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“You’d better watch your back, Sheriff.” Bull’s eyes are on me now, and my stomach is queasy. I thought he said he was done. “There’s things nobody knows about that family. Buncha redneck carnies acting like they’ve gone straight.”
His words are as bad as a kick in the gut, and the anxiety in my chest twists harder. I remember why I left, and I wonder why I thought it was a good idea to come back. I’ll never be free of my family’s reputation, and I’m afraid to look at Aiden.
I’m afraid he agrees.
Aiden lowers the tailgate, helping Edward jump into the truck bed, and his voice gives nothing away. “Let’s go, Britt.”
CHAPTER9
AIDEN
Britt sits silently in the passenger seat across from me. Her eyes are on her camera, but she’s not scrolling through photos. She seems upset, and I’m pretty sure it’s my fault.
After last night, I’ve done my best to be professional and give her space—even in the alley behind Holly’s house. We got too close, and all I could think about was how soft her lips were against mine. How easy it would be to take another hit. How no one was in that alley to see what we did.
Just now at the Jones place, it took all my strength not to pop Bull Jones in the face for his crack about her family being shit. Like that asshole has any room to talk. Britt’s family is reckless and probably unhinged, but they’re not habitual offenders living on the outskirts of town in what amounts to a junkyard.
We drive a little farther, and when her mood doesn’t change, I shift uncomfortably in my seat. I have to make this right.
“I’m sorry if I’ve made things uncomfortable between us. Last night, I mean.”
Confusion lines her brow. “I really enjoyed last night.”
I’m probably too happy to hear that. I look back at the road, but when I glance at her again, she still seems worried. “Is something else bothering you?”
Her lips press together before she answers. “I was just thinking about what Bull said about my family and your job. I hope you don’t think he’s right. I’m not here to undermine you or get you fired.”
She looks up at me again, and her green eyes are so open, my stomach tightens.
Still, I won’t lie to her.
“I’ve had my issues with Edna, and I’m sure you know your mother and I don’t see eye to eye.” She nods slowly, and I continue. “But I’m not worried about my position or anything Bull Jones said. I meant what I said last night. I think you’re doing a good job, and you deserve to be judged on your own merit.”
The smallest hint of a smile touches her lips. “That means a lot to me.”
We’re back at the courthouse, and I pull into my reserved space. “That being said, we need to keep our eye on those boys.”
She smiles, wrinkling her nose in that way I’m starting to find irresistible. “They are pretty suspicious.”
Edward hops out of the back, and we walk to the large, white-brick building. When we reach the door, she pauses. “Except for Raif. I think he’s trying.”
My gut doesn’t agree. “I think when push comes to shove, he’ll be loyal to his family. His kind always is.”
Her smile melts a little, but she doesn’t argue. She pats Edward’s head. “I’ll take him home and try talking to my mom again. If I find out anything, I’ll let you know.”
I hesitate, watching her go. Her usual lightness hasn’t fully returned, but at least we cleared the air.
* * *
“Where dowe stand on this vandalism?” Edna sits at her desk across from me, and we’re having our biweekly check-in, which has turned into a weekly check-in since the incidents started.
“Britt turned up some pretty good evidence, so we have a solid lead.” Her eyebrows rise, and I’m ready to go on the record. “She’s a good addition to the team. You were right.”
A smile breaks across Edna’s face. “That wasn’t so hard, was it?”
“Don’t push it.”
She leans back in her chair still grinning. “My granddaughter has always made us proud. She’s smart as a whip… if a bit more of a perfectionist than I’d like.”
