Connor pins Pete against the vehicle. Their bodies are touching in the middle.
Connor lifts his hands and steps back. “Stay there, Doc.”
Red-faced and breathing hard, Pete fixes his collar. “You’re a bully.”
Connor narrows his eyes. “And you’re a grown man. What did I ask you to do?”
Pete shakes his head again. “I’m calling the police, and my lawyers.”
Connor tilts his head. “Are you daft? Because if you are, I’ll walk away and feel sorry for you.” He picks up his phone and puts it on speaker.
“Selnoa police department,” a woman answers. “What is your emergency?”
Nobody speaks on our end.
The police dispatcher repeats the question.
“Tell her,” Connor orders. “What’s your emergency?”
Pete grinds his teeth. “A misdial. Sorry.”
Connor hangs up. “Let’s call your lawyer now. It’s Dasimov, isn’t it? It is. I’m never wrong when I read something, and I read all about you, Doc.”
“Stop,” Pete says. “What do you want?”
“I want you to answer my questions. What did I tell you to do with her?”
“Drop her off at your house,” I say, because I don’t want Connor to fly off the handle, and Pete is stubbornly not answering. I understand Connor’s pushing him, but Pete needs to understand who he’s speaking with and stop posturing.
“I’m not talking to you,” Connor says.
I put my hands on my hips. “You’re talking about me while I’m around, so I might as well answer.”
“Don’t sass me, Mamma.”
“Don’t call meMamma.”
“Bunny? You like that better?”
I flatten my lips.
“Mamma it is, then,” he says.
“I hate you.”
“Fuck.” Connor squeezes his sac and side-eyes me. “You’re distracting.”
“Let’s just go, Con.”
“Now I’m Con?”
I tug his elbow. “Come on.”
Connor points a finger at Pete. “I told you to drop her at my house, didn’t I?”
Pete nods. It’s a slight nod, but it’s better than nothing.
“Here’s the thing,” Connor continues. “This nurse you want to fuck is my future sister-in-law’s best friend, and when I’m managing unknown risks to my family that involve a human element like you and her, not following the timeline that we agreed upon makes me think something has gone wrong. The next time you don’t do what I told you to do with her, I’ll break your fingers, and you’ll never touch her again. Do we understand each other?”