Chapter Forty-Three #2
“I guess if home had been a warm, comfortable place, I would’ve felt the same way,” he said.
“This place feels like home,” she admitted.
“Even without your folks here?”
A pang twinged in her chest, and she swallowed.
“I love my parents, and I love my siblings, but when I went away to college, it was a chance for me to spread my wings and find my own place in the world, and it took me coming here to find that.” Kaylee hesitated, meeting his gaze.
“I think even after I testify, I wanna come back here.”
Rick nodded. “I get what you mean about this place feeling like home; the people, the town, it welcomes you like you’ve lived here forever, even if you’re just visiting.
” His eyes took on a faraway look, and he added, “I used to hate small towns except for the ones I’d seen on TV.
Where I grew up, no one looked out for one another.
This place is something else, so I get why you want to stay, but … ”
“But what?”
“Do you think things will be the same after you go back to California and testify?” he asked.
“What do you mean?”
“This place is like your own private Idaho. Once you go back to reality, is it going to look and feel the same?”
“I think so,” she whispered, the pit of her stomach heavy with sadness, because Kaylee was afraid she already knew the answer to the question she was going to ask. “Would you ever consider living in a place like this?”
“Me? I mean, probably not. The closest office is hours away. I’ve wanted to be an FBI agent since I was a kid—fighting crime and making the world safe.”
And she wanted to be in a safe, small community where everybody looked after one another. No matter how they felt right now, they couldn’t be more different, and there was no future. Rick might want her, but he loved his life more.
“Hey, what’s wrong? You went away for a bit.”
“Nothing, I’m just thinking how when we leave here, what we have is done,” she said, dropping his hand.
“Kaylee,” he said, reaching for her, but she waved him off.
“I’m fine. Actually kind of thirsty. Will you get me something to drink? I’m going to step outside to get some air.”
“Just give me a minute, and I’ll come with you.”
“Rick, I can go outside by myself. I don’t need you hovering over me every damn second!”
Several people dancing nearby swung their way, and Kaylee swallowed, fighting back tears. Rick didn’t move as she spun around and headed toward the front door, but when she saw a couple fighting right outside, she took off around the corner, sucking in air.
Kaylee leaned her right shoulder against the cool building, shivering as tears ran down her cheeks.
She should have grabbed her jacket, but then Josie would have asked her what was wrong, and Kaylee needed to let it out in peace.
To give up on the small hope that had been forming in her chest, imagining Rick and her having a future together.
She wiped at her eyes when a hand landed on her shoulder, and she sighed. “Rick, I told you—”
A hand covered her open mouth, pushing her up against the side of the building. The smell of cigarettes and leather coiled around her like a python as she met the cool steely eyes of the blond-haired man, the same man who had been there the night Elasia was killed.
“Hello, Kaylee,” he said, his body pressing her into the building painfully. “I’m Johnny. You want to dance?”
Kaylee stiffened against him.
“I’m just playing with you. If Ansel found out I’d had you in my arms like that, he’d slit my throat. He’s pretty sweet on you.” Johnny’s cold gaze swept over her face, and he flashed a wolfish grin. “I can see why, but no woman is worth dying for.”
Laughter trailed after a group heading for the parking lot, and Johnny leaned down, covering her from their view. “Do not scream, or I’ll slip away and pay your friend a visit. No one will care if I have a taste of her.”
Kaylee whimpered.
“Now, I’m going to wrap my arm around your waist and lead you to my car where you are going to climb inside easily. Then, I’m going to bring you back to Ansel instead of just killing you right here.”
Kaylee tried to jerk away from him, but he held tight. “No, none of that.” He lifted his hand, trailing a finger down her cheek. “You’re going to be a good girl and cooperate, aren’t you? You don’t want anyone else getting hurt, do you?”
“Like you hurt Elasia?”
Johnny chuckled. “Ah, your little friend was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. It was pretty cute how puffed up she was when she first walked in, talking about how Ansel had better stay away from you. But you see, that night wasn’t about you.”
“What do you mean?” she asked breathlessly.
Johnny clucked his tongue. “We can talk on the drive.”
“No,” she hissed, fighting against him. “Tell me what you mean.”
Johnny slammed her back against the building, knocking the breath from her.
“Stop your fucking squirming.” She whimpered, and for whatever reason, the sound seemed to relax him, and he smiled.
“Fine. You wanna know? Your friend’s little FBI boyfriend was skimming from us.
Stole over a hundred thousand dollars, like that was going to go far. ”
Her stomach plummeted. Elasia hadn’t died because she’d threatened Ansel or Wyatt’s job. They killed her because her boyfriend was a thief.
“Did she know? What he was doing?”
“Said she didn’t, but you can never be sure, you know?” His flinty gaze skewered her. “People lie.”
Kaylee jerked against his grip. “My date is going to come looking for me.”
“Yeah, seems like a sweet guy. We should probably get out of here, though, so I don’t have to kill him.” Johnny kept a hand on her and lifted his shirt, revealing the metallic glint of a gun.
Kaylee scoffed. “Rick would end you.”
Johnny’s eyes flashed with irritation before he chuckled menacingly.
“Is that so?” he asked, dropping his shirt.
“Maybe if we had more time, I’d test your theory.
So how is this? Maybe lover boy could take me on, but there are other people you care about.
Some of them may not be able to end me. Maybe the sweet little blonde sitting in a chair inside, eating cake like it’s the best thing in the world. ”
Kaylee’s heart surged into her throat. “Fine, I’ll go with you.”
“That’s a good girl,” he said, leaning over her, and she stiffened, his lips brushing her cheek and leaving a wet imprint. “Remember, be quiet. Don’t disappoint me.”
Johnny kept ahold of her arm, dragging her across the gravel. Kaylee couldn’t keep up in her heels, and when she kicked them off, she bit back a whimper of pain as the sharp rocks bit into the bottoms of her feet.
“Hurry up,” he snarled.
“I can’t. I don’t have shoes on.”
Johnny stopped, bending over to wrap his arms around her, and tried lifting her.
Fear ratcheted through her, and she knew that as soon as he got her away, even if he took her to Ansel, she was dead anyway.
Kaylee swung a fist, catching Johnny upside the ear, and he dropped her, stumbling to the side and hitting a nearby car.
She landed on her back in the gravel and immediately started scrambling backward, cursing her dress and bare feet.
Johnny straightened, rubbing his ear as he glared at her.
“You got some fire in you. I didn’t expect that; you were always such a mousy little thing.
” He took a step toward her, advancing like a predator stalking its prey, and panic ripped through Kaylee like a bullet, her heart beating so hard against her chest as if it wanted to escape.
She had never spoken to him before tonight, as he always sat silently, watching the goings-on at the bar.
Now those observant eyes stared straight into her soul, branding her for the devil himself.
Kaylee glanced over her shoulder to the building’s entrance, but he was too close, and there was no way she could outrun him.
“Don’t worry, Kaylee. I’m a forgiving guy. I’ll only punish you a little, leaving no marks. Got to have you in perfect condition for your talk with Ansel.”
Kaylee scowled. “I don’t wanna talk to him.”
“It’s not really a choice,” he said, advancing on her as she continued to scoot away. “Who knows, you might be able to work something out and go on about your life.”
Kaylee didn’t believe that for a second, but she played along, biding her time as she inched closer and closer toward the cars.
“Do you really think you’re gonna be able to get away from me?”