Chapter 10
My eyes snag on Jade the second we enter Buckles. It’s like I’m drawn to her as moth is to flame.
My eyes never once waver from hers as I make my way through the crowd. Her hair is pulled back, and one of the neon signs on the wall casts her in its glow.
She’s so fucking beautiful.
I can’t see much in the dim lighting, but I see she’s got on some lacy thing under what looks like a denim dress. My eyes follow the path down her silhouette. Her legs are long and bare, and everything in this bar is just background noise.
I feel Cade, or maybe Colter, tap me on the shoulder and say something about beers, but I’m too focused on following Wrenley to the table of women.
I watch as she slowly brings the neck of a bottle to her lips, her tongue darting out, and a lick of heat unfurls inside me as I imagine those lips wrapped around something else. Jade’s cheeks flame as if she can hear my thoughts, and I give her a devilish smile.
“Evening, ladies,” I greet the table, eyes still solely on Jade.
“Well, well, well. If it isn’t Sarah Walker,” my brother taunts. “Twice in one day, baby. If I knew any better, I’d think you were following me,” Hayes drawls, leaning against the table.
“I was here first, dipshit,” Sarah snarls at him, kicking his legs away.
Chuckling, he adjusts his stance. “Either way, we’re both here. It’s fate, wouldn’t you say so, sweetheart?” He smirks, and I can see the fire in Sarah’s eyes. She’s ready to strangle him.
“In your dreams, Hades,” she bites, eyes narrowing.
“Oh trust me, darling, you appear in plenty of my dreams.” He winks, and she slams down her drink, making him chuckle.
“Don’t make me vomit.” She scoffs.
I reach out and clamp a hand on his shoulder as a warning.
Turning my gaze back to Jade, I give her a friendly smile.
“Hi, you look beautiful. I like your hair. And that lace thing you got on underneath,” I say, and her face flushes as the table of girls snicker.
Realizing how that sounded, I clear the heat from my voice and gesture to her top.
“I mean your shirt thing,” I say, bringing my hand up to scratch the back of my neck.
Fuck. I’m messing this up.
“Oh, thanks. You look good too.” She smiles sweetly. “I like the muscles.” Her eyes bug, and I have to hold back a laugh. “Oh God. Shirt. I mean shirt,” she corrects, her face turning scarlet.
“Dear God, it’s like watching a couple of virgins,” I hear Sarah say.
“I could definitely go for some popcorn right about now, that’s for sure.” Wren laughs, making me scowl at her.
“I should probably leave you ladies be and go find my brothers. Just wanted to come say hi. Have a good night,” I tell them, grabbing Hayes and pulling him away to follow me.
“I like the lacy thing you got on underneath,” Hayes mimics, and I shove him into a table.
“Fuck off,” I grumble.
We find Cade and Colter and join them in a round of pool, talking shit and sipping drinks.
I’m shocked Cade joined us tonight. Two weekends back to back has to be a record for the guy.
We had no plans to go out tonight. Colter goes back to work tomorrow, and Cade and I agreed to help Ma and Pa at the farm all day since we’re both off duty.
We just all happened to be at the house when Wren came inside and said she was going out tonight.
Mom and Dad offered to keep the little tornadoes for another night and all but forced us out the door with her.
Though I have to admit, once I heard Jade would be here, I had no qualms about coming.
I try to focus on the game of pool, but my gaze keeps sliding across the room. She’s like a goddamn beacon. A few times I’ve caught her staring back, and fuck, if that doesn’t make me feel good.
“So, brother, what’s going on between you and that cute little baker?” Colter asks, sinking a ball.
“Nothing to tell,” I say, taking a pull from my whisky and then lining up for my next shot.
“Bullshit,” Cade grunts.
“You guys should have seen him. He sounded like a teenager trying to get laid for the first time.” Hayes chuckles, grabbing the cue from my hand.
“Fuck off. All of you,” I grumble, making the guys hoot with laughter.
Sometimes having three brothers can sure be a pain in my ass.
“It’s been, what, five years since Lauren left?” Colter asks, eyeing me from the other side of the table.
“Yep,” I say, popping my lips. I loved Lauren, and it still hurts that she left the way she did. But now that I’m starting to get to know Jade? It’s like no woman before her even matters.
“Dude. Please tell me you’ve at least had sex since then.” Hayes says, eyeing me with disdain, as if not having sex for five years disgusts him.
Not that it’s any of his business, but I’ve had sex since Lauren. Nothing mind-blowing or memorable, but it scratched the itch. It’s not often, but every summer we get a tourist who’s interested in the town sheriff.
“Leave him alone. He’s had sex since then, Jesus,” Cade says, rolling his eyes.
“Like you’re one to talk, Cade. I know for a fact that you haven’t had sex in the past five years.” Hayes scoffs, passing me back the cue.
Cade’s face twists, and he glowers at Hayes. “Enough,” he barks out, and the three of us share a look, knowing it’s time to move on to a different topic. Clara is, and will always be, a sore topic, and you can’t blame the guy.
“How about we talk about Sarah, Hayes?” Colter bates him. “She’s looking pretty fine tonight. Bet any man in this bar would kill to have those long, lean legs wrapped around him.”
Hayes’s fingers clench around the base of his bottle as he brings it to his lips and starts to chug. His knuckles whiten, and I brace for the bottle to shatter before he slams it down and walks off with no parting words.
“Dude, seriously? You know how he is when it comes to Sarah,” I scold, shaking my head.
“Oh, come on. I was just playing! He needs to get his shit together and work things out with her.”
“It’s not our business,” I tell him, watching Hayes walk up and sling a hand around the waist of some blonde. I shake my head and just hope this one isn’t married.
After a few more rounds of pool, we order some food and find an empty table. I spot Jade walking up to the bar and decide I could use another drink as well. Sliding up next to her, I smile and ask how her night’s going.
“Good! I really like your sister. She’s funny and fits right in with us. I had no idea her and Harper grew up together, so it’s perfect!”
I bob my head in agreement and inhale her scent. “They ran in different circles back then, but it’ll be nice for Wrenley to make some friends,” I tell her.
Wrenley, as outspoken and loud as she is, really could never find a group of friends to fit in with when she was younger.
With four older brothers and life on a farm, she wasn’t a girly girl like most of the girls she grew up with.
She would have the occasional friend, but nothing ever solid.
She was always out on her horse anyways, so I don’t think she minded too much.
Until she wasn’t allowed to ride anymore.
It took a long while for her to break out of that depression.
“Thanks again for sending her our way. She was a natural today. She’ll be great to have at the bakery.”
“Good. I’m glad.”
Marsha, the bartender, makes her way down to us. “Sheriff. Jade. What can I get for you two?”
“I’ll just get a Caesar, please,” Jade tells her.
“Another whisky, please, Marsha. And add Jade’s to my tab.”
Those big green eyes shoot to me. “Oh. You don’t have to do that,” she says.
“Let me buy you a drink, Jade.”
She bites her lip, and my eyes dart to her mouth. I swallow the urge to reach out and pop her lip from her teeth.
“Thanks.” She smiles, cheeks rosy.
“Anytime,” I rasp, hearing the heat in my voice.
“So, how’s your night going with your brothers?” she asks me as we wait for Marsha to get back with our drinks.
“Eh. They’re annoying. Would rather be here with you,” I tell her honestly.
She watches me for a beat with those rosy cheeks before saying, “Another time then.”
I smile like she just promised me the world. I will take every chance I get with her.
“Another time.” I nod just as Marsha comes back with our drinks.
“Well, thank you,” Jade says, holding up her drink and hesitating between staying or going. “I should probably get back to the table now before Sarah thinks I’ve bolted.” She laughs nervously. I know she came here for a girls’ night, but damn, I hoped she’d stay.
“Have a good rest of your night,” I tell her, reaching for my whisky and heading back to my own table.
I pop a seat and get back to eating my burger and scowl at my brothers when I notice some of my fries have been taken. They all avoid eye contact, and I shake my head. Annoying is right.
Calling it an early night, Cade takes off, and Hayes joins him.
Colter also drove, so the two of us opt to stay and shoot a few more rounds of pool.
We just finish a game when a scuffle taking place across the room catches our attention.
Swinging my head towards the shouts, I recognize Sarah’s voice and begin making my way to the women.
“There a problem?” I ask the table, eyeing Jep Shepard, who’s got his hands locked around Harper’s arm.
“Nah. No problem, Sheriff. Just here to get my girlfriend,” he says, pulling her from the booth.
“She. Doesn’t. Want. To. Leave,” Sarah seethes, punctuating each word between her teeth.
Jep Shepard is bad news. The guy’s been in and out of jail since he was a teen, and I don’t want him anywhere near Jade. Like his father, I know for a fact he’s been selling drugs to minors. We just haven’t caught him yet.
“Shut up, bitch,” he quips, glaring at Sarah.
“Hey!” I shout. “That’s enough. Now remove your hand from the girl,” I order.
Jep lets go and gives Harper a look that has her cowering before she continues to step out of the booth.
As she slides out, the shoulder of her shirt falls and I have to swallow a string of curses and the urge to knock this fucker out right here.
Harper’s shoulder and collar-bone are covered in what can only be bruises from his fingers.
“Bye, girls. Thanks for inviting me out tonight,” she says with a sad smile as Jep grabs her wrist and starts to drag her towards the door.
“I hate that guy,” snarls Sarah as she watches them exit the bar.
“You and me both,” I say, eyes tracking the couple.
Pulling out my phone, I text Ian, who’s out on patrol, and tell him to keep an eye out for Jep’s vehicle. Turning back to the table, I scan the girls. “How much do you guys know about Jep and Harper’s relationship?” I ask them.
Wren shakes her head. “I just moved back, so don’t ask me.”
“Honestly, not much,” Sarah says. “She doesn’t really talk about him, but I will say, he gives off a controlling vibe.
This isn’t the first time he’s interrupted us on a girls’ night and made her leave.
But he always has big, beautiful flower arrangements delivered to the book store for her, so I’m not sure what his deal is. ”
“Hmm,” I hum.
Jade looks at Sarah and then to me. “I don’t know much either.
Like Sarah said, she doesn’t share much with us, but earlier today I thought I saw bruising on her wrist and it had me thinking, she’s often jumpy and always has scratches and bruises.
She usually has a story about where they came from, so I just figured she was accident-prone, but you don’t think that he could be hurting her, do you? ” she asks, concern lacing her voice.
“I’m not sure. Wouldn’t fucking put it past him, though.”
“Poor Harper.” Jade sighs.
“Anymore trouble and you ladies come find me, okay,” I tell them before I go back to the pool table where Colter is watching from.
“Everything good?” he asks as I approach.
Shaking my head, I let out a puff of air. “Not sure. Fucking Jep Shepard was over there.”
Colter groans. “Can’t fucking stand that guy. I swear he is the one responsible for that shack fire that got out of control last year, but no one could prove it.”
“I believe you, brother.”
“Think he could be the guy you’re looking for in connection to the murders?” he asks.
I think about it, then shake my head. “Nah. Can’t see him being smart enough to not be sloppy about it. At least every crime we suspect him of it’s because he taunts us in ways that don’t really provide what we need to arrest him.”
“Makes sense.” He nods. “One last round?” Colter asks, nodding towards the table.
“Why not.”