“But—”
Teddy cut Bryson off. “I’m fine, lover. I’m just a bit shaken up, that’s all. They were just a bunch of drunk bullies.”
“Get him inside,” Rook told Bryson as he went to pick up the shovel. “Do what you need to do with him.” He noticed the blood splatter on the blade of the snow shovel. He turned it away from Bryson, so the pig wouldn’t notice.
The less Bryson knew, the better. Also, the less Rook could be accused of.
“I need to go find these guys and charge them with harassment and assault,” Bryson insisted.
“They’re leavin’ town and know better than to come back.”
Adam turned toward Rook with an arm wrapped around Teddy’s back. “That isn’t good enough.”
“They were bein’ drunk and stupid. They learned their lesson.” Bryson needed to go inside so Rook could call Ozzy. “If they’re stayin’ at The Grove Inn, we’ll make sure they know they’re no longer welcome there. Or here in town.”
Bryson’s blue eyes narrowed. “How will you do that?”
“Ask ‘em politely to leave,” Rook answered matter-of-factly.
Teddy tugged on Bryson’s patrol jacket. “C’mon, husband, I need to go inside and warm up, and you need to take care of the cut on the love of your life’s eye.” He pressed a kiss to the pig’s cheek. “I’m in need of some TLC.”
Bryson stared at Rook for a couple more heartbeats, then, with a slight nod and his arm still around Teddy, he turned and took the hairdresser inside.
Rook sighed, relieved that he wasn’t sending the cavalry to go looking for those douchebags. It was their word against Rook and Teddy’s. Just because they were in the wrong didn’t mean Rook wouldn’t pay for protecting Bryson’s husband. He’d been fucked like that before for helping someone out of a jam.
Those drunks had been handled and if they weren’t, Rook would make sure the situation was finished and those assholes would never even think about returning to Manning Grove.
He removed his phone from the pocket Teddy had slipped it back into and called Oz.
“Yo,” was the brother’s gruff greeting.
“Hey, you got a bunch of drunk, loudmouth assholes stayin’ there?”
“Need to be more specific. Always got assholes stayin’ here. Just ‘cause they can pay more don’t mean they ain’t fuckin’ assholes.”
“There’s five of ‘em. Might be headed back there now.”
“Hang on.” A pause filled the other end of the phone. “Think I see who you’re talkin’ about.” He snorted. “You give them those fuckin’ bloody noses?”
“Me and Teddy.”
Ozzy hooted loudly into Rook’s ear. “Teddy?”
“Yeah, with a damn snow shovel. They jumped him, was pushin’ him around, callin’ him a fag.”
The man on the other end got really quiet.
“Oz?”
“Yeah.” That response was soft and flat.
“They ain’t fuckin’ stayin’ there a minute more.”
“Hear you, brother. Want me to send them packin’.” That wasn’t even a question from the older biker. It was a confirmation.
Rook glanced back over his shoulder to the large picture window at the front of Manes on Main. Inside, Teddy was sitting in one of his salon chairs and Bryson was standing between the hairdresser’s thighs and doing a bit of first aid to the injured eye.
Even from where Rook stood, he could see Bryson wore a worried expression, while Teddy stared up at him with nothing but love.
Nostrils flaring, Rook spun away and pursed his lips as he considered the options. “Nah. Not yet. Gonna send Scar, Castle and Bones to do the eviction. Just want you to keep an eye on those fuckers ’til the new prospects get there. Gonna text them now.”
“Got it.”
“When they get there, make sure all three of them do the job. Good test for these recruits.”
“Agreed.”
“Lemme know when it’s done.”
“Will do, brother.”
He hung up with Ozzy, texted the three prospects and then considered the still snow-covered sidewalk while he waited for their response. A few seconds later, he received confirmation that they were all headed toward The Grove Inn.
With a sigh, he then put his back into clearing the concrete, watching the blood get cleaned off the metal blade, now sporting a head-shaped dent, with each pass. When he was almost done, he heard the jingle of the salon’s door and Bryson stepped outside, taking in the work Rook did.
Bryson stepped into the path of the shovel as Rook pushed it. He only had a couple more passes to finish the job, but Rook stopped and straightened, doing his best to not let his lip curl into a snarl.
“Owe you, man.”
Rook only stared at the pig’s outstretched hand. After a few more seconds, Bryson’s fingers curled and he dropped it to his side.
“Only a bit of snow.”
“Not talking about the snow, but I appreciate that, too. You could’ve kept driving but you didn’t. You stepped in and didn’t let it get worse than it was.”
Rook jerked his chin slightly but said nothing. This conversation was unneeded. He didn’t do it for the pig, he did it for Teddy. He couldn’t give a fuck about Bryson and his badge-wearing family.