?”
I snapped my head up.
He squinted at me. “Do you feel like going on a murderous rampage?”
“That’s not funny.”
He pointed two fingers at his eyes, then at me. “I’m watching you, Fontaine. If you even step one foot over the line, I will pop a cap in your ass.”
I snorted. “Do you hold your gun sideways like a badass when you aim?” I hadn’t meant to say that. It just came out. I didn’t know where it’d come from.
He was surprised. “You’ve said that to me before.”
“I did?”
He bristled. “It doesn’t matter. I will straight-up end you.”
“Try it, Espinoza.” I sneered at him. “We’ll see who ends who.”
“Huh,” he said thoughtfully. He rubbed his jaw. “Weird.”
“What?”
He shrugged. “It’s still hysterical hearing someone so short trying to make big-boy threats.” He bumped me hard as he passed me by. “Keep working on it. Maybe one day I’ll be intimidated, but don’t hold your breath. Or maybe do and see how long it takes for you to pass out or die.”
It felt like a start.
It was awful when it happened.
It was like I lost control of everything.