“How can she? She doesn’t know where we are.”
“She followed Joe and me to my father’s cabin in the middle of the night.”
“She’s been through a traumatic experience,” Ryan said. “She’s not going to go out looking for trouble.”
I scoffed. “You really believe that?”
Ryan laughed. “Hell, no.”
“The fact remains,” Talon said, “that she doesn’t know where we are. So she won’t show up.”
“I hope not.” I set my drink down and looked toward the doorway. “Ah. The guest of honor.”
Dominic strolled toward us. “I told you to bring Jonah.”
“Jonah’s unavailable. These are the other two Steel brothers, Talon and Ryan.”
“Yeah.” Dominic waved his hand. “I know who they are.”
“You’re lucky we don’t have you arrested for kidnapping,” Ryan said. “Bryce here convinced us to listen to you first.”
“Why would you do that?”
“Only because Marjorie said you didn’t hurt her. In fact, she said you defended her against your sister, who, by the way, is in police custody.”
“Alex will be fine. Once she leaves the hospital, arrangements will be made for her bail and a plea bargain. And thanks for your concern, by the way.”
“The two of you kidnapped our sister,” Ryan said. “Spare us the guilt over concern.”
“Alex sometimes goes a little overboard,” Dominic said.
“I’d say you both do,” I said. “We’re here because Marjorie would want us to hear you out, but the minute you take a wrong step, we’ll turn you in.”
“We’re all armed,” Ryan said, “just so you know.”
“And you think I’m not?”
“Still,” I said, “it’s three against one. I don’t see any backup.”
“I don’t need backup,” Dominic said. “I was trained by the best.”
“Yeah? I was trained by my psycho father, so don’t get any ideas.” I took a sip of bourbon.
Dominic didn’t miss a beat. “I was trained by my psycho brother.”
I nodded. “Cade. Cade Booker is your brother.”
“Half brother, actually.” Dominic signaled the bartender. “Draft, please.”
“What does Cade Booker have to do with any of this?” Ryan asked.
“He’s the psycho who pepper-sprayed Joe and me and then went on the run,” I said. “He’s an attorney in the city, former FBI guy. Ruby probably knows of him. Maybe we should have her meet us here.”
“Are you nuts? I’m not dragging my wife into this.”
“Your wife would want to be dragged into this,” Talon said. “She’s probably better with a gun than you are.”
Dominic raised an eyebrow.
“Don’t get any ideas,” I said. “Ruby’s an ex-cop, but I guarantee you I’m every bit as good with a piece as she is, and I’ve been shooting way longer.”
“Slow down,” Talon said. “Seems you and Joe have been keeping things from us, Bryce.”
Dominic chuckled.
“I wouldn’t be laughing if I were you,” I said. “We can still have you dragged out of here in cuffs.”
“You haven’t yet.”
“We’ve explained why. I also warned you not to push me.”
“I told you I was working on orders from your father,” Dominic said, nodding to Talon and Ryan, “and that’s the God’s honest truth. I’m not the enemy here. But I know who is.”
“Your brother.”
Dominic scanned the bar. “Let’s get a table. You said you have information for me.”
Of course. He was calling my bluff.
“I’d say you have information for us,” I said. “I’m not telling you a damned thing until you spill every detail about your half brother and anything else you know.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Marjorie
My blade was gone. It was sealed in an evidence bag somewhere, even though no charges had been filed against Colin.
My friend.
My friend was gone.
Forever.
I could still feel its phantom brand against the top of my breast where it sat between my flesh and the fabric of my bra, just waiting to be plunged into Alex’s neck.
But though it had been plunged into Alex’s neck, I had not been wielding it. That blade—that friend that had been my go-to problem solver when confronted with the guilt of being inadvertently responsible for my brother’s abduction and torture—had failed me when I needed it to harm another human being.
What did that say about me?
About the blade?
Jade had gone in to check on the boys. Dale was doing much better. Helping Ruby investigate the hoodie-wearing guy he’d seen at the playground at school had done wonders for him. He felt more involved now, more like part of the family. In another couple weeks, when we went to court, he’d be an official Steel. Talon and Jade had allowed the boys to choose new middle names. Dale had chosen Robertson, his original last name, in memory of his mother. Donny—whose full name was Donovan—had chosen Talon, after his new father.
Jade looked so beautiful now that she was finally feeling better. She’d entered her second trimester, and the nausea had finally eased up. Plus, she hadn’t had any more spotting, and the pregnancy was progressing normally.
“I can’t wait to see the baby,” she said, bringing us both glasses of water.
“He’s gorgeous,” I said.
“I was going to go with Talon this morning, but I had a meeting at the boys’ school.”
“Everything okay?”
“Yeah, just a parent-teacher thing. I insisted Talon go see his nephew, that I could handle it.”
“How are the boys doing?” I asked.
“Donny’s thriving, of course. Grades are great, and he gets along well with everyone. Dale’s grades aren’t quite as good, but his teacher says he’s doing better, and also he’s finally starting to make a few friends.”
“Do their teachers know…”
She shook her head. “They know they’ve been through an abusive situation, but we didn’t fill them in on the details. Talon felt it was important that their teachers not hold their situation against them.”
“Why would any teacher do that?”
“They wouldn’t, at least not on purpose. Talon thinks they might subconsciously either be easier or harder on them.”
“Harder?”
“I know. It doesn’t make sense to me either, but it does to Talon and to Melanie. And they’re the experts.”
I took a sip of my water. “I should call Bryce.”
“He’s not home.”
I jerked. “Oh?”
“Talon went to meet him and Ryan somewhere.”
“Where?”
“I asked. He didn’t say.”
“You didn’t insist on knowing?”
“If Talon wanted to tell me, he’d have told me. I can’t push Talon. I learned that the hard way in the beginning. You push Talon, and he shrinks away.”