Free Agent I1: Tristan [01] The D.I.R.E. Agency by Joni Hahn

weren’t on them before, they were staring at them now. Cody stomped through the community center doorway and headed her way.
    “Oh Lord…” Rachel’s food rose in her throat.
    “I’ve got this.” Tristan stood and waited for Cody, his eyes honed in on him like a tracking beam.
    Rachel popped up beside him. “He wants to see me , Tristan. I’ll take it outside.”
    When he reached their table, Cody grabbed for her arm. Tristan’s hand shot out to block him.
    “Can I help you?” Tristan put Rachel behind his shoulder.
    Cody ignored him. “Rachel, let’s go.”
    “She’s not going anywhere with you.”
    Cody took a deep breath. “Rachel, I’m not in the mood for this shit. Let’s go .” He held out his hand in invitation.
    Tristan said, “Go screw yourself.”
    Shaking his head, Cody finally looked at Tristan. “And why the hell do you matter?”
    Tristan crossed his arms over his chest. “Because I stand between you and your next breath.”
    Without a word, Cody pulled back and swung at Tristan. A gasp fell over the crowd. Tristan grabbed his fist mid-swing and pulled his arm behind his back. He bent Cody face first over the table. Mark and Glenna backed away with Ty.
    Cody’s cursing echoed in the silent hall. Rachel could see blood in his nose. “ Tristan, stop .”
    He stared at her with furrowed brows. “He started it.”
    “Let him up.” She gripped Tristan’s bicep.
    “Hell, no. He’ll just swing at me again.”
    Growling, Cody struggled to break free.
    She leaned down into his face. “Cody, what do you want?”
    “I want to talk to you.” He spoke out of the side of his mouth, his cheek crushed against the laminate.
    “Then why’d you try to hit Tristan?”
    “He’s responsible for what happened yesterday.”
    Tristan stiffened.
    “Cody, you’re responsible for what happened yesterday. You were passed out drunk.”
    All of the bluster fizzled out of Cody. He stopped struggling. “I just want to talk to you, Rachel. Alone.”
    “No,” Tristan said.
    She gritted her teeth. “Tris, I need to do this.”
    Staring at her for several seconds, he let go of Cody’s arm and stepped back.
    Okay… That was way too easy.
    Tristan’s eyes never left Cody as he straightened from the table. Wiping at his nose, Cody glared at Tristan, his narrowed eyes telling him pay backs were on the horizon.
    “Let’s walk over to the bride’s room in the church so you have some privacy,” Tristan said.
    Rachel wanted to hide under the table. Everyone stared at their awful, humiliating spectacle. She would kill Aidan when he returned.
    The three of them walked out of the center together. Rachel felt like she had an armed escort with the two big men framing her on either side. It surprised her that the crowd didn’t rise to their feet and follow them.
    Entering the church building, they ambled down the hall until they reached the bride’s room. Tristan pushed open the door. Shel preceded him inside. Yesterday’s incidents flooded her mind, including the sight of Jock Brewster lowering Cody, unconscious, to the metal chair. Anger renewed itself in her mind.
    “Brewster…” Tristan said, when Cody passed him in the doorway.
    He tossed the engagement ring to Cody. He caught it in one hand. Staring down at it, he glared at Tristan with gritted teeth.
    Tristan grabbed the door handle. “I’ll be around, Rachel, if you need me.”
    Nodding, she watched the door shut halfway.
    Oh no . Tristan was not going to stand in here invisible. He would give her this time alone, at least.
    Just when she moved to say something, the door pull closed.
    She blinked. Well… good. At least he honored her wishes this time.
    The air conditioner kicked on. The afternoon sun streaming through the skylight made the room uncomfortably warm.
    Placing her hands on hips, she stood in the center of the room, just outside the sun’s rays. “So talk.”
    Taking a deep breath, Cody’s voice went soft. “Rachel, we agreed to