AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I need to take my own advice. I have to rest. Take a break. And I’m going to take mine with Ryker.
CHAPTER6
Ryker
I needed Bennett to tell me what had gone wrong and how he lost TJ. I’d given him a chance to tell me last night when I got back from my meeting with Reesa. We ate dinner together, talked about what I was doing with Reesa, and then he made some excuse and rushed off.
That worked last night, but this morning, I was going to get some answers from him. If he refused, then I was going to ask Reesa. Meri told me what she knew. If she’d known more, I believe she’d have told me.
Instead of wondering when I would see Bennett, I opted to show up at his door. I knocked on the door and he opened it. As usual, he was on the phone but invited me inside. He pointed to the coffee craft, and I walked over and poured myself one.
“Let me know if you need me to join you there,” Bennett said to the person on the phone. A moment later, he ended the call and walked over to me. “I wasn’t expecting to see you this early. Is everything okay? Is your head hurting?”
“My head is fine. I will get my stitches out tomorrow. Which reminds me, I need to borrow a vehicle to go to the hospital.”
“I can bring you,” he replied.
“It’s not far. I know the way. You seem to have your hands full at the moment anyway. Want to tell me about it?” I asked.
“Not really,” he said.
“Want to tell me what happened to TJ?” I prodded.
“How do you know about TJ?” he questioned. Bennett didn’t look pleased one bit. But I wasn’t giving up.
“I don’t ask questions. Just do a lot of listening. And I’m listening now. What happened?” I asked again.
He poured himself a cup of coffee, then walked over to the couch and sat down. “We were searching for someone.”
“Is that someone the same person you seem to be looking for now?” I guessed. He nodded. “And he’s the one who killed TJ?”
“Yes. I wish they would've waited for me. But Draven and TJ insisted on acting before he got away,” he stated.
I could see that their decision not to wait still bothered Bennett. Did he not trust them to do this without him, or was it survivors' guilt because TJ worked for him, and he couldn’t save him? There was only one way to find out which it was. Keep listening.
“None of us suspected that he would have booby-trapped the road leading to him. Draven said he recalled seeing him standing there, looking directly at them as they approached. That asshole knew what was about to happen and wanted to watch them die.”
I could see his fist clench and his eyes darken as he spoke. The utter hatred he had for that guy was more than I’d ever seen in him. Not sure he wanted to bring him to justice or to kill the bastard. But I had my answer. Bennett hated the fact he wasn’t there to protect TJ and Draven. And I didn’t think he would be able to move forward from this until the guy paid for what he’d done.
“I’m sorry. Why didn’t you tell us?” I asked. “I mean, we’re your brothers. Whether you know it or not, we’re here for you. We might not have chosen the same path as you, but we’re still family.”We would still listen.
“There was nothing to tell. The guy got away and we have been searching for him ever since. Whenever we think we have a valid lead, it ends up being nothing,” he stated.
“And this time?”
He rubbed his forehead in frustration. “I don’t fucking know. It makes no sense, but we were told he was on his way back to Tabiq.”
“He’s coming here?” That surprised me. Why come back to the place where you’re wanted for murder? Didn’t sound wise to me. Then again, I’m not a cold fucking murderer.
He nodded. “I think so. Just don’t know why. He had no family, and we couldn’t find any friends. Don’t worry. You are safe as long as you don’t leave the resort.”
I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. “I’m not worried about myself.”
“I am. You’re not going anywhere without me. You’re lucky I left you with Reesa yesterday.”
“And I made it back here safe and sound. But I’m capable of taking care of myself,” I reminded him.
“TJ had served in the Marines with me for eight years. He’s dead,” he snapped.
