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Knowing that Copper was about to hitfor that eventuality? It had fucked withtime Even worse had been the look on Mack’s face when he’d said that he was scared Finally, after years of ain that I needed to be careful, all that it had taken was the look of helplessness in my man’s eyes to put that fear into me

Work was slow, even with Lily and Leo there to entertain h custo and cleanup ininto my hand

“You headed to your place or Mack’s?” Leo asked as I waved towas done, just to lock up and check my receipts I rolled my eyes

“Ho my phone for the fifth time Mack hadn’t responded to any of my texts

Leo and Lily were playing grab-ass as I pushed the front door open and stepped outside, and for less than a minute, I was alone in the dark

I barely held back a screa He had a butterfly bandage on his cheekbone, another on the side of his nose, and the rest of his face was bruised a rainbow of colors

“Hear otta say somethin’ to—”

“She doesn’t gotta say shit to no one,” Leo barked as he shoved past me

“It’s none of your business, man,” Copper replied, full of bravado I was coh

“Call your pop,” Leo ordered me

Heclosed behind him and she was nowhere to be seen

Leo stepped forward and said so to Copper, but I didn’t catch it because I was already putting my phone to my ear

“Rose?”okay?”

“When I got off work, Copper aiting outside the bar,” I said shakily, staring at Leo’s back His shoulders straightened, and everything inside me went on alert

“I’ll be right there,” my dad said immediately “Leo with you?”

“Yeah”

“Be there soon, baby girl,” he said “Hold tight”

As soon aswhen his phone went straight to voicemail

“This is bullshit,” Copper spat “Rose, tell the”

I kept my mouth shut

“Oh, coet up in everyone’s shit when they have a fight with their woman?”

“She ain’t your wo ass time”

“It hasn’t been that long,” Copper scoffed

“Rose has a man,” Leo said “Seems like you’d be reminded of that every time you take a look in the mirror”

“Oh,” Copper said nastily “We gonna compare fucked up faces?”