Chapter 8
Zane sat in his car outside a newer multistory apartment building. According to Ethan, Abe left every morning at eight a.m. It was ten past.
Where are you, Abe?
Was he expecting Zane? Or did he think he was safe?
To assume he was safe after the threat he’d sent Zane’s way would be a huge fucking mistake. You don’t poke a bear without expecting retaliation.
Zane strummed his fingers along the door. How had the reporter gotten his information? Had he dug up local news reports from Billings? Spoken to locals? Law enforcement?
The door to the building opened, and Zane’s eyes narrowed on Abe stepping out.
Gotcha.
Zane pulled on his cap and climbed out of his car. Keeping his head down, he followed Abe toward the tenant parking lot.
Slowly, he closed the distance between them. Abe didn’t even look back. But as he rounded the building, Zane saw him start to reach into his bag.
He saw the pepper spray before Abe had a chance to lift the can. He grabbed Abe’s wrist, easily taking it from his grasp and throwing it to the ground.
Abe gasped and stumbled back. “What do you want?”
“You should know the answer to that, Abe.” He stood close enough to emphasize their size difference. To instill just a bit of fear in the reporter.
Abe swallowed, straightened the strap of the bag on his shoulder.
“I want to talk about that article you’re thinking about writing,” Zane said, inching closer.
“It’s already written. You’re too late.”
“See, that doesn’t really work for me.” Zane was so close he could almost feel the asshole. “But if it’s true, your best course of action would be to trash it before it’s printed.”
“Yeah? And I think you should get away from me.”
Zane almost laughed. “That’s not happening. Where’d you get your information from, Abe?”
“I followed up old articles. Then found some first responders who were willing to talk.”
“Well, just like you, I know how easy it is to get information others want to hide. It’s how I got your address. It’s how I know you’re one of three siblings and your parents live in Kentucky. It’s also how I know you’re divorced and have a five-year-old daughter in Missoula.”
His eyes flared. “Are you threatening my kid?”
He wouldn’t hurt innocent people. No way in hell. But this guy didn’t know that. “I’m saying, I was found innocent of both charges. And I went to a lot of effort to move away from the gossip. So I wouldn’t look favorably on someone who leaked my story.”
Fear crept into the guy’s eyes, and he straightened. “Fine. I’ll see what I can do.”
“Good. Don’t forget about the things I’ve done to protect myself.” He lowered his head so his mouth was near the guy’s ear. “People who cross me always wish they hadn’t.”
Abe paled, the fear looking like it was going to swallow him whole.
Good.
When Zane reached his car, he saw the reporter shoot his head around the corner of the building, sighting Zane. Good. He’d know Zane wasn’t leaving right away. It would push the narrative that he was watching. And that Abe was vulnerable.
Zane’s phone vibrated with a text.
Bonnie: So I know you said no to any more kisses, but what about a friendship?
He frowned at the text. Friendship? He couldn’t be friends with her. He could barely talk to her without that consuming need to touch her.
Bonnie: Because the thing is, I don’t have many friends. I haven’t even seen my own sister since coming back to town. And when I talk to you, I feel like my old self again. Something I haven’t felt for a while.
He’d barely finished reading the text when another came through.
Bonnie: I just read that back…I’ve made myself sound completely and utterly pathetic, haven’t I?
Bonnie: Did me admitting that make it even worse? Okay, I’m stopping now. If you don’t reply, I might just dig a hole of embarrassment to die in. That’s it. Bye.
He scrubbed a hand over his face. Because how the fuck was he supposed to say no to that? And he liked talking to her too. She made him smile, and he hadn’t done a lot of that lately.
Zane: I’ll come by your apartment tomorrow morning and we can go for a coffee.
He hit send. It was a bad idea. So why didn’t he regret it?
“What do you mean a raccoon got stuck in the equipment box?” Bonnie laughed, the cup of chai warming her hands as she walked down the street with her brother.
“I mean, I got to the rock-climbing wall and the little guy’s ass was sticking out of a hole he’d chewed through the box.”
“What was in the box that he was so eager to get to?”
“Flint left half a taco in there the day before. He was setting up then forgot about it. The raccoon must have smelled it.”
“I’m impressed. But I also feel bad for him. How long would he have been there for?”
“No idea. Could have been the entire night. But after Colt and I performed the great rescue, we gave the little guy the stale taco and he scurried off.”
“How did you break him out?”
“Broke the box open.”
“Wow. That’s quite an effort for a wild raccoon.”
“We’re quite good guys.”
She laughed again before shaking her head. “And you know it.”
“So…Indie asked about you.” Noah sipped his coffee.
“Really?” Her pulse sped up. “I asked to meet but she said she still wasn’t feeling great and doesn’t want to be throwing up when we see each other.”
“Well, good news, her doctor’s got her on some new medication to help with the nausea, so I think she’ll feel up to an outing soon.”
Nerves tickled her spine. “I’d love to see her. I’ve been too nervous to ask since my last text.”
“You? Nervous?”
“I know, shocker. Fifteen-year-old me was fearless. Remember when I jumped on the back of old man Jim’s pickup truck because I didn’t want to walk to school?”
“You jumped on while it was moving. I was so pissed at you.”
“So was he. When he finally saw me, he slammed on the brakes and got out to yell at me, but I jumped off and ran before he could.”
“Mom and Dad got quite the earful. But I think they were also kind of impressed by your fearlessness.”
Her smile slipped. “Guess I’m not the person I used to be.”
“Hey. There’s nothing wrong with realizing that jumping on the back of a moving vehicle is a bad idea. There’s also nothing wrong with warming up to things with Indie by texting for a while before you see each other. Why don’t I ask her about tomorrow morning? It’s your day off, right?”
“I actually have plans tomorrow morning.” She nibbled her bottom lip.
“Who could possibly be more important than me and Indie?”
“Not more important, just planned first. Zane and I are getting a coffee together.”
Noah frowned. “You’re hanging out with Zane?”
“Well, tomorrow I am. We’re trying for friends. I like him. And after our…” She hadn’t told anyone she’d kissed Zane. She hadn’t had anyone to tell.
“After your what?” he asked carefully.
“We, uh, kissed.”
His brows shot up. “Really?”
“Yeah.” She shot a glance at her brother, who was now frowning again. “What?”
“Nothing. It’s just that the other night, Jesse and I were passing The Pit and he had some guy up against the wall and looked like he was going to punch him.”
She frowned. “What guy?”
“I don’t know. Neither of them would tell us what was going on.”
“Okay. It’s strange but I don’t think he would have done that without a good reason. Some people in this town can be pretty painful.” She kicked a rock, a few less than desirable moments coming to mind.
“Yeah, just…be careful.”
One side of her mouth lifted. “You being my protective big brother?”
“Always.”
Her heart gave another kick. Then she rolled her eyes. “Fine. I’ll reschedule with him, and you and Indie can come over tomorrow morning. Happy?”
“You don’t have to do that, Bon.”
“I want to. I need to see Indie. How about nine thirty?”
“That works.”
Two women rounded the corner ahead of them.
Bonnie’s chest tightened. Maisie and Jane, Dean’s mother. Did Maisie only ever spend time with Dean’s family?
Maisie’s eyes widened, while Jane’s narrowed in anger. Then she gasped, “Bonnie…”
The older woman marched forward, but Noah stepped in front of Bonnie before Jane could reach her.
“I could kill you for coming back here!” Jane shouted, emotion clogging her voice. “You left my son at that party when you were supposed to drive him home. You let him crash that car and die! And now you want to live here again?”
“That’s enough!” Noah shouted.
Bonnie glanced to Maisie, but the other woman wasn’t looking at Bonnie. Her gaze was set firmly on the ground.
“You need to leave,” Jane growled, trying to push her way past Noah like she wanted to hurt Bonnie. “I shouldn’t have to see your face around here. Ever!”
“You need to leave,” Noah growled. “Now.”
Maisie touched Jane’s shoulder. “Come on, Jane. Let’s go.”
Finally, Jane stepped away from Noah and let Maisie pull her down the sidewalk. But even when the two women were gone, Bonnie’s heart didn’t stop thumping. It hit her ribs so hard that it hurt. A physical pain that throbbed through her entire body.
Noah touched her shoulder. “Are you okay?”
She felt like she’d been slapped in the face. What if Noah hadn’t been here? Would Jane actually have attacked her? Would Maisie have just watched? Could Bonnie not even exist in the town she grew up in without someone wanting to hurt her?
“I should get home.” She wrapped her arm around her waist.
“I’ll walk you.”
Bonnie shook her head, already taking a step around her brother. “No, I need a few minutes by myself.”
“Bon—”
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Noah.”
She walked away from him, her steps fast, but not as fast as her pulse.
The anger in Jane’s eyes, the hate, it was so fierce, and all aimed at her.
How, after all these years, was she still blaming Bonnie for her son getting drunk and getting behind the wheel?
Bonnie dipped her chin to her chest, a little scared someone else would recognize her. Attack her. It took her half the time it usually would to reach her apartment building. Her head was still down when she reached the door.
She was pulling out her key when someone grabbed her from behind and shoved her into the wall beside the door.
She cried out, the shock rendering her completely still as a deep, raspy voice growled into her ear. She barely heard it above the blood roaring between her ears.
“Leave. No one wants you here.”
Then her head was yanked back by her hair, and her face slammed into the concrete wall.