AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I let out a long sigh and nodded. “As much as I can, sure. The FBI task force is a lot, but I’m also learning a lot.”
Agent Beck was pushing the limits of my patience and this damn investigation felt like it was going nowhere, but that was the job.
“Need some help with dinner?”
“Not at the moment. Your dad is still at the clubhouse, and your brother is in the attic, digging out one of the serving platters I misplaced. Go check on Savannah?”
The question was hesitant, as if she thought there was some tension between us.
“Sure, Ma. No problem.”
I found Savannah in the middle of the backyard, looking at the stars as they popped out in the sky. “Penny for your thoughts?”
She sent me a half-smile and half a laugh. “Is that the going rate for thoughts these days?”
“It is for a rookie cop with a shit salary.” I grinned.
Savannah let out another laugh and turned to me, curiosity burning in her blue eyes. “What’s wrong?”
“Wrong?”
“Yeah. You’re out here with me when we both know I’m not your favorite person.”
“Correction, you used to be not my favorite person. I can see now that you and Charlie are perfect for each other, and I’m happy for you. I have no issues with you, Savannah.”
“Thanks for that, Jameson.”
I shrugged. “It’s true. I’m sure you’ll be part of the family soon and that makes you family to me.” I was happy to find her out here. Alone. “But I do have something to tell you and here is as good as any place, I guess.”
Her eyes widened. “Bad news?”
I nodded and told her about finding Tits’ body. “She had an Ace of spades carved into her back while she was still alive. Charlie mentioned you were with her when you two met, so I figured you’d want to know.”
“Polina’s dead?”
I pulled my lips into a grim line and nodded, and her shoulders fell. Savannah had been through too much, was too fucking strong to shed a tear, but I could see how the news devastated her. “I owe her my life.”
I suspected as much. Tits had gone against her boyfriend and her own best interest to help Savannah, which is probably why she was rotting in a morgue.
“Other than the carving, we have no leads. No forensics.”
She nodded as understanding dawned. “I’ll make sure the world does right by Polina, Jameson. I swear.” Savannah flashed a sad smile and took a step closer. “Thank you for telling me.” She wrapped her arms around me and squeezed.
“Get your hands off my woman,” Charlie growled from the porch, but I heard the smile in his voice.
“She’s got her hands all over me, bro. She knows I’m irresistible.”
“Riiiight. Dinner’s ready.”
We sat down at the table, the extra setting a glaring reminder that I still needed to fix things with Maddie. She hadn’t answered my texts or calls since Friday, not that I blamed her, but the table setting mocked me. I focused instead on all the food scattered around the table.
“Are we expecting an army, Ma?”
She laughed. “No, but I know my guys have big appetites. Have a seat.”
Charlie and Savannah took one side of the table, leaving me to sit beside the empty setting. “Are we missing someone?” Savannah asked innocently.
Her question ate at me, sending acid bubbling in my gut.
Ma frowned. “Where’s Madison? I thought she’d be here with you tonight.”
I sighed. “Ma, Maddie and I are just friends. Nothing more.”
“Bullshit, baby brother.” Charlie laughed and shook his head. “You fucked it up already, didn’t you?”
“Nothin’ to fuck up,” I growled into my beer. “Just friends, I said.”
“Boys, language.”
“Sorry, Ma.”
Ma took her seat at one end of the table and flashed a sympathetic smile. “Love is complicated, Jameson. Just look at your brother and Savannah.”
I let out a bitter laugh and shook my head. “If possible, things with Maddie are even more complicated than their love story, Ma. With my job and her connection to the Ashby family, it’s beyond complicated.”
“Those are just details. You can figure a way around that if you want to.”
“They’re more than details, Ma. They’re the facts. It’s hard enough figuring out how to be a part of this family while juggling my job, I can’t have the same issues in my love life. I won’t.”
What I couldn’t say was that on top of all that, Maddie didn’t trust me, not the way she should. And that cut like a knife.
“Don’t be stupid, son.” Dad walked in, his heavy-booted footsteps muffled by our conversation, and took his seat at the table, talking while filling his plate.
“How do you think I got a beautiful bookkeeper to fall for a grumpy assed biker? Life is fucking complicated, and it won’t get less complicated just because you make the safe choice. The easy choice.”
