Tri-Tip (Grade-A Beefcakes 3)

His partner, Lucas, nodded in agreement. “As if the sheriff here would know where his wife went.”

“Where’s the guy now?” If he was out there, I was tracking him down. I’d killed one man; another wouldn’t be a problem. Especially if he’d intended to hurt Parker.

“In custody. He’ll be charged with assaulting an officer of the law and cruelty to animals.”

“That’s it?” I asked, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.

Parker’s eyes widened slightly, as if noticing I was about to turn into the Incredible Hulk.

“For now. That will hold him. If we can find his wife and get her to press charges for the injuries from the other day, we can pin more on him.”

“For what he did today, he’ll only get a fine. A warning,” I assumed.

She shrugged. “Probably. Or serve thirty days if he has priors.”

Thirty days.

“He’ll come after you again.” I sighed, looked at the ceiling trying to calm myself. “That’s it, sweetheart. You’re quitting. I won’t have you put in danger like that.”

Her mouth fell open as she blushed hotly. “I did my job, Poe. I did it by the book.”

“She did. Got that guy to the ground and he’s huge. And drunk by the smell of him,” a woman who’d been quiet until now said. Besides her, there was Marge, the florist and two other women I didn’t know watching us. I had to guess they’d all seen what happened and had come with Parker to take care of Honey.

The woman’s words didn’t help at all. “Exactly. Big and drunk,” I said. “You’ll give notice to the city council and have Beirstad or Hogan cover until the election.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “And what will I do for a job?”

“I talked to Porter Duke at the DA’s office and you can work there. No weapons, no assholes coming after you. Safe.” After the barbecue at the ranch, I’d gotten in touch with Porter, told him about Parker. Her qualifications. He’d been interested, but hadn’t said much more as he’d had to go to court. It had eased my mind though, knowing my woman wouldn’t be in danger every day.

“You got me a job because you think my decision to be sheriff is a bad one?”

“A dangerous one,” I clarified. “Why put yourself at risk when you can be safe?”

She was all but vibrating with frustration. “Because it’s what I want to do, Poe! You don’t get to decide something like this.”

I put my hands on my hips, stared her down. I could see out of the corner of my eye everyone else was watching us like a tennis match. Back and forth their heads turned.

I didn’t give a shit about any of them. Only Parker. “Watch that sass, sweetheart, or you’ll be over my knee getting your ass spanked faster than you took that fucker down.”

Her mouth fell open and she stared at me. Wide-eyed. Blushing furiously.

The ladies laughed.

“I can’t believe you just said that.” As I watched, all fight left Parker. It was as if she… wilted before my eyes. For the first time since I met her, she looked weak. Were those tears in her eyes? She turned away, looked to Tom and Lucas. “Tell Gus to keep Honey.”

She turned and left, not looking back. The waiting room was silent and everyone was staring at me. Why did I feel like she wasn’t just walking out of the vet clinic, but out of my life?

13

GUS

* * *

“What the fuck did you do?” I asked Poe.

Mr. Monroe’s corgi was the last patient of the day and the door was locked behind him. It was finally quiet. Honey was staring up at me, her head cocked to the side.

The x-ra