Prowlin' on Their Beat

Feckin' Jane and Alec standing within a hundred feet of Bella was the last thing Edward wanted, but the devil twins had insisted. Edward prayed his girl would figure out some way to school the scared-shitless expression on her face before her friends realized something wasn't right. If the devil twins suspected she'd shared any of the situation with others, they'd kill her without a second thought. Worse, Liam might hop a plane and come deal with the whole lot of 'em.

"Lexington!" Bella's brother lit up like a torch when they drew near. "You guys are killing it!"

Edward pasted a smile on his face and held his gaze fast on Emmett. "Nashville isn't lookin' too bad, either. We may meet at the final."

"Can we get you a beer? Or Rosalie has been serving up some dangerous Bloody Marys." Jasper, the Nashville keeper, pulled a bottle of craft beer from his cooler and tipped it toward Alec.

"I wouldn't mind a Bloody Mary," Feckin' Jane said, with emphasis on the word bloody. "My matches are done for the day. All I have to do today is watch."

Again with the emphasis. If Bella didn't cop on with their appearance at her tent, she had the number now. Edward sent her what he hoped was an apologetic look.

Her small smile made him feel like a million bucks, but it disappeared with the next words out of Alice's mouth.

"Have a seat, guys. We can watch Denver and Indy together. Does everyone in your tent have something to drink? We can take some over."

Christ, why did everyone from Nashville have to be so nice? Edward's hopes for a quick escape went up in flames as Feckin' Jane accepted the chair Alice offered and plopped down with her red Solo cup. Alec dropped to the ground next to her and finally accepted the beer Jasper had been trying to foist upon him.

"Can we get you something, Anthony? You can have one before your next match, right?" Jasper pulled another beer from the cooler and waggled his eyebrows.

From her spot in the chair, Feckin' Jane leveled a menacing glare. Edward hadn't intended to accept the drink, especially since he still had a weak head from the night before, but her determination to terrorize him almost sparked rebellion. Wasn't worth it. Even one beer could destroy the balance he'd found during the first match of the day.

"Thanks very much, but I'll pass until later. Still in the horrors after last night."

After a very uncomfortable twenty minutes, during which Denver beat up on Indy on the pitch, the devil twins must have been convinced Bella's friends knew nothing. With a very significant stare in his girl's direction, Feckin' Jane thanked the Nashville team for the drinks and pulled Alec by the arm back to the Lexington tent.

"Have to get ready for the next match," he mumbled as he was led away.

"Not sure I've ever seen a henpecked brother before." Rosalie raised an eyebrow at their retreating forms.

"Henpecked brother, cousin, random person on the street. I think anyone who comes in contact with Feckin' Jane is henpecked."

Emmett let out a guffaw. "You're their cousin?"

He'd forgotten that was the story, but it clicked again, and Edward nodded. "Aye. Convinced there's a better life here in the States." His gaze slid across to Bella, whose cheeks were still bright red from the brush with the devil twins. "So far, so good."

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