A Dirty Business (Kings of New York #1)(61)

That was just Bear.

“Officer Montell.” Val wasn’t alone at the table. Brian Wittel was there, and judging from the very not subtlety of Val wiggling her eyebrows, this was a date setup.

I slid onto my stool and gave him a nod and small smile back. “Officer Wittel.”

I liked Brian. We’d hooked up in the past. He was a good cop, kept himself trim, and he kept his mouth shut. Whenever he was on a scene for one of my guys, I knew I didn’t need to worry anything extra would pop off. He was as professional as professional came for us. Plus, he was easy on the eyes. Handsome. He had dark features, and he was good in bed. The past with us had been clean, no messiness. We’d hooked up with the understanding if the other wanted another go, just send a text. No strings. Nothing else. Val knew about the hookup, and I was guessing this was payback for me messing with her about her Officer Young Stud.

I glanced around and didn’t see him. “Where’s Little Romeo?”

Brian started laughing while Val growled at me. “Shut up. Shut up! Shut up! Okay?”

I frowned. “Sore spot? You guys break up already?”

She hissed under her breath, half rising out of her chair and leaning over the table to me. She pretended to give me a whack on the face. “That’s still under wraps.” Her eyes darted to Brian. “Except Brian knows, but no one else. Okay? Got it?”

I laughed as Bear showed up at our table, sliding a pint in front of me. “I was figuring Brian knew but wasn’t totally sure. Hence the code name Little Romeo.”

She gave me a withering glare. “Brian knows because he caught us leaving my apartment building.”

Brian laughed. “Perks of living in the same building.”

I turned to Bear. “Thank you.”

He gave a small nod. “Been a while since you came in, but figured you’d want what you usually drank.” Bear knew I’d drink anything he brought over. That was respect for him, but his gaze skirted the table before landing back on me. He gave a slight nod toward the corner and dropped his voice. “A word in private?”

All laughing went by the wayside. I slid off my stool.

“Sure.” I shared a look with Val before I followed him to the back corner. He led the way through into his kitchen, and he didn’t stop. The cook was in the back, and he raised a knife in the air. “Heya, little Jessie!”

“Hi, Tony. Food smells delicious tonight.”

“Always, but especially for you tonight now that I know you’re out there.”

I grinned back before going into Bear’s office.

He stepped back and waited to shut his door.

I moved to the side. He had two windows with the curtains both drawn, a desk, a chair, and a love seat, which was pushed up against the wall. The love seat was covered with files and papers, and Bear didn’t sit, so that told me this was going to be fast or uncomfortable.

Either way, I tightened up my resolve and waited, getting prepared for whatever he was going to send my way.

“This about my mom?”

He shook his head, a sad look flashing for a moment. Disappointment was next, and that was a gut punch. Bear nodded and then shook his head. “Yes and no. She was a mess when I went over there.”

I shifted back on my feet. “What kind of a mess?”

“She was passed out when I got in, but she woke when I was leaving. She started in, swearing at you, swearing at me until she realized who I was. She stopped with me, but not you. The things she said, they alarmed me, Jessie.”

I lined my insides with steel, not letting anything in.

He said, shaking his head, “It’s not right, Jess. Not what she said, not what I just saw you do. You walled yourself off, and I’m getting that it’s a coping mechanism. I know enough psych to know the reason for that, but it ain’t right.”

“I don’t know what you expect me to do about it? You’ve been around enough. You know how she feels about me. I check on her, but I try and stay away as much as I can. She’s a drunk. Sometimes she’s worse than other times.”

“I’m not saying you should do more.”

He was talking gentle with me. I could feel his pity, and I hated that.

He added, a gruff drop in his voice, “I’m saying maybe you should step back completely. Your mama, things in the past shaped how she is today. It ain’t your fault. No one thinks that, even her, but she’s angry. It’s turning her bitter and hard. She’ll get worse.” He looked away, and it was then I clued in that he was nervous for this talk. His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down once before he looked back to me. “I had a talk with Leo one night. He said he’s worried about you. Can feel something’s going on.”

I gritted my teeth. “He say my work performance is slipping?”

“No. Your work is up to usual standards, which is high. You’ve always been a good worker. That ain’t the issue, but we get feelings in this business. You know it. I got ’em when I was overseas, but so does Leo. Something’s off with you. We think it’s time you step back from checking in on your ma. Totally back off. Let us step in. We’ll take over.”

They thought it was my mom bothering me.

A wave of relief and guilt hit me all at the same time.

“What are you proposing?” My voice cracked.