Her brain felt more than fried lately. Even with Edward’s help there was still so much to be done, and it would take more hours than there were in a day to get it all handled.
Charlie wrinkled her nose. “Ew. No thanks.”
“So we tell Kenneth what Charlie is doing,” Sam shook her head and shrugged her shoulders, “whatever that was she said she was doing. Then we go out. Figure out what in the hell is going on and end it.”
Sam hadn’t gone out with them since their father’s men took her. “Are you sure you’re ready to go out again?”
Sam’s chin lifted. “Positive.”
****
“I’M NOT MUCH of a poker player.” Edward sat on the tiny sofa where he spent his first night in Shadow Pine, nursing a beer.
“None of us are.” JD grinned at him from where he was setting up a make-shift poker table on two desks shoved close together. “It’s more about drinking beer and talking shit.”
“Not sure I’ve got much shit-talking to do either.” Edward stood, walking over to check out where the television played an episode of a hunting show on the Outdoor Channel.
Shadow Pine was definitely different from Virginia in almost every way. Even the boys nights.
“I got enough shit to talk for all of us.” JD tipped back the last of his beer, tossing it into the can after polishing it off. “Fuckin’ Karlson girls.”
“They’re stubborn as hell.” Tate collapsed into one of the office chairs. “Sam stands on her porch and practically growls at me every morning when I come out.”
“Still?” Lance shook his head. “I thought I got through to her.”
“She blames me for what happened.” Tate drank a few long swallows of his beer. “I can’t blame her for that. I’m the one who sent in the men who kidnapped her.”
“You didn’t know.” Lance pulled out one of the chairs JD set around the pseudo poker table. “And they would have gotten in one way or another.”
“But I paid them to come in here. I told the girls they would be safe.” Tate shook his head as he started down into the mouth of the bottle in his hand. “I made it so easy for them to do it.”
“Hey.” JD turned and pointed at Tate. “None of that bullshit tonight. I need a break from the girls and their bullshit.” He reached down to flip open the door to the tiny mini-fridge in the work trailer they were using to gather while the girls spent some time together at Danny’s and Gail and Kari kept the kids at Lance’s fifth wheel. “How are we out of beer already?” JD turned to Edward. “Did you bring yours over yet?”
“Nope.” Edward tossed his empty bottle into the trash. “I’ll go grab it.”
JD’s eyes narrowed at him, one finger pointing to Lance. “You didn’t get some shit like this one usually buys, did you?”
Edward laughed. He was familiar with Lance’s affinity for trying high-end microbrews. Sometimes they were great.
Sometimes they were complete shit.
“I played it safe.” Edward started for the door. “Nothing weird.”
“Good.” JD twisted the cap off the final beer in the trailer. “Cause I plan to get shit-faced tonight.”
“I’ll come with you.” Lance jumped up. He followed Edward out of the trailer.
Edward waited until the door closed before turning to his friend. “Something you want to discuss?”
Lance scanned the area, eyes moving to the rapidly-darkening tree line as they walked toward Alex’s house to retrieve the pack of beer from the fridge. “I heard something and I thought you might want to know.”
“Okay.” Edward matched Lance’s pace as his steps slowed. “Did something happen?”
“Alicia’s engaged.”
“Oh.” Edward stared out at the woods around Shadow Pine as he let the two words settle in his gut. It was odd not to have a reaction to finding out the woman he was with for ten years now planned to spend the rest of her years with someone else. “Good. I hope she’s happy.”
“Really? Doesn’t bother you at all that she’s already getting married to someone else?”
“No.” He chuckled. “Not at all, actually.” They’d never discussed getting married. “I’m glad she found someone.”
They were quiet as they passed Alex’s office, moving across the grassy space he’d chased her across more times than he could count.
Ten years he’d been with Alicia, and never once did he consider marrying her or starting a family. Now he couldn’t stop imagining a time when it was his kids he was chasing across that same field.
“Does this mean you’re staying here?” Lance tipped his head to look Edward’s way.
“Yup.” The shades were pulled on the windows in his dads’ camper. “I’m guessing Shadow Pine will also end up with a set of dads staying too.”
Lance smiled as his eyes turned to rest on the fifth wheel. “I think that would be the best thing that could happen to the girls. They deserve to have parents who love them.”
“As long as I can keep Jeffrey from terrorizing Alex it’ll be fine.” Edward dug around in his pocket for the key to Alex’s house. “He’s about ten steps ahead of me and I’m at least a hundred ahead of her.”
“I know this goes without saying but if you hurt her—”
“You’ll kill me. I get it.”
“She’ll kill you.” Lance grinned as Edward unlocked the door. “I’ll just sit and watch.”
“She’s not as scary as she thinks she is.” Edward went straight to the fridge and pulled the case of beer free, tucking it under one arm as he followed Lance back out onto the porch.
“Oh, she’s every bit as scary as she thinks she is. You’ll see it sooner or later.” Lance skipped down the steps, coming to a stop at the bottom.
Edward went down after him. “What’s wrong?”
Lance stood perfectly still, eyes narrowed toward the same tree line Kenneth pointed a gun at just a few days earlier. He held one finger up as his head tilted, angling one ear toward the trees.
Edward squinted in the same direction, trying to make out what caught Lance’s attention. Nothing seemed to move. There were none of the odd footstep like noises he’d heard before.
“Stay here.” Lance’s voice was low. He started to walk toward the trees, taking careful silent steps.
Edward leaned to quietly slide the beer onto the porch as Lance disappeared, his large frame obscured by the side of his dads’ large camper.
There was no way he’d stand by and leave Lance to deal with this on his own. Not when he had just as much on the line.
Maybe more.
Edward crept along the same path he watched Lance take, doing his best to make each step as soundless as his friend’s. It seemed to take forever for him to make it to the edge of the fifth wheel. He leaned to scan the space behind it, expecting to see Lance nearing the trees. But it was too dark, the night sky too heavy. It was all but impossible to see much more than ten feet out.
That meant his only option was to follow, staying near enough he could help deal with anything Lance might run into.
He took slow breaths, trying to slow the race of his heart. If this was what Alex and her sisters were concerned it might be then he needed to keep a level head.
He needed to do what it took to end this for them.
To show them there were some men willing to put themselves on the line to protect what mattered to him.
An odd sound froze Edward in place. It was almost a whistle. A movement of air.
A sharp grunt followed it.
Then a soft thud.
He moved toward it, cool calm quickly being replaced by the bite of fear. Fear for his friend. Fear for Alex and her sisters.
Because they were right.
Someone was out here.
A shadowy form was heaped on the ground just a few feet in front of him. Edward ran at it, ready to do whatever it took to stop this. To end Alex’s father’s reign of fear and control.
The familiar line of the profile stopped Edward short, se
nt him leaning down. “Lance.” He rolled his friend over, trying to figure out what in the hell happened. “Lance.”
Another almost whistle.
Then a sharp pain, dug deep into his shoulder.
He looked down at the thing stuck there, point stabbed into his flesh. Edward grabbed it, yanking it free and throwing it to the ground.
His eyes got heavy as the world blurred around him.
“Fuu—”
TWENTY-TWO
ALEX SHIFTED AROUND on the couch, trying to find a comfortable position.
“Why do you keep moving?” Charlie kicked at her. “You’re making the whole couch shake.”
“You’re fine.” Alex scratched at the sensation crawling over the skin of her arm. “Just watch your movie and shut up.”
Charlie gave her a dirty look. “You don’t have to be so mean.”
“I’m not being mean.” Alex rolled her head, hoping it might work the jumpiness in her shoulders loose. “I just don’t like this movie.”
“I’m so sorry this guy isn’t as perfect as Edward.” Charlie yanked at the blanket covering them both, pulling more of it over her body.
“Edward’s not perfect. He’s a pain in the ass.” The sensation irritating her got worse, sending her up off the sofa in an attempt to get the odd feelings under control.
It was like she’d had too much caffeine. She couldn’t sit still. Couldn’t relax.
Sam frowned at her, the line of her blonde brows drawing together. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” Alex shook one hand, wiggling her fingers. “I’m fine.”
“You don’t look fine. You look like you’re about to start bouncing off the walls.” Frankie held the half-empty popcorn bowl in her lap and she was slowly feeding in a steady stream of single kernels as she watched Alex. “Drink too much coffee this afternoon?”
“I don’t drink coffee.” Alex rubbed her palms down the front of her ankle-length jeans.
“Ew. That’s right.” Frankie popped in another bite of corn. “I forgot you hate yourself.”
“I’m going to go outside for a minute.” Alex thumbed over her shoulder as she backed toward Danny’s front door. “I’ll be back.”
Danny turned toward her. “You can’t go out alone.” She worked her way off the love seat. “I’ll come with you.”
“It’s fine. I probably just need some fresh air.” Alex walked a little faster, the idea of being outside spurring her on in an odd way.
She needed to move. That would fix this. Then she would feel better and be able to relax.
“Alex?” Danny’s brows lowered. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” She glanced over her shoulder at the door as the crawl along her skin intensified. “I just need to go outside for a minute.” Alex turned and fast-walked the rest of the way down the entry hall, grabbing the doorknob and flinging it open. She was already breathing deep as she stepped out, knowing the smell of the woods would calm whatever this was.
Would stop the oddness taking over her body.
But it didn’t.
The hair on her arms lifted, every follicle in her body tightening as she took the stairs a step at a time, breathing in more of the air.
More of the scents it held.
In an instant everything sharpened. Focused.
She snapped her head toward Danny. “Get everyone.”
Her sister immediately turned and raced back into the house, yelling something.
Alex didn’t hear it. She was already running in the opposite direction, headed toward her house and the reason she felt like she did.
In seconds her sisters were behind her, each separating off as they moved, just like they did as little girls, spreading out to make it impossible for anyone else to know who was where.
And when one of them was coming.
Alex went past her house, the steps of her running feet silent as she skirted Kenneth’s camper. If he came out now it would put him in danger, and she already had enough to worry about.
The fifth wheel was still as she passed, no signs that anyone inside noticed her.
But there was someone who had noticed something.
Kari stood in the spot Alex needed to be, her blonde hair blowing in the breeze. She turned to face Alex, her blue eyes bright in the darkness.
Alex tipped her head.
Kari looked toward one of the old logging trails that cut through the woods around Shadow Pine.
In a heartbeat the both started to run, each completely focused on a single thing.
Finding what someone tried to take from them.
****
LANCE GROANED, THE strangled sound clearing the haze clouding Edward’s mind.
A sudden jolt slammed his body against a hard ridge, cutting the solid line into his hip and shoulder and sending him rolling to his back. He blinked hard, trying to align his brain and body.
What the fuck just happened?
Lance shifted around beside him.
Edward worked his eyes open, squinting as he tried to focus on where his friend laid beside him. It was almost impossible to see in the pitch black. He reached out to make sure his friend was okay, feeling along his side for any signs of bleeding or injury.
His fingers caught on a bundle of something. Edward touched along it, feeling the layers as the cold bite of dread settled into his gut.
Lance was bound at his wrists and ankles, multiple bands of duct tape wrapping around both spots in addition to numerous zip ties layered on top, each one pulled tight.
Edward lifted his head squinting down at his own wrists. He lifted his hands up, holding them apart to double-check what he could barely see.
No bindings.
His ankles were free as well.
Why was Lance restrained but he wasn’t?
Edward used his hands to work into a sitting position, the movement aggravating an ache in his left shoulder. He felt along the spot, finding a tiny tear in fabric of his shirt catching as he ran his finger over it. He pulled the spot closer, trying to get a better look at it, but it was too dark. He tugged the short sleeve of the t-shirt up his bicep and across his shoulder.
“Tranquilizer.” Lance grunted as he moved around, fighting his way onto his side.
“Tranquilizer?” Edward ran the pads of two fingers over the sort spot.
“Believe it or not, this isn’t the first time this has happened to me.” The ties and tape creaked as Lance twisted the wrists held behind his back. “Damn it.” The outline of his head twisted in the direction of his wrists. “Fuck.”
“Why in the hell would someone tranquilize us?” Edward felt around the space for something that might help him get Lance loose.
“Long story.” Lance wormed his way across the ridged metal floor to push upright against the side of what seemed to be a truck bed.
Another sharp bump in the road bounced them both hard, knocking Edward’s head into the camper shell blocking out any signs of where they might be headed. All the windows were blacked out, including the one between them and the cab of the truck.
“I need to get free. It’s our only shot.” Lance’s body jerked with each attempt he made to break the bindings on his wrists.
“I’m going to chose not to be offended by that.” Edward ran his hands along the corners, feeling around in the darkness for anything sharp.
Before he could come up with any options, the truck skidded to a stop.
“Fuck.” Lance’s form was barely visible as he continued to move around, grunting as he fought the bindings.
The doors to the truck clicked open, heavy footsteps hitting the ground before the doors slammed shut.
Edward moved to face the back of the truck, trying to be ready to do whatever he needed to do. Lance was completely incapacitated. Unable to protect himself.
“Is this your father?” Edward kept his voice low as the heavy steps came down the sides of the bed.
“There’s no point whispering.” Lance’s tone w
as normal. “You’re probably going to want to brace yourself.”
Edward turned toward his friend, still keeping his words quiet. “For what?”
The hatch of the camper shell flipped open and the tailgate dropped. Moonlight spilled into the space, the tiny bit of added light feeling like someone switched on a light bulb after being in almost complete darkness.
The outline of the two men took up nearly the entire space, the backlight shadowing them in a way to make out much more than their silhouettes. It was impossible to tell who they were or what they looked like outside of one major thing.
They were huge.
Bigger than Lance, huge.
“Who in the hell are these guys?” Edward fought the urge to scoot back, putting more space between him and these men.
“My half-brothers.” Lance tipped his head towards the forms. “Evening, boys.”
His greeting was met with a low, almost animalistic growl.
The need to get away should be growing. Should be pushing him to do whatever it took to get out of this truck and take off.
But these men were Lance’s brothers.
Which meant they were also Alex’s brothers.
And if they came for Lance, they would probably try to come for her.
“I don’t know who in the fuck you think you are.” Edward crawled toward them.
“Edward.” Lance’s voice carried an edge of warning.
One Edward chose to ignore. This wasn’t about keeping himself safe. This was about making sure Alex was safe. That her sisters were safe.
“If you sons of bitches think you can just come in here—”
“Edward.” Lance’s tone was sharper this time.
“—and no one will stop your bullshit, then you are wrong as hell.” He reached the back of the truck bed and shoved up to his feet, preparing to lunge at one of the men. Before he could get all the way up a long arm snapped out, catching him right between the knees with a force that took his breath away, knocking him off the tailgate, sending him sailing to the ground and rolling a few feet away.
He came to a stop face down in the debris littering the forest floor. Edward pressed his hands into the leaves and dirt, pushing up to his feet as fast as he could and spinning to face the two men.
Alex (BIG Northwest Book 2) Page 21
