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“You know what,brother, I used to think you were looking out for me when you all but pushed me out to go to school. But now I'm not so sure. Seems like maybe you just didn't want me here. Like I wasn't worthy of the patch.”
“Are you serious right now?” Silas says, voice brimming with that deadly combination of anger and disbelief. It's a special blend reserved for family. “I pushed you to go to college because you've got a God-given talent that shouldn't be wasted in a no-name town in the middle of nowhere.” Silas throws his arm out wide, toward the window. “And you're never going to fucking forgive me for it. For wanting the best for my little brother, are you?”
“Is that what I am to you, Silas? A little brother?”
There's an air of seriousness surrounding Nova that I'm more accustomed to seeing on Silas. It has the hair on the back of my neck standing up. I clear my throat and wade in like I've done a million times before. And I'll probably do it another million times before I die or they finally get their shit together and appreciate the fact that they even have one another.
“Let's table this, yeah? We have other things to discuss and a waiting audience.” I flick a pointed glance toward the ceiling.
Nova shrugs and lifts both hands, palms out like he can't be bothered. “Fine by me. I've said all I needed to about it. If Silas has more secrets to spill, he knows where to find me.”
“Yeah, down the fucking hallway,” Silas grunts.
These assholes never learn, do they? I stretch my neck from the left to the right and will the universe to give me strength to be patient with them.
I sigh. “Good because we don't have time for your brotherly squabbles right now. We've got a plate full of shit to deal with and the longer it takes us to get a lead, the less prepared we'll be for next time.”
“So there will be a next time then? That's our leading theory?” Nova asks, shifting his focus to me.
I dip my chin. “Better to keep us prepared and expect the worst, yeah? If nothing happens, then we can chalk this up to a refresher. The boys could definitely use it.”
“We can't move forward with any assumptions until we talk to Evangeline,” Silas says, his tone low. “She's the only one who can give us the details.”
“Did Evangeline's grandma have a safe full of diamonds in the living room no one knew about?” I ask even though I already know the answer. I heard a low creak, and I know she'll be climbing down the stairs any second.
“Not in the living room, no,” Evangeline says from the top stair. “What's going on? Did you catch the people who broke in?”
“Morning, Evangeline,” I greet her.
She smiles at me, the apples of her cheeks growing pink. And then I feel like some barbaric caveman one step away from tossing her over my shoulder and hiding her away from everyone.
That's a new one.
So yeah, I guess I get why Nova did exactly that when he walked in and she smiled at him.
I don't hate the feeling, but I don't love it either. And I'm not sure how I feel about letting someone have that much power over me.
“Morning,” she replies, heading toward the table.
I take it as my cue and push off the island, snagging her drink and the pastry bag from the counter. I place them both on the table and take a seat.
“Oh, thank you so much,” she says, reaching for the coffee immediately. I watch as she scans the label, her pouty pink lips curving into a grin. “You really did remember.”
“I told you I did,” I murmur, letting my gaze trail over her face. My attention snags on the shadowed bruise along her cheekbone. “You feeling okay?”
She looks at me, her expression melting into something so sweet it makes my gut ache. “Yeah, I'll be fine. Thanks again for letting me stay here last night. And giving me your bed.”
“Anytime, Evangeline.”All the time. Every day. Preferably with me in the bed next time.
“Tell us what happened,” Silas says, taking a seat across from Evangeline at the other head of the table.
“Don't leave any detail out, no matter how small or silly. It all helps paint the picture for us,” I tell her.
She takes a deep breath and nods. She looks around the table at each of us before she begins. I disconnect my feelings about her from the words she's saying, telling myself that it's some fucked-up story and not the events of last night.
Fuck how was that only last night?
Her voice wavers when she tells us about one of them holding a gun to her head. How they didn't seem to be looking for any specific thing but expected a big pay day.
