Ask Me If I Care (SWAT Generation 2.0 4)

Errin smiled. “No. Bread makes fat go straight to my hips. I’m not a teenager anymore.”

I looked at Errin skeptically.

She didn’t have an ounce of fat on her, ass or otherwise.

In fact, that’d originally been something that had held me back from agreeing to her offer for a date the first time she asked.

I wasn’t big on the zero percent body fat thing. I liked a woman with some meat on her bones.

“Bummer,” I said, breaking off a piece and taking a large bite.

My phone rang, and I cursed.

“Shit, I have to take this,” I said, seeing Ryan’s name flash on the screen.

Seeing as he never called me unless it was important, I usually didn’t avoid taking the calls.

“No problem,” Errin murmured.

I broke off a rather large piece of the pretzel and took my call to the far back hallway, answering it on the fifth ring.

“What’s up?” I asked around a mouthful of pretzel.

“I just got a call from child protective services.” Ryan sighed. “Christiny decided to be a fucking dumbass and go out on a date.”

I blinked, unsure what to do there.

“Okay,” I paused. “What happens now?”

“What happens now is that they took Raj away from her. Permanently after last time,” Ryan hissed. “And I won’t be home for three days because I’m in motherfuckin’ Toronto.” He paused. “Can you go help? Can you get Raj? Or get Christiny out of this somehow?”

I knew what he was asking.

Could I use my authority to get Christiny out of the hole she continuously decided to dig herself into.

And that was a big fucking no.

“I’ll go get Raj,” I said. “How long will you be gone?”

He sighed. “I had a feeling that was the step you were going to take,” he mumbled. “I can be home in a day and a half if they start me at tomorrow night’s game. I won’t be able to play the next game anyway. If they don’t start me, it’ll be the full three days. I’m sorry to do this to you, man.”

The funny thing was, I didn’t think he was sorry at all.

Ryan didn’t want to deal with his sister any more than I did.

And, sadly, that included Raj a lot of the time because Christiny was just that unlikeable of a person.

Mother fucker.

“Where did they say that Raj was?” I asked tiredly. “And will they even let me take him?”

“I can help with that,” he replied. “I’ll call and tell him that you’re my brother. That you’ll take him. You’re a cop. They won’t have any problems giving him to you since you’re supposed to be responsible.”

Supposed to be responsible.

So I wasn’t fooling him any more than I was fooling myself.

“I’ll go get him. Text me where to go,” I ordered.

Ryan said a thank you under his breath that really didn’t sound too genuine.

Then hung up.

I sighed and took another bite of my bread, the taste no longer any good.

Son of a bitch.

Walking back to my table, I looked apologetically at Errin.

At some point during my phone call, Ares had left then made her way back.

She saw me come back and took in the look on my face, immediately sensing something was wrong.

Errin, however, wasn’t anywhere near as perceptive.

“Oh, you’re back! The salads arrived and…” I smiled tightly at her. “I have to go. I’m so sorry, Errin.”

I didn’t bother telling her what was wrong.

There was no reason to.

I didn’t tell anyone my personal business.

She frowned. “That’s okay. But what about your food?”

I looked over at Ares who looked like she was going to hate her food, then made a decision. “I’ll talk to the waitress on the way out. And pay. Eat your food, though, Errin.”

She frowned.

I took one last sip of my drink then waved a goodbye but stopped short when I remembered the pretzel on my table.

I came back, seeing Errin’s face light up as if she actually thought I’d go through that song and dance and stay.

Picking up the barely eaten pretzel, I walked it over to Ares’ table.

“Don’t let this go to waste,” I said, placing it over her salad.

She looked up at me in surprise.

“Everything okay?” she asked.

And for once, I actually wanted to tell someone everything.

“I’m… no.” I paused. “Eat the damn pretzel.”

Then with that, I tracked down my waitress and had my food delivered to Ares’ table. Then had Ares’ food bagged up in case she actually did want it and paid for everyone’s dinner but the asshole she went out on a date with.Chapter 4I saw that.

-Karma

Ares

My belly was full of steak and baked potato, and yet another potential boyfriend was crossed off my list.

After watching me eat almost the entire fucking pretzel that Hayes had left at my table, Kelly, the ex-police officer that now did his own PI—private investigator work—had gotten really pissy.

Who was that? he’d asked.