you need to take care of this.
I’m not. I’m heading to our
condo in Glenwood Springs.
Looking for a place. And a job.
Good for you, but we need
you to help us figure this
whole thing out.
Silence for a while, until he finally responded.
I can’t do this anymore. I have
to heal. I have to face the reality
of my life now. I can’t help you.
My fingers hovered over the tiny keyboard as I thought about how to respond. I could hardly blame him for wanting out. After all, our fight wasn’t his fight. His beef was with his father. Well, his father and Tom Simpson, but Simpson was dead.
Thanks for looking
for the cufflinks.
No problem. Give Jade my
best. And tell her I’m sorry.
For what?
Everything.
I threw the phone on my bed just as it dinged with another text.
This time from Bryce.
I have to go into town for
a while. I’ll text you when
I’m home.
Oh, hell, no.
What for?
Not sure yet. Dominic
wants to meet me.
Then I’m coming with you.
He said to come alone.
Do you think I care?
Let me do this. I’m armed,
and I can take care of myself.
We’ll be in a public place.
I was in a public place when
he drugged me, remember?
A few seconds before the dots began moving.
Then—
Let me do this. I’ll get
back as soon as I can.
I sighed.
Fine. But I’m pissed.
I know. I love you. Trust me.
I love you too.
God, I did. I just hoped he wasn’t walking into some kind of trap.
My first instinct was to call Joe, but he was heading into Grand Junction to see the baby and spend the night with Melanie at the hotel suite. Talon and Jade had the boys to consider. That left Ryan and Ruby. Would they know what to do?
I was poised and ready to hit Ryan’s number when Bryce’s words struck me.
Trust me.
Did I trust him?
Yes, I did.
I wasn’t sure I trusted Dominic, though.
But Dominic hadn’t hurt me.
Still, had I been able to defend myself, I’d have gotten away.
My brothers all knew how to shoot a gun, and they were good at it. Especially Joe and Talon. I needed to learn. The idea scared me more than a little, but it was something I needed to do.
But ask my brothers to teach me?
No way. They wouldn’t do it, anyway, and even if they did, I’d have to deal with all their Alpha bullshit.
I had a sister-in-law who was a former police detective and a crack shot. I’d ask Ruby.
I sent her a quick text.
She texted back.
As it happens, I’m going to
the shooting range tomorrow.
You can come with me, and I’ll
show you the basics.
I smiled.
It’s a date.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Bryce
I insisted on meeting in the park. That it was the place where he’d taken Marj was no coincidence. I also frisked him, even checking his crotch, which wasn’t fun, but his brother had been carrying there. Dominic was armed, of course, and I insisted he remove his gun and set it down on the bench. I did the same.
“All right, then,” I said. “What do you want?”
“There’s someone who wants to meet you.”
“Who?”
“I can’t tell you who, but he’s only a text away. Are you willing?”
“You’re nuts.” I picked up my gun and placed it back in the ankle holster. “You said we needed to talk. Not that I needed to talk to anyone else.”
“I’m not here to make any trouble,” he said. “I’m being well paid to ask you if you’ll talk to this person.”
“I won’t talk to anyone unless you tell me who it is.”
“I can’t do that. Not yet.”
“Why the hell not?” I was tempted to sic my gun on him, but what good would that do? His weapon was sitting right next to him, and I was no killer.
“That’s all I can say.”
“Where’s Cade?” I demanded.
“I don’t know. It might surprise you that he doesn’t tell me when he disappears.”
“Then he’s disappeared before?”
“Lots of times. His law partners put up with it because he funds the firm.”
“Hold on. He funds the firm? With what?”
“His father was loaded. He died intestate, and Cade was his next of kin.”
I wasn’t sure why I hadn’t considered this fact. Of course Cade’s father had been loaded. My father had paid him off. Bert Valente had bought real estate that had increased in value, and who knew what else he had invested in?
“Right,” I said. “He got shot at a convenience store.”
“How did you know that?”
“I have my ways. Do you know how Cade’s father got his money?”
Dominic shook his head.
“He sold his son. He sold Cade. To my psycho father.”
Dominic shuddered slightly. If it weren’t night, I was sure I’d see his tan face turning white.
“How do you know this?”
“I found documentation hidden in my father’s things.” I wasn’t about to tell Dominic the whole story—that Joe and I had been responsible for my father even knowing about Cade.
“He’s right,” a low voice said.
I jerked around, looking for the source of the sound. “Who’s there?”
“The person who wants to talk to you.”
“Get out here, then,” I said harshly. “Show yourself.”
A figure approached, a black mask covering his face. He was tall, easily as tall as I was, possibly taller.
“I don’t talk to you unless I know who you are,” I said.
“I’m the person who’s trying to protect Marjorie and her mother.”
His voice was laced with familiarity. Depth and familiarity. It was a voice I’d once loved, I’d once respected.
“You’re not…”
“Brad Steel?” The figure sighed and slowly pulled off his mask.
Bradford fucking Steel stood before me. His hair was still dark, as I remembered, though it was speckled with silver that shone in the light from the moon. Though I’d felt the ghost of my father more than once, this was no ghost. This man was alive. Alive and well.