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“No. No, you won’t. I said I’ve got shit to do.”
Last thing I need is Maddox on my ass again, feeding me more bullshit about how we need to fill Lev in on the governor situation. Lev doesn’t know my assignment involves Riley. Lev doesn’t know Riley’s a Guardian. Hell, Lev doesn’t even know Riley. We might be best friends, but seven years ago, we learned that some things are better left unsaid when it comes to Lev. The less stress for him, the better off we all are.
“Hey,” Lev calls out as he reaches for the remote control beside him. “Where’re you guys headed?”
I look at Maddox, who’s wondering the same thing, before telling Lev, “To the student center to grab a pizza.”
Lev spreads his legs and narrows his eyes at us, as if he suspects I’m lying. “All right,” he finally says. “Bring me back some. I’m fucking starving.”
Eyes rolling, I pull open the door and try to close it quickly behind me, but it’s halted by Maddox who comes rushing out.
As soon as the door closes, I tear into him. “What the fuck, man?” I grit out. “Told you I had shit to do.”
“He’s gonna find out, man. We gotta tell him.”
“Quit repeating that and just tell me what the fuck this is about. Time is of the essence right now.”
“I got a call this morning from my dad. Some guys have gone missing…” His words break off and I wave my hand through the air, moving this conversation along. “There’ve been two men in the last twenty-four hours who were reported missing. Both were employed at the late governor’s factory. Now, I know damn well the dead governor isn’t behind it.”
I blow out the pent-up air in my lungs and sweep this conversation under the rug. “Boulder Cove isn’t some small town. Shit happens.” I’m walking down the hall toward the staircase when I realize he’s not following. Annoyed, I spin around. Really didn't want him to come with me, but now I’m wondering why he’s suddenly not. “What are you doing?”
“Shit happens? Are you kidding me right now? This whole thing is gonna blow up if more men go missing, especially if it has anything to do with the governor’s death.” He grows still, lips pursed. “You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?”
I could tell him. After all, this is Maddox. I trust the guy with my life. But I won’t drag him into my mess. Especially with his father being such a hard-ass on him all the time. Maddox might feel some sort of obligation, or even try to assist him, just to earn some sort of validation from his old man by bringing him pertinent information. Either way, what I did stays with me—and only me.
I tip my chin, surprise on my face. “You’re serious? You think I’d hurt these men? If they were in any way connected to the governor, I need them alive and well in order to interrogate them for my assignment.”
He lifts a brow, making strong eye contact. He doesn’t have to use words. I know what he’s insinuating.
“Fuck off,” I grumble, “I was just a kid when I beat that bastard with a bat. And he deserved it. You really think I’d kidnap grown-ass men? Or murder them?”
“Never said anything about murder, Ridge.”
“It’s what you’re insinuating, am I correct?”
He shrugs his shoulders and keeps quiet, giving me my answer.
Still not saying anything, he just looks at me, waiting for me to burst at the seams with the truth. We’re at least six feet apart and I don’t close the space between us to finish this conversation. Instead, I say it loud enough for anyone with ears in our vicinity to hear. “People go missing every day.” My hands go up in the air, my way of saying, ‘it is what it is.’ Then they fall and I get back on track to deal with something—or someone, rather—that needs to be dealt with. Maddox believes I could do it because he knows me better than anyone. And he’d be right—I am fully capable.
When I reach the stairs, I steal a quick glance over my shoulder to see if he’s coming. Sure enough, he’s headed my way. I make my way down, taking two steps at a time.
“All I’m saying is, this shit’s gonna get around, and if Riley is connected to these missing cases in any way—”
“Whoa. Whoa. Whoa.” I stop him at the bottom of the staircase. “Riley has nothing to do with this. Don’t you dare drag her name into this shit.”
“Can you really be so sure? Look at the facts. The girl killed our state governor—”
“Would you keep your fucking voice down!” I look over my shoulder, up the stairs, and out the front door. He’s lucky no one is around to hear what he just blurted out.
“Would you stop interrupting me every time I try to say something? Jesus Christ, just hear me out.”
Stepping out the open door, I cup my hands around my mouth to warm them.
We’re walking again, and while I don’t give a shit if he comes with me, I might try to lose his ass if he doesn’t drop this shit.
“Hard to do when I think my best friend is—”
“Drop it, Maddox,” I say sternly. “It’s in your best interest to just let this go.” I hate when my emotions surface like this. Hate it when they take control of my body. Sometimes I think it’d be easier to feel nothing, like Lev, than to feel so strongly about a girl. One that I’ve killed for. I’m a monster. He knows it. I know it. And one day, she’ll probably know it, too. But she’s worth it. I swear to fucking God, she is worth it.
