I quirked a brow and glanced at her. “Well, I’m usually interested, when you’re not throwing elbows. But why am I specifically interested at the moment?”
“Do you need a specific reason?” She glared at me without losing her fake-as-shit smile. That was some master class talent there.
“Probably not, but now I’m intrigued.”
She rolled her eyes and just when I thought she wasn’t going to answer, she cut a look across the room to where one Dominic Walsh re-entered the ballroom they had set up for the luncheon. It was a serve yourself kind of thing, so no one really had assigned tables. He swept the room with one look and latched onto Rachel with a kind of laser focus.
One he transferred to me. The icy coolness in his eyes held all kinds of threats, so I slung my arm around Rachel’s shoulders. “Got your back.” Mr. I-Like-To-Fucking-Flirt-With-Frankie could go suck a dick. Besides, if Rachel didn’t want him around, we’d take care of it.
“Okay, I don’t need a cuddle buddy,” she retorted, but she didn’t pull away as we moved to one of the high top tables. “Also, how is she? For real?”
“You know how she is,” I commented, loosening my hold on her long enough to pull out a chair for Rachel. “Chin up, eyes forward, and determined to do everything expected of her and not remotely looking after herself.” If I sounded pissed while I rattled that off, well, I was. Her cunt of a mother didn’t deserve an ounce of the grief Frankie expressed for her. Worse, Frankie didn’t deserve to suffer more because of that bitch.
“How are you handling it?” Rachel asked before tipping her glass up and sipping her wine. I barely gave my glass a sniff before I tossed the whole drink back in one swallow. Mom caught my eye from across the room as I lowered the glass, disapproval thinning her lips as she compressed them. I sent her what I hoped was an apologetic smile and set the empty glass down.
“I don’t give a damn that the bitch is dead,” I said in an undertone, careful not to let it carry. None of us were sorry to see her go. Except the one person she hurt the most. Just then, the doors to the room opened, letting Archie and his father in. Well, maybe the person she hurt the second most. “But I hate that Frankie has to deal with this.”
“Yeah,” Rachel said with a sigh. “I want to do something to fix it.”
“You, me, and everyone else.”
Frankie spotted Archie and his father and she murmured something to Jake’s sisters before breaking away from them to cross the room. Bubba and Jake tracked her motion the same way I did. The minute she reached Archie and he wrapped his arms around her, I flicked my attention back to Rachel.
“I’m glad you’re here,” I told her. “I know you haven’t liked being at the brownstone so much.”
One corner of her mouth quirked upward. “I give you shit, but the sound proofing is much better than I thought it would be.”
I chuckled. “Or we haven’t been the horny devils you always cast us as.”
Her snort said everything. One of the waiters came by and claimed my empty and then looked at me and I shook my head. Not that I didn’t mind drinking, but I wanted my wits about me, and I didn’t want to have to deal with my mother on the subject.
“Fuck,” she muttered under her breath, and I shifted to stand a little closer to where she was seated as Walsh approached.
“Need something?” I asked him even though he clearly focused on Rachel and not me.
“Rachel,” he said, ignoring me. “I’m not trying to be a pain in the ass.”
“You’re right,” she responded. “You’re succeeding. What part of ‘no’ are you failing to understand?”
I straightened and caught Jake’s eye. He quirked his brows and when I flicked a look at Walsh, he nodded and said something to his sisters before heading to me. Tossing someone out of a wake, or post-funeral luncheon or whatever the hell we were calling this, might not be in the manners rulebook, but this guy clearly needed a message pounded home.
And honestly, I couldn’t slug Maddy, but I could hit him.
Walsh sighed. “Do you want to have the conversation here? Or would you prefer somewhere more private?”
“I would prefer to not have the conversation at all,” Rachel said. “I’m here for Frankie. That’s why all of us are here. So get your brains out of your pants or just go away.”
Jake clapped a hand on Walsh’s shoulder. “Problem here?” The grip had to be tight because the lawyer tried to move but didn’t succeed in dislodging Jake’s hold on him.
“We’re fine,” Rachel said in a crisp tone. “The last thing Frankie wants is for a fight to start.”
Fair enough.
She glanced at the lawyer. “If I promise to call you next week, will you stop?”
Hell no.
“He’ll stop now,” I said, pinning a look on him and if my expression matched Jake’s, the guy would get the message now. “She said no. Doesn’t matter what your question is or what you thought you wanted to hear. Leave her alone.”
“Right,” Jake said without letting Walsh respond. “Let’s take a walk, shall we?” The fact he hauled him backwards didn’t really give the attorney a chance to argue.
“Guys,” Rachel said. “I can handle this.”
“You don’t have to,” I told her and then gave her a kiss on the cheek. “We’ll be right back.” With that, I followed Jake and Dominic across the room to the exit. Bubba was already at the door, holding it open and waiting for the pair to step outside before he and I followed.
Outside and away from the hum of quiet conversation, Jake all but marched Dominic toward the parking lot. It was still considered early spring up here in the northeast. The air was chilly enough that being in a suit didn’t bother any of us. That said, if we were going to actually fight, we needed to lose the jackets. I also had on a white shirt, so I really hoped this asshole wasn’t a bleeder.
As soon as we were well and truly clear of the room, the attorney yanked himself away from Jake. Facing us, Walsh smoothed down his jacket. “Was that really necessary?”
Arms folded, Jake glared at him. “Yes, apparently you have trouble listening. Today isn’t about you, so you and your objections can get in your car and leave.”
The man sighed and then cut a look at me.
“Don’t,” I told him. “Rachel said ‘no.’ That’s all I need to know. You want to pretend like you don’t understand, fine. But she doesn’t have to put up with you.”
“Ever,” Bubba tacked on. “Also, you’re Frankie’s attorney and this is a funeral for your client’s mother. While we may not think much of the woman or her choices, you could at least respect Frankie enough to knock this shit off today. Especially when Rachel has been focused on being there for her.”
“Facts,” Jake finished. “So, get in your car and leave or I’ll put you in it and you won’t enjoy the trip.”
Irritation flickered in the man’s eyes, but he reached up to loosen his tie. “I’ll go, but not because of your threats. Let’s be clear on that.”
“Whatever helps you sleep at night.” Before the words even left Jake’s lips, Dominic slugged him. He didn’t telegraph the move. Fuck, none of us saw it coming, but Jake rocked back a step and then landed his own blow.