Diesel knew that Stone’s protests about all the cops who’d become part of their lives over the past few years were purely for show. Scarlett and Stone had become very close, but Stone had to maintain his prickly shell.

“Marcus can take care of himself,” Diesel said, shaking his head.

“I sure hope so. Anyway, Delores loves all the ruckus, so I dropped her and Angel off at your doctor’s house and split.”

Diesel pressed the heel of his hand to his heart to blunt the pain that lanced his chest. “Not my doctor,” he said, his voice a breath away from breaking. Just because I wish it were so, doesn’t make it so.

Stone drew in a slow breath and let it out as he studied Diesel’s profile. “Marcus didn’t tell me that part, just the business part.”

Because Diesel hadn’t told Marcus. He’d looked so happy in his little family bubble with Scarlett and the baby she carried. Diesel hadn’t had the heart to burst it.

Stone’s expression softened. “What happened? Should I talk to Dani?”

Diesel shook his head hard. “No. God, no. She’s . . . allowed to want who she wants. And she’s allowed not to want me.” He held up his hand when, frowning, Stone started to say more. “I’m glad you took Delores over there.” Stone’s petite girlfriend was the sweetest of their circle, and her animal shelter had sourced nearly all of their pets. Angel, her wolfhound, was nearly as big as she was, but just as sweet. Unless someone tried to hurt Delores or Stone. Then the dog was a fierce protector. Just what Dani and the boys need. “Michael and Joshua will love Angel. They’ve already fallen for Hawkeye.”

Stone’s nod was both thoughtful and sad. “Okay. Well, then, what do you need from me? I’m here to watch your back.”

“I don’t know. I think there’s . . . business happening here.” Diesel looked around, wondering if they could be overheard. It might be paranoid on his part, but this situation had already bypassed weird. “Special business.”

It was how they referred to their special Ledger investigations, those in which powerful people, usually men, had gotten away with terrible crimes. Those investigations usually resulted in the powerful men being punished, either by the judicial system or via very strong suggestions that they back away from their families and allow the Ledger team to relocate the wives and children somewhere safer.

Stone gave him a nod of understanding. “Then we watch.” He lifted his brows, indicating a skirmish in its early stages. “At least we’ll be entertained.”

Two very drunk men were arguing with each other while a woman tried to separate them. One of the men roughly pushed the woman aside, making her stumble on her high heels and fall flat on her butt.