“That was love. That’s how people in love look at each other.”
“How would you know?” Jinx sinks back further into the sofa, his arms crossing over his chest. The man has made up his mind, and there’s no reasoning with him. I should just stop arguing and leave him alone, but we honestly don’t have anything better to do, so annoying my team members is going to have to suffice. “You’ve never been in love, right?”
“Fuck no,” I hiss without hesitation. “And I don’t have any plans to be in love, ever, but that doesn’t mean I don’t recognize it when I see it.”
Jinx grins, revealing white teeth as he winks at me. Grinch chuckles, and somehow the tables have turned and I’m left confused when just moments ago these two guys were the ones who refused to see my point.
That point being that women are designed to find love and hold on to it at all costs. Men could pick and choose. We don’t have to fall for a chick unless we want to. Yeah, we could easily become obsessed with one woman depending on the time we spend with her, but love isn’t on the table unless we put it there ourselves.
“But you’re saying that Cannon wanted to fall for Rivet, so that’s why they’re in love?” Jinx raises an eyebrow at me, and I know he’s driving toward a point he had when we first started this conversation half an hour ago.
“Exactly.”
“Even with the way things could get complicated because of who she is and who he is?” Grinch’s eyes volley back and forth between the two of us.
“Even more so because of it,” I agree, even when in my head I’m thinking it’s past time to stop this conversation altogether.
“So it’s not true love,” Jinx states.
“Looks like true love to me.” I tilt my beer up, hating the look that’s sparkling in his eyes.
“It can’t be true love.” I stare at Jinx like the idiot he is. “By your explanation, if Rivet is programmed to fall in love, then she would’ve fallen in love with anyone. Cannon just happens to be the lucky guy to land her.”
“What?” My brow scrunches. “That’s not what I said—”
Banging echoes through the clubhouse, drawing the attention of every person in the room. Jinx is on his feet in seconds, as are Hound, Griffin, Grinch, and I. He moves toward the front door with all of us following closely behind.
People at the front door aren’t a common occurrence around here. Even those welcomed and invited call or text first before arriving, and they certainly don’t pound on the door with a closed fist like the demons from hell are nipping at their feet.
Jinx swings the door open, and even though his body is blocking my view, I see the crimson stains on the door.
“Simone?” Jinx hisses just as I reposition my body to see what’s going on.
Purple bruises mark her face, one eye swollen so badly I doubt she can see out of it clearly. Anger flares through me before I can even take a moment to understand the emotions, but I’m overcome with many at the sight of the blood covering her arms and the front of her clothes. She’s covered in red from what looks like head to toe, so much so that I’m confused how she’s actually standing in front of us.
“Call an ambulance!” Grinch yells to anyone around that’s listening.
She doesn’t look like the same woman I brought home a couple of times from the local bar, and if it weren’t for the Jake’s Bar logo on her blood-soaked t-shirt, I’d argue that this petite woman was someone else. She doesn’t have a smile on her battered face, and winking would be impossible for her right now.
One of the women in the room begins to cry behind me, but pulling my eyes from Simone is impossible.
“It’s n-not m-my bl-blood,” Simone stammers, as she holds her arms at her sides. Her eyes dart around the room frantically, and I can see the doubt through the discoloration on her once-perfect skin. She’s doubting coming here.
“Whose blood is it?” Grinch asks. His shoulders are tense, and the way his hands clench open and closed, I know he’s ready to rain fire down on whoever hurt her, regardless of how injured the other person is.
“My husband’s,” she answers, her eyes never leaving mine.
She stares right at me as she answers him, and the entire room narrows until all I can see