Wherever his SUV was parked, his keys were located somewhere in that building.
He dialed Bo’s number, dodging a blue car as he crossed the street. When Bo answered, his words still heavily slurred, he sighed. “Where the hell are you?”
“Lemme find out,” Bo replied, yelling into the faint din coming through the speaker. He parroted the address, correcting himself twice before getting it right.
“I’ll be there in twenty,” he said, flashing back to the hundreds of times he and Bo had done this dance. “Find my keys and meet me downstairs.”
“Will do.” Bo laughed at something murmured in the background. “Allison wants you to come up.”
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Just meet me downstairs in twenty, okay?”
*
Charlotte glared at Max, wanting nothing more than to knock his stupid sunglasses off his face. “You guys seem to have it all worked out, don’t you?” She slumped back in the passenger seat and looked out at the empty campground.
“Alex played wingman for me before and it didn’t bother you. So what’s the problem now?” Max asked, stuffing a piece of beef jerky into his mouth. “He’s really good at the whole wingman gig.”
Because you and Alex don’t have a tag-team routine down pat?
Because I know now why he’s so good at it?
“I’m just annoyed,” she grumbled. “When Alex is with you, you guys are right there in front of me, not drinking your faces off at some chick’s place until six a.m.”
Max nodded. “Fair enough. If you two were an actual couple. But you’re not. Sorry, Chuck, but you don’t get a say in this.” He examined another piece of jerky before shoving it in his mouth and wove them through the park, stopping periodically to check in with a tourist or pick up a stray plastic bag until they reached headquarters and she jumped into her own truck, eager to spend some quiet time alone.
Max was half right. She had no business being angry about what had gone down after Alex left the Washout. But she was. She was angry and hurt and no rational explanation of their quasi-relationship was going to erase it.
Alex’s phone had pinged all morning while she got ready for work, lodged between her bed frame and mattress.
She hadn’t intentionally looked at the screen as she dropped it between his sneakers.
But even now, the image of Alex’s tongue running across the outstretched hand of some strange woman was crystal clear.
Shaking the vision from her head, she made her way to the Keys and got out, scanning the area for hikers until a familiar form breached the horizon.
“Hey, Butch!” she called out, crouching down and extending her hand for him to examine. The beast padded through the sand toward her, circling her before he backed away and cocked his head. “Where’ve you been, huh, boy? And where’s that collar and leash? You know you’ll be taken in as a stray if you don’t keep that on,” she cooed, rising up and leaning through her truck window to grab something for him to eat. “It’s not steak, but you might like it anyway.”
Butch approached the beef jerky, his nose twitching before he drew his lips back and plucked the offering from her hand. She bit back a smile as the dog began chewing the tough meat, his concentration wholly focused on shredding the jerky enough to swallow it.
“You coming with me for a bit?” she asked, opening the back door of the truck. “I could use the company today.”
The beast’s head tilted as he regarded the open door. He padded closer to her, nudging her hand with his enormous head and chuffing when she scratched his ears. She knelt beside him and buried her face in the soft fur at his neck. “In you go, boy.”
Butch licked her hand, his ears perking up and tracking a sound she couldn’t hear. Turning tail, he bounded out of her reach and tore across the sand, disappearing over the ridge.
Chapter Nineteen
Alex looked up from his beer inventory, giving Thomas a quick wave.
“I’m old,” the man stated, setting his glass of water beside the grill. “When I see you back here, and then I see you walk in the front door seconds later, I question my mental competency.”
“Oh, right,” Alex exclaimed, rising to his feet. “Yeah, my brother’s in town for a while. He at the bar?”
Thomas nodded, pulling a pile of patties from the freezer. “Scared the hell out of me.” He laughed. “I mean, there’s twins, and then there’s twins.” He shook his head and pried a few patties apart. “Two of you. What does Charlotte think of that?”
He shoved the last of the beer cases against the wall and wiped his hands on his jeans. “Probably not too happy today,” he muttered, glancing over at Thomas. “Bo and I tied one on last night.”
“I figured that out hours ago.” Thomas grinned. “You’re sweating the booze out in buckets.”
He pushed through the doors, scooping a beer from the cooler and handing it to Bo without thinking. “I’m off in two hours,” he said, pouring a glass of water for himself.
Bo drained half the bottle and set it down with a thunk. “Good. We’re going tracking when you’re done.” He eyed Alex suspiciously. “You do know where the Pirithous is holed up, right?”
Busying himself with realigning the bottles on the back shelf, he shook his head. “Been sitting on his location for a few nights. No movement.”
Finishing his first beer and tapping the bottle impatiently on the counter, Bo leaned forward. “None? This late in the second sighting? You aren’t saying that because you’ve been slacking on the job?”
Fixing his twin with a glare, he tapped Bo’s empty bottle. “I’m slacking?”
Bo licked his lips. “Know what I think? I think Ryan’s right about your little fuck buddy. I think there’s more to it and you’re screwing the rest of us over so you can play white-picket-fence.”
He tossed the cap of the second beer in the trash, his expression locked down. “What gave it away? The constant texts I got from that Allison woman this morning? The two women crawling all over me at that dirty apartment? Or is that the only reason you can think of for me not getting laid in the bathroom of some random woman’s apartment?”
Bo leaned back and guzzled the second beer, slamming the empty down. “I’ll be waiting for you back at the trailer,” he said, standing up and walking toward the door, pausing before he opened it. “Your girlfriend gives decent rubdowns, Butch. I see why you keep her around.”
*
Alex cranked the SUV’s air conditioner, waiting for Charlotte to answer.
“Hello?”
He leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. “Hey. How was work?”
“Fine.”
He flinched at her cold tone. “I just got off, and I need to get some stuff done with Bo, but could I maybe come by later?” He rubbed his jaw, trying fruitlessly to release the tension when her silence stretched out. “I have some groveling to do.”
Charlotte sighed. “No, you don’t. We aren’t actually dating, so groveling isn’t necessary.”
His head dropped forward. “Please? I want to make things right with my girlfriend.”
She went quiet again for a moment. “I’ll be up.”
He revved the engine and tore out of the lot, speeding through the side streets until he hit his trailer park. Creeping through the narrow paths, he parked and got out, flexing his hands at his side and opening his front door.
Bo was crashed out on the small sofa, his legs dangling over the edge into the dining room bench. He slipped past him and opened the bathroom door, sealing the shower off from the rest of the trailer and stepping under the cool spray.
Your girlfriend gives decent rubdowns, Butch.
The rush of fury that had overtaken him hours earlier returned with a vengeance. He turned off the water and snatched a towel from the floor, wrapping it around his hips and slamming the bathroom door closed.
“You’re a real prick,” he snarled, booting Bo’s leg and jostling him from his drunken sleep.
Bo’s eyes fluttered open and he squinted up at him. “The hell’s your problem?”
Alex stormed into his bedroom and yanked his closet open, tossing clean clothes onto his bed. “Stay away from Charlotte. Fuck whoever you want around here, drink yourself stupid as much as you want until we’re done here, but stay. The fuck. Away from her.” He tugged his shorts over his hips and turned to his brother. “And if I catch you anywhere near her in hound form again, I swear I’ll kill you.”
Bo snorted, rising up onto his elbows and arching his neck back to look at him. “You know how this ends.”
“Yeah, I know how this ends.”
Groaning as he sat up, Bo stood and stretched, scratching at the healing wounds covering his torso. “Okay then. You show me where the Pirithous is holed up, and I’ll buy you a few days to nest with your little girlfriend before Ryan arrives.” He narrowed his eyes at Alex, using the tiny counter for support. “You know he’s going to kill again soon. No pussy is worth what that bloodline is going to do.”
“Don’t use that word when you’re talking about her,” he snarled, shoving Bo’s shoulders back against the sofa.
He stepped past Bo and watched his brother disappear behind the bathroom door, the shower turning on. Going outside to wait, he pulled out his phone and called Charlotte. “Hey.”
“Hey.”
Exhaling loudly, he sat on the step. “I should probably start the groveling early.” She remained silent. “This is all kinds of screwed up,” he mumbled, trying to formulate his thoughts into something that sounded less caveman than the mess running through his head. “I didn’t cheat on you,” he opened. “I drank a ton of tequila, and I’m pretty sure I threw half of it up in an alley north of you, but I swear I didn’t cheat.”
She was quiet for a moment. “It’s so weird how often I’ve heard that exact line.”
He ran his hand through his hair, digging his fingers into the back of his skull. “I’m sorry, baby. I swear I’m not that guy,” he said weakly as he listened for Bo, relieved to hear the shower still running. “I blocked the girl this morning, if that counts for anything. I’m pretty sure I wasn’t the one who gave her my number.”
She hummed, whether in agreement or disbelief, he couldn’t tell. He waved at his neighbor as she walked by with her dog. “I know I messed up,” he said quietly, giving the woman a thumbs-up when she passed, politely inquiring about his evening. “The only thing that really stands out from last night is how bad I wanted to see you.”
“You said as much when you got here,” she replied, the resignation in her voice slicing him. “Look, I’m just on my way out to grab a coffee with Max. Are you coming by later or can we just count this call as the discussion you wanted to have?”
He gritted his teeth. “I’m coming by.”
The shower turned off as she disconnected the call, leaving him to stare absently toward Joshua Tree until Bo joined him, his long hair dripping down his black shirt.
“All right, troll, show me where this asshole is staying,” he called to Alex, getting into the SUV and grabbing Alex’s sunglasses from the dash.
He rolled his eyes and got in, pulling onto the highway. “How’s Ryan doing anyway?”
“Working too much, fucking too little.” Bo grinned, aiming the air vents at his face and scanning his phone. “This won’t take long, will it? Allison and Carrie want to meet up at that bar again.”
Hiding the swell of relief that washed over him, he shook his head. “It’s a twenty-minute drive.” He ventured a glance at Bo. “I’ll drop you at the bar before I head out.”
Bo sneered, his mouth opening for a moment, then snapping shut. He cranked the music up, staring out the window until Alex pulled into the small parking lot where the sedan sat. The pair got out of the SUV and circled the car, Bo crouching down to examine what was left of the damage. “He clipped you pretty good. Amazed I didn’t feel that one.”
He rubbed his ribs and snorted, ignoring the obvious. “Whatever shop he had do the repair did a poor job. I’m guessing the rental company doesn’t even know.”
Bo wedged his finger into the grille and pulled out a small tuft of fur. He blew it in Alex’s direction. “Soft like a little bunny.”
“Whatever,” he grunted, leading Bo around the complex and pointing to a window. “Far as I can tell, that’s his suite.”
Bo flicked his phone on and snapped a picture of the window, the complex, and the street signs. “I got all I need for now. I’ll report back to Ryan that we caught the scent in the next town over.” He got back in the SUV and cranked the air-conditioning up. “You aren’t serious-serious about this chick, are you?”
He shrugged, locking his eyes on the road.
“And how much does she know?”
Turning back onto the highway, he sped up. “I told her we were bounty hunters.”
Bo settled back in his seat, his attention wholly on reading Alex’s every involuntary reaction. “How long has this been going on?” When he hesitated before opening his mouth, Bo grunted. “Your nose twitched, man. Don’t lie.”
“We met around two months ago.”
Whistling low, Bo cocked a brow. “So this is the chick you asked about.”
“Yeah.”
“You falling for her?”
“Can we drop it for tonight?”
Bo leaned back and closed his eyes. “Sure. But if you don’t end it soon, I’ll be taking care of it myself. Happy endings with white fences and green grass only exist in fairy tales, brother.”
*
Charlotte opened her door and stepped aside to allow Alex in. “You’re early.” Without a word, he extended his arms, a bag of takeout in one and three orange lilies in the other. She accepted the peace offerings, setting the food on the counter and rummaging through her cupboards for a vase. “Completely unnecessary, but thank you.”
He came up behind her, his arms wrapping around her waist as he dropped his head onto her shoulder. “Consider it part of my penance,” he mumbled into her skin, his lips grazing her throat.
Arching her head away from him, she opened a drawer and pulled out a pair of scissors, snipping the stems of the lilies and placing them in a vase. “Were you high last night?”
Alex’s arms tensed around her. “No.”
“You sure?” she asked, turning in place and looking up at him. “Max was just saying Bo was pounding the whiskey back like a pro and he thought maybe—”
“My brother’s a heavy drinker,” he growled, his eyes narrowing as he released her and crossed his arms. “Maybe Max should mind his business once in a while.”
Her brows shot up. “Don’t try and turn this onto him,” she snarled.
“Maybe if Max wasn’t always in bed with us, I wouldn’t.” He backed away from her, his shoulders rising a fraction. “Forget it. You’re right.” His eyes darted around the room, as though hunting for the exit. “Bo’s my brother. I know what he is and what he does. I don’t need anyone pointing it out, and I don’t need anyone discussing it.”
She took a step toward him, a pang of sorrow rippling through her. “I’m sorry,” she said softly, reaching out to him. “I’ve been bit by this kind of thing before and I’m not handling it right, am I?”
“Yeah, well, you haven’t kneed me in the balls yet, so we’re doing okay,” he grumbled, reluctantly taking her hand. “What else do you want to know about last night?”
A litany of questions flew through her mind. “Did you sleep with any of them?”
“No.”
“Kiss?”
“No.”
“Touch?”
“Yes.”
She narrowed her eyes, dropping his hand.
He looked down for a moment. “You saw the pictures, I’m sure. I sucked lemon wedges from between some chick’s teeth. Licked a lot of salt off a lot of wrists attached to a lot of women.” When she opened her mouth to press for more, he continued. “Two of them tried to sit on my lap. Allison sent that pi
cture, too.”
“Allison,” she repeated, wrapping her arms around herself.
He flipped out his phone and swiped the screen, angling it toward her. “Look through these.”
She accepted the phone and began scanning the texts and pictures, a tightness forming in her throat. “She’s pretty.”
“She’s nothing.”
He took his phone back, pulling up the photo of him sitting alone, hunched over his cell. Using his fingers to enlarge the picture, he zoomed in on it. “This is what I remember most about the entire night after I left you at the bar. Texting you and hoping you’d let me come home.” He cleared his throat. “Here. Come here.”
She stared at the picture for a minute, blinking to keep herself from crying in frustration over the sense of betrayal that had settled in her stomach over the random guy she knew was going to be leaving any day.
“Don’t do this,” he said quietly. “You can yell or scream or kick me, but you aren’t a crier, and if I make you cry…” He trailed off, stepping closer to her and caging her in his arms. “I’m sorry.”
Steadying her breathing, she rested her forehead on Alex’s chest. “I’m mad that I’m mad.”
His arms wrapped around her and he laid his chin on her head. “If this was reversed, I’d be kicking in some asshole’s door, beating him to a pulp, and snapping your phone in half.”
She took a deep breath. “We both know this is temporary. I guess I’m just not sure exactly what we expect or want here.”
“Yeah, well, I didn’t want any of that. I wanted this.”
*
Alex nuzzled Charlotte’s hair, trying to erase the image of her tearing eyes from his mind. Her hold on him had changed, the hesitant grip she initially had on him tightening, her thumbs brushing against his shirt in a soothing, rhythmic motion. He ran his lips along her forehead, bringing his hand under her chin so he could kiss her properly.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered against her lips, pushing her hair behind her ear and closing his eyes when she drew in a shuddered breath.
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