Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 55220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 276(@200wpm)___ 221(@250wpm)___ 184(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 276(@200wpm)___ 221(@250wpm)___ 184(@300wpm)
I walk to the fridge and grab two beers and set them by their bowls.
“Hell yeah,” Savage says, heading into the living room with his beer and bowl in hand.
Adam picks up his bowl and takes a bite, laughing. “Mexican mac n cheese. Damn good. Thanks, Ana.” He grabs his beer and joins Savage.
Hoping for an update on what’s going on, I grab a beer for myself and my bowl of mac and join them. “Any news on anything?”
“There’s a couple of names on Luke’s employee lists we can’t reach.”
“Who?”
“Dylan Black. Parker Conrad. Hayden Camden,” Adam replies. “Dylan and Parker are in Texas. Hayden is in Knoxville, Tennessee.”
Savage snorts. “Must be chasing ass. No one goes to Knoxville unless they’re chasing ass.”
Adam ignores him and adds, “We have men hunting for them now.”
“They were all close to Luke,” I say, more than a little concerned that those who are missing may be dead. “Does Luke know?”
“He knows,” Adam confirms.
Then he’s not sleeping, I think before I say, “Anything from anyone we did contact? What about Noah? He was close to Luke and I feel like those who were close are missing.”
“We made contact with Noah,” Adam confirms. “He’s in Europe doing a contract job. He has no idea what’s going on, but he knows to watch his back.”
“And Darius?”
“We have men watching him,” Savage says. “He doesn’t act like a guy scared for his life. Just a guy hanging out and enjoying the Ritz.” His bowl is empty and he points at mine. “You going to eat that?”
I hand him my bowl. “You only get that because you saved my life. And because there’s more on the stove.” I stand up and walk back to the kitchen, finding another bowl and filling it with pasta, eating where I stand, as I think about what I’ve learned. Those who Luke trusted the most, those who came to our house often as his friends, are the ones missing.
I finish off a bowl of mac, thinking about the list of people that Luke didn’t trust. Once I’ve mentally compiled that list, I set my bowl in the sink and hurry back to the living room. “What about Carter?” I ask. “Did you talk to Carter?”
“Hold on,” Adam says, setting his empty bowl on the coffee table. “Let me look at the list.” He removes his cellphone from his pocket, punches a few buttons, and then says, “Yeah. Troy Carter is still in Denver. Blake talked to him. Why do you ask?”
“He was a pain in Luke’s ass. It supports my theory that those who are missing were close to Luke.”
“You seem to know Luke pretty well,” Savage comments, kicking his feet up on the coffee table and crossing one ankle over the other.
“I was with him for four years.”
“And you never thought he was dirty until you shot him?” Savage queries. “Explain to me how that works.”
It’s not a question. I glance at Adam, who is now sitting up straight, elbows on his knees, blue eyes pinned to my face, waiting on my reply to Savage’s question. These two men are Luke’s family. They don’t see me as family at all. They see me as a potential enemy.
Chapter Thirty-Three
ANA
I don’t cower when Savage confronts me. That’s not the person Kurt raised. It’s also not the woman Luke once loved. On that note, I could simply stand up and leave. I could tell Savage and Adam this is none of their business, but being an enemy amongst friends is not a space where I choose to live. They say the truth will set you free, but I work for the FBI. I also don’t live in a fairytale. The truth can sometimes put you behind bars, or simply earn you the scorn of those around you.
But lies, lies are always a self-made prison and I choose the truth, no matter the outcome.
“It’s not what it seems,” I reply, which might not be the strongest start, but it’s out there now, it’s a launching pad.
“You shot him, darlin’,” Savage replies dryly. “That’s a simple fact.”
“You did shoot him,” Adam agrees. “That does indicate your desire to hurt him.”
I wholly reject what I know appears obvious, but that’s another thing my badge has taught me. The answers we seek are rarely as simple as they may seem. “No,” I argue. “No, it does not. It was an accident.”
Savage snorts. “We know who your stepfather was. We know how well he trained you. And we’ve seen you handle a gun. You don’t shoot someone by accident.”
I twist around to look at them more fully, to let them see the truth in my eyes. The eyes are always where you find the real story. “I didn’t think my brother was an angel, just the opposite. But you have to understand,” I add, “I had one hero in my life and that was Luke. Kurt was a father figure, but he wasn’t someone you could be human with. With Luke, I could and that never felt anything but safe.”