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That was a complete lie, but I was running with it. Lucas needed people around him to feel better. Normal people to remind him that his parents were a fucking disaster, not everybody else. Yeah, I was a total hypocrite, because my own father was the biggest loser.
Lucas needed music. Beer. Bar food.
As for me, it was doubtful any reporters were lying in wait. It had been a few weeks since my dad pulled his shit, and there had been no updates on the case. I doubted there were any reporters outside of the local paper still in town.
Even so, I liked having Lucas and Hailey as a buffer if someone did approach. Since Lucas had lost his sister, I doubted they’d be dicks and fuck with the grieving family. They had some standards… I hoped.
The Gallows did a steady dinner business and got crowded later in the evening, especially on the weekend. But at four o’clock, the hostess led us to a booth right away. I sat across from Lucas and Hailey.
This day had been crazy. I’d woken up alone, as usual. Cranky, as usual. Then this blonde-haired vixen showed up and told me she wanted me to fuck her. And I did, not once, but twice, my handprint a bright pink on her gorgeous ass as I did so. My dick should have been satisfied, my balls empty, but damned if I didn’t get hard just looking at her across the table. We’d taken her bare. Our cum was in her. Fuck, probably slipping out, making her panties all slick and wet.
Shit. I shifted in my chair.
“Is that Eddie Nickel?” Hailey asked, glancing across the room to a large group that was by the dart boards and pool tables. Based on the number of empty glasses and plates scattered around them, they’d been here for a while.
Lucas set his forearms on the table and leaned forward, looking in that direction. “Yeah, he’s wrapping up a film shoot. Probably his film crew taking a break.”
“I didn’t know he was in town,” I replied.
Eddie Nickel was a famous movie star who lived in Cutthroat, at least when he wasn’t in LA, which wasn’t too often. He had two kids, Poppy and Shane, who weren’t into acting or the outrageous movie star lifestyle that swirled around their dad. We’d grown up with both who’d been pretty much raised by a nanny. Shane was our age and we’d hung out with him in high school.
“That’s because you’ve turned into a fucking hermit,” Lucas countered.
The waitress arrived before I could say anything. We ordered wings and a pitcher of beer.
“He’s shorter than I thought,” she said, still looking the guy’s way. Seeing the famous Eddie Nickel wasn’t all that exciting to me, just someone who put his pants on one leg at a time like everyone else. I’d met him before. He was totally full of himself and was pretty much an absentee dad. And since I had one of those of my own, that was one strike against the guy. A big one.
But, bringing a film shoot to Cutthroat helped the economy, so I couldn’t hate his guts… much.
“Women toss themselves at him, or at least that’s what the tabloids say,” Lucas replied.
Hailey turned and looked at Lucas, pale brow raised. “You read the tabloids?”
Lucas flushed, then grinned sheepishly. “Gotta do something while waiting in the checkout line.”
A full pitcher and three frosty glasses were placed on the table, and I thanked the waitress. I pour
ed, pushing the first one to Lucas. “You’ve earned the first beer.”
He looked to me, then gave me the finger. He lifted his glass and when Hailey and I had ours, he toasted. “To loving parents.”
I didn’t miss the sarcasm one bit. I was damned happy I had him as a friend. I couldn’t get—or at least keep—a woman like Hailey on my own. Who’d want Dennis Seaborn’s son?
I looked to Hailey. Her tongue darted out to lick her upper lip. “What?”
“You know about Lucas’ parents. You’ve heard about my dad.”
And she’d still let me spank her ass.
She nodded. “Lucas told me and well, I’ve seen the news.”
Who hadn’t? The fact that he’d been a total douche canoe and admitted to a crime he hadn’t committed, one as heinous as killing Lucas’ sister, should have been enough to have her fleeing from my presence, not intentionally showing up at the ranch. She’d shown up for me. Me.
“Fucking insane,” I said, confirming what we all knew. “We still don’t know why he did it. As far as I know, he’s never even met Erin before.”
“Why don’t you go ask him?” She cocked her head, patiently waited for my answer. Inside, I fumed. I hadn’t seen the fucker since the night he walked out on me and mom. Not a birthday card or even an appearance at graduation. Nothing. I hadn’t even seen his face until it appeared on the news. For two days, I’d thought he’d done it. So had everyone in Cutthroat, and the police. That had been bad enough. But then Lucas had called and told me what he’d done—falsely admitted to killing Erin. For some reason, that made it even worse.
“What about yours?” I asked, diverting, hard core. This wasn’t going to last, but dwelling on dear old dad wasn’t going to get her back in my bed.
