by K. C. Lynn
Just fucking great.
“Get out of my face, fed,” he says, clearly knowing more about me than I do him, which I don’t like.
“You come any closer to her and I’ll put you in the ground.”
“Oh lord,” someone says behind me, sounding terrified.
“Nick, it’s okay.” Katelyn comes to stand next to me, putting her hand on my arm.
“No, it’s not.”
“He’s a friend.”
“Yeah? Well, I think you need to find some new friends.”
He takes a collected step toward me. “You don’t know shit about me, asshole.”
“Both of you, stop,” Katelyn cries.
One of the chicks walks out from behind me and inserts herself between us, clapping her hands in our faces. “All right, boys, that’s enough. How about you put your dicks back in your pants and try acting civil. I’m sure they’re both the same size anyway.”
“Kayla, stay out of this.”
She turns back to him and whispers, “Don’t worry, babe, I know yours is bigger.”
Muffled laughter breaks out behind me, the girls clearly finding this chick hilarious.
She turns back and faces me again. “Well, well, well, if it isn’t the famous Nick Stone.”
“Kayla,” Katelyn says with a hint of warning in her tone.
“What? I’m just going to introduce myself.” Kayla gives her a wink before extending her hand to me. “As you just heard I’m Kayla and this charming man behind me is my husband, Cooper.” She leans in. “He’s really not that snarly, I promise. He’s just been worried ’bout my friend here… We all were,” she adds, side-glancing at Katelyn.
“I’m sorry you guys were worried but I didn’t have a choice in the matter. It was kind of a last minute thing.”
“Okay, everyone, just settle down,” Faith says, moving next to me. She wraps her arms around my waist. “Sorry for the lousy greeting you’re getting. I’m glad you’re okay. Thank you for watching out for my cousin.”
“You know I would never let anything happen to her.”
“I do. Knowing you were with her is the only thing that kept me sane these past few days.”
“Hey,” Katelyn says, affronted. “I’m not completely helpless. I’ll have you know I saved Nick’s life, too…kinda.”
I grunt before I can stop myself, earning a glare from her.
“Um, excuse me, but who drove the car while we were getting shot at?”
“Oh jesus christ,” Cooper curses, pinching the bridge of his nose while the girls gasp.
“You were shot at?” Faith cries.
“Yes, but I’m fine,” she rushes to say. “We’re both fine, thanks to my driving skills and Nick’s aim.”
I’m just about to tell her to keep her mouth shut when a little girl comes bolting out the door, wearing nothing but a man’s wifebeater and beanie on her head.
“Auntie Katelyn!” She bounds down the steps and runs into Katelyn’s waiting arms.
“Hey, my Ruthie girl, how are you?” she greets, lifting the girl off her feet.
“I’m good. Where you been? Everyone’s been going crazy ’bout you de last few days.”
“They have?” Katelyn asks, glancing at Faith.
“Yep, de big guy has been cussin’ up a storm. He’s had to pay a lot of money to de swear jar. All of dem have.” The kid looks over at me, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. “Is dis de asshole fed everyone’s been talkin’ about?”
A bunch of chuckles erupt except for Faith. She gasps, horrified. “Ruthie, honey, you know you can’t say that.”
“Oops. Sorry, I meant a-hole fed.”
Faith groans and points at a guy in a beanie. “That’s coming out of your pocket, too.”
He shrugs, looking more amused than anything. I’m assuming this is her husband.
“Well,” Katelyn says, cutting back in. “This a-hole fed isn’t an a-hole. His name is Nick and he’s a good friend that Faith and I grew up with. He’s been helping me,” she adds softly.
“You had help here,” the guy in the beanie says.
“No. I didn’t, not the help I needed.”
“Okay, come on, let’s take this inside,” Faith says, grabbing Ruthie from Katelyn.
“I’m not going in there if everyone is just going to attack me and be rude to Nick,” Katelyn says, hurt prominent in her tone, which takes my temper up another notch. “I only came here to let you know I’m okay. I didn’t expect an ambush.”
“We’re not here to ambush you,” a girl with long brown hair says softly, grabbing Katelyn’s hand. “We’ve just been worried and wanted to see for ourselves that you’re okay. I’m sorry if it’s coming across like that.”
“No one is going to attack anyone,” Faith says sternly. “We’re going inside and everyone is going to be civil or else they can leave.”
All the guys grumble and turn to head into the house.
“We’ll be there in a minute,” Katelyn says, holding me back.
Faith looks unsure but nods and hustles everyone else in, leaving us alone.
Katelyn turns to me, hurt shining in her dark eyes. “I’m sorry for the way they treated you.”
I shrug. “Don’t be. I don’t give a shit what they think of me, but I don’t like the way they treat you.”
“Cooper’s just angry right now. Believe it or not he’s usually very calm and levelheaded. He’s not only my friend but also the sheriff. He’s always watched out for me.” She steps in closer, her hands clasping around my waist. “Thank you for sticking up for me, but I promise he’s a good man. They all are but they’re hotheads. Just like you and Kolan,” she adds with a smirk.
I grunt. “I’m not a hothead.”
“Mmm, yes, you are, but it’s one of the reasons I like you so much,” she says with a smile but her expression quickly sobers. “We don’t have to go in there. I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t want to.”
“It’s whatever you want, Kate. I don’t care either way.”
She stares up at me, trying to gauge whether I’m being honest or not. “If you’re sure then I’d like to go in and settle everything before we leave.”
“Then we’ll go. Just watch what you say. Don’t tell them you’ve heard from Kolan. I understand they’re your friends but until we know the full story we need to be careful. There’s a reason Kolan isn’t trusting anyone right now.”
She nods. “I’ll be careful. Now before we go in I need you to do something first.”
“What’s that?”
“Kiss me,” she whispers, making my cock harden behind my jeans.
With a growl I fist my hands in her thick, dark hair and slant my mouth over hers, inhaling her sweet taste like I’ve been dying to since this morning. When a fiery whimper escapes her, I consider forgetting everything I just said and taking her home to bed, but unfortunately, we’re interrupted.
“Auntie, de big guy says to get your ass inside…I mean butt.”
Katelyn pulls back with a giggle. “Coming,” she calls back before looking up at me, her cheeks pink and eyes warm with desire. “Later?” she asks hopefully.
“Yeah, later.” I promise with a groan, wishing later was now. “Come on, let’s get this over with.” Slinging an arm around her shoulders, I kiss the side of her head and start walking up to the house.
I’m about to ask her what the deal is with this Ruthie girl, but the kid is still waiting at the door, eyeing me suspiciously. Katelyn bends down and scoops her up in her arms as we walk inside. Everyone’s waiting in the living room, an awkward tension filling the air.
“Where are all the other kids?” Katelyn asks.
“Over at Jaxson and Julia’s with Anna and Logan,” Faith replies.
“I got to stay ’cause de big guy and me are camping outside tonight in de tent. Just de two of us. Mia is too little yet to come but Faif says maybe next year.”
“Ruthie, honey, why don’t you have your snack in the TV room while
you wait for Cade.”
“Ah man, I always miss de good stuff.”
Katelyn kisses her on the cheek before releasing her. Once the kid dashes off she turns back to the room nervously. “Well now that people seem a little calmer, I guess I’ll start with proper introductions.” She points to the first couple, standing off to the left. “Nick, this is Jaxson and Julia. Next to them are Sawyer and Grace.” The girls wave at me with a smile, while the guys barely nod. “You already met Cooper and Kayla.” Kayla gives me a sassy little wave, making it easy to understand why she and Katelyn are friends. “You know Faith, and next to her is her husband Cade, a.k.a the big guy. He’s a really happy fella, bursting with bubbly energy all the time,” she adds, tossing that attitude of hers around.
Cade grunts, unimpressed. “Glad to see you didn’t lose your sarcasm.”
“You act like I’ve been gone for months. It’s only been a couple of days.”
“Considering we thought you were fucking dead until Faith got a hold of you, waiting a couple of days for a better explanation seems like a helluva long time,” Cooper breaks in, his tone instantly pissing me off again.
“Have you stopped to think it was the first time I was able to talk to someone?”
“Do you have any idea what it was like to show up at your place and find it turned upside down and you were nowhere to be found?”
“She just fucking told you she talked to you the first chance she got. Now get off her back!” I order, having enough of this asshole.
“What do you have to do with any of this, fed? This is my goddamn case!”
“He’s here because I called him to help me find Kolan,” Katelyn snaps.
“What the hell do you think I’ve been doing? Sitting here with my thumb up my ass?”
“I needed someone on my side. Someone who knows Kolan as well as I do, and believes in his innocence. You’re trying to find my brother to lock him up, not help him. But you’re wrong—he didn’t do it!” Her voice cracks, tears brimming in her eyes. “You’re all wrong,” she sobs. “He’s not a rapist. He’d never do that to someone.”
The sight of her pain fucking shreds me. I’m just about to take her out of here but all the girls surround her before I get the chance, pulling her into a hug.
“We don’t think he’s guilty, Katelyn,” Grace says, her own throat sounding thick with emotion. “We might not know him well, but if you say he didn’t do it then we believe you.”
“That’s right, we’re always on your side,” Kayla says, before glaring back at her husband who looks as guilty as he should feel. “Fix this, now!” she bites out quietly.
Shaking his head, he walks over and pulls her into his arms. Considering the guy has rubbed me the wrong way since meeting him, I don’t like it but I keep my mouth shut unless Katelyn says otherwise.
“I’m sorry for being an asshole. I was fucking terrified when I found your place like that. You’ve always come to me if you needed anything. I hate that you didn’t this time.”
“How can I when you think he’s guilty?” she cries.
“It’s not that I think he’s guilty, Katelyn. I want to believe in his innocence, but I need his side of the story in order to do that, especially when the evidence is against him.”
“Don’t you see, that’s why he’s running.” Katelyn steps back, wiping her eyes. “Someone is trying to set him up, Cooper.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know but someone is.”
“She’s right,” I add, pulling her back against me.
His suspicious gaze shoots to mine. “Yeah, and how do you know this?”
“Because we were in Kolan’s apartment when the intruders broke in and killed Vince Padalecki.”
Shock ricochets across the room, the girls gasping and the guys jumping to their feet.
“Jesus, will someone tell me what the fuck is going on?” Cade bellows.
I begin telling them the whole story, or all that I feel is necessary for them to know, right down to us in the shoot-out on the interstate.
“Shit,” Cooper curses. “I guess that explains the wrecked Escalade we found with no victims.”
“What do you mean, they weren’t there?”
He shakes his head. “No, and the vehicle is registered to a fake name and address.”
Shit!
“You didn’t recognize any of them?” Sawyer asks Katelyn, speaking up for the first time.
She shakes her head sadly. “I have no idea who they were but we heard them say to throw the gun in the back dumpster because Kolan’s prints were on it.” She looks back to Cooper. “I’m telling you, someone is setting him up.”
He blows out a frustrated breath, running a hand through his hair. “I knew something wasn’t right. Finding Vince’s body raised red flags for me, not because I thought Kolan couldn’t kill him because, let’s face it, most people could when it comes to that asshole. But the gun we found with his prints on it is the same one that was used to kill Victor Donnelly.”
Katelyn tenses. “No way! Victor was the closest person to Kolan, he would never hurt him.”
Cooper nods. “I know. That’s why I said I didn’t think he was the one to kill Vince. I also think he wouldn’t be dumb enough to do it in his apartment while he’s running from the cops.” He pauses, looking right at Katelyn. “This entire time you’ve assumed I’m trying to find your brother to lock him up, but that’s not the case. I want him for answers. I just want the truth, and I want to find the bastards doing this.”
“I’m sorry,” she whispers, guilt thick in her voice. “But we both know you questioned his innocence, and I don’t blame you. Even though it hurt I understand because you don’t know him like I do. This is why I had to step back from you guys. I love you all like family but I’m the only person Kolan has, the only one he trusts, and he needs to be first right now. That’s why I called Nick. He knows him, better than anyone else does. He knows he isn’t capable of this.”
“Just because I don’t know him well doesn’t mean I wouldn’t help him,” Cooper says.
“Have you spoken to him?” Cade asks.
I answer before Katelyn can. “No.”
They all grunt, knowing I’m full of shit, but I don’t really care. By Cooper’s hard expression it’s apparent he isn’t pleased with my answer. “You should know better than anyone that withholding information in an investigation is illegal.”
Katelyn stiffens but I smirk, playing off the subtle threat. “It is. It’s a federal offense, lucky for me.”
His eyes narrow further. “This isn’t your investigation, it’s mine, and even feds can go to prison.”
“Then lock me up. Because I’m telling you now—until I know why Kolan isn’t trusting you or anyone else I will break every goddamn law there is if it means keeping her safe.”
“Would both of you stop it!” Katelyn says, her eyes flaring in anger. “We’re all on the same side here and need to be helping one another, not fighting.”
“I agree. Knock it off, Cooper,” Kayla says, glaring at her husband.
“Listen,” Katelyn starts again, her tone calmer. “He’s called me once. I know he’s alive but that’s all. I have no idea where he is or if I’ll hear from him again. That’s why we came back from Montana as soon as we could. So he can find me if he needs me.”
“Montana?” Faith asks, shocked by the information. “What on earth were you doing there?”
“We thought he might be there but we were wrong,” she whispers.
Faith senses she’s upset and drops it.
“Why would they destroy your place?” Sawyer asks. “Because they know you were there when they killed Vince? That doesn’t make much sense.”
“No, it has nothing to do with that,” I reply. “They were already headed for her place before then. They didn’t get a good look at us. After seeing what they did to Victor’s and Kolan’s places I think they’re searching for something. I just don’t know what.”
“I have no idea what they could be looking for or why they think I would have it.”
“I’m still trying to figure out how the hell this all ties in to the underground circuit,” Jaxson says, catching my attention.
“What underground circuit?”
Jaxson gives me the rundown. Everything from the illegal fighting club, to the undercover person the feds had who says he saw Kolan there. Then he tells me about the shooting at his home months ago.
Why the hell would Kolan be there? Back in the day that was his scene but now with his career it makes no sense.
“I asked him about it after the shooting,” Cooper adds, cutting into my thoughts. “He denied being there. I didn’t find any ties between him and Mayor Allen.”
“I don’t think Logan would lie,” Katelyn says. “But if Kolan was there and lied about it, then there’s a reason for it. And I definitely know he didn’t have anything to do with the shooting.”
“I never thought for a second he did,” Jaxson says. “But the fact remains that he was there, and I’m wondering if this somehow ties into what’s happening now.”
“I don’t know, maybe.” She sighs tiredly and scrubs a hand down her face, exhaustion from the day catching up to her.
“Why don’t you guys sleep here? You can have the guest house,” Faith offers, but Katelyn quickly shakes her head.
“I appreciate it, but no. I need to be home. If Kolan contacts me it will only be there, he won’t come here. Especially when he knows all of you guys have this land rigged with security.”
Three of the guys grunt, making me wonder who the fuck they are. Why the hell would they have their property rigged like that? Do they all live here?
“But it’s not safe. What if they come back for you?” Faith asks worriedly.
“Then I’ll take care of them,” I say resolutely. “I don’t like the fact that she’s there either but it could also work in our favor. If someone shows up not only will they regret it but we’ll also have a suspect and someone else to answer our questions.”
