Chapter Ten
C olton poured himself a cup of coffee while listening to Storm make his way out of the guest room to a stool at the kitchen counter.
“You got any more of that?” Storm spoke that last word on a long yawn while he stretched his arms above his head.
Colton took pity on his tired friend and slid the cup he’d poured for himself across the counter. “You look like you could use this more than me. Rough night?”
“I came here straight off a double. I took a nap when I arrived around lunchtime, but that threw off my sleep last night. I stayed up too late watching late-night flicks.” Storm took a long sip of the hot brew, before letting out a low moan.
“That’s good right there.” Storm’s dark eyes finally sparked to life as he savored the hot beverage.
“How ’bout you? You seemed to have calmed down…
” Storm’s gaze passed quickly over Colton “…a lot.”
He had. He was still pissed about the stunt Holden pulled, but Storm’s advice, offer to help, and a good night’s sleep had made Colton feel less murderous.
He grabbed another mug and poured another cup of coffee for himself. “Fighting with Seneca and Holden got me exactly nowhere.” He blew over the steaming cup, then took a sip. “’Cept pissed the hell off. Figured I’d try the rational thing you suggested last night.”
Storm took another long swig from his coffee mug before responding. “You got anything in particular planned?”
“No,” he answered truthfully. “Seneca’s mad at me, and Holden is holding my pending promotion over my head to keep me out of his way.
There’s not a lot I can do to protect her right now.
So, I figure this is the best time to listen.
I’m gonna go back to Seneca’s cabin today and apologize for being an asshole.
With Hastings breathing down her neck, she didn’t need me piling on last night too. ”
Storm glared through squinted lids as he looked Colton up and down. “What the hell have you done with Colton Adams? Because I have never heard him say he was wrong.”
His friend and colleague wasn’t wrong. Colton rarely apologized because he didn’t usually invest in people enough to care about whether they were upset with him or not.
“Don’t go praising me yet—I only said it to you. Seeing how you’re the runt of our outfit, you don’t count. Once I finally get the balls to say it to Seneca’s face, then you can be my personal cheerleader.”
Storm chuckled. “I know one thing, if you don’t apologize, she’s liable to cut your balls off. Smart money says a little groveling might be as good for your health as it is her anger.”
Colton stretched out his coffee mug to clink it softly with Storm’s.
“Runt, I think you’re right.” Now, Colton just needed to figure out a way to make this apology meaningful.
They shared a laugh between them as a series of knocks filled the air before the door opened and Jackson stepped through it.
“Morning, boys.” His deep voice vibrated off the walls as he made his way to the kitchen. “What’ch’all getting into today?”
Storm smirked over his coffee cup before answering, “I plan on lying around and doing nothing, while Colton has to figure out a way to apologize for being his usual asshole-ish self with Seneca.”
Jackson lifted a brow as he turned his gaze toward Colton. If he was a man who scared easily, he’d be trembling with fear. Jackson, when he was in protective mode, wasn’t someone to take lightly.
“What did you do now?”
“I didn’t do shit. It’s that goddamn Holden. He went behind my back and approached Seneca about using her hacking skills to trap Hastings.”
Jackson slid onto a nearby stool next to Storm and tapped his fingers slowly against the marbled counter.
“Colt, you had to expect he would. He’s been chasing this phantom leading this human trafficking ring for two years now.
If Seneca is the key that helps him solve this case, you can’t think he wouldn’t seek her out. ”
Colton placed his cup on the counter as he tried to collect his thoughts.
Rationally, he agreed with everything Jackson said.
But the twisting knot in the middle of his chest that made him want to hurt Holden for even suggesting Seneca’s involvement in this mess wouldn’t die down.
He cared about her. He couldn’t let Holden risk her life.
“I know you’re right, Jackson.” The tension in his body began to ease as he admitted that fact. “But I still can’t let him do it.”
“I told you to stay out of this, Colton.”
Colton raised his hands in surrender at Jackson’s words. “I promise, Jackson, I have no intention of officially getting involved in Holden’s case. That doesn’t mean I’m gonna stop looking for a way to help Seneca, though. I have to find a way to mitigate the need for her to be involved at all.”
“How are you gonna do that when it’s not our case?”
Colton shrugged his shoulders and let a slick smile spread across his lips. “We’re no longer the official investigative agency on the case. That doesn’t mean that I can’t poke into a few things as a civilian to try to find out as much as I can about Hastings’s dealings.”
“How you plan to do that?” Storm asked.
“Well, with all the new security measures taken on the ranch since we first arrived, maybe the boss lady wants us to do a follow-up to make sure the ranch is really safe.”
“Colton.” Jackson said his name on an exhausted breath. “You’re not gonna stop until you find yourself in trouble. Let it go.”
“Would you be able to let it go if it were Aja in trouble instead of Seneca?” Colton’s smile deepened when he saw the flash of fire that sparked in Jackson’s eyes at the mere mention of his lady being placed in danger.
The muscles in Jackson’s tightly set jaw twitched. Colton had definitely hit a nerve.
“I ordered you to stay away from Holden’s case.
” Jackson’s low voice rippled through the quiet space.
“That order still stands.” He turned his back to Colton, slowly stepping away in the opposite direction.
“What you choose to do as a civilian, however, is outside my purview. Just don’t fuck up, because I can’t save you. ”
Jackson grabbed the knob to the door and pulled it open, stepping one foot over the threshold before he hollered over his shoulder, “Storm go with him. If he fucks up, that’s your ass too.”
Storm gave Jackson a mock salute. “Yes, sir. I was already planning on it.”
Jackson shook his head. “I never doubted that for a minute.” He closed the door behind him, leaving Colton and Storm alone.
Storm clapped his hands together conspiratorially, making a sliver of anxiety slip down Colton’s spine. “Now that Dad’s gone,” Storm said with a bit too much excitement in his voice for Colton’s comfort, “let’s go blow some shit up.”
*
Seneca slowly opened the back door of the main house and let the aroma of a full Southern breakfast draw her into the kitchen.
She found Aja, the brown-skinned beauty with thick hips, and her beautiful Nubian braids twisted into the perfect topknot, standing at the stove vigorously stirring a steaming pot.
“Woman, it smells so good in here. You got my mouth watering.”
Aja kept stirring, not letting Seneca interrupt her meal preparation. “That’s strange,” Aja answered. “Because the way you’ve been avoiding my kitchen, I thought maybe my cooking wasn’t doing it for you anymore.”
“I deserve that.” Seneca walked over to the oven and wrapped Aja in a hug from behind. “I’m sorry. I just needed some space.”
“Colton getting on your nerves that bad?” The smile kicking up the edges of Aja’s mouth made Seneca chuckle.
“Boy, is he. Boss, I have never met a more obstinate man in my life.”
Aja turned the fire down under the cooking range and covered the steaming pot with a glass lid before turning around to face Seneca as she moved to the side of the counter.
“What could he possibly be doing?”
Seneca chewed the inside of her lip. How could she possibly explain the constant battle between her and Colton without telling Aja what was going on?
As far as Seneca was concerned, she could never let Aja know about Hastings.
After dealing with that nutcase Ryan who nearly killed her, Seneca didn’t want Aja worrying about any of the mess she found herself in the middle of.
“Nothing,” Seneca answered.
“Nothing, or nothing you want to talk about?” When Seneca didn’t answer, Aja moved closer to the island and leaned her hip against it before turning to Seneca.
“Listen, a good man who cares enough about you to keep coming back, even when you’ve kicked him to the curb, is someone you shouldn’t take lightly.
Colton ain’t the type to force his way into a woman’s life when she doesn’t want him.
Honestly, I don’t really think he’s put much effort into being part of anyone’s life at all.
So, if he keeps coming back, we both know it’s because something you’re doing or saying is giving him hope there’s something to pursue between you. ”
Seneca thought about how she’d melted into his arms last night when she was scared and worried about Hastings.
How the warmth of his embrace and the tender care he’d shown her, until they’d eventually started fighting, made her feel safe.
She thought about the way she’d given her body to him and held him so close even air couldn’t pass between them.
Yeah, Aja was right, maybe she was guilty of sending the man mixed signals.
“I know he’s not a bad guy,” Seneca admitted. “I just don’t know if I can trust him. He lied to me, Aja.”