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There’s that tingling sensation again, chills running down my spine as an unseen presence looms somewhere nearby. The evening falls in shades of blue and purple across the sky, stars shyly twinkling as they emerge into the growing night. There are people around—neighbors walking their dogs, a couple of joggers darting down the street, the next-door kids riding their bikes—yet it doesn’t feel safe. I’m definitely being watched.
I look around, over and over again. I make eye contact with passersby, but none rattle me as much as the unseen presence insists on rattling me. Tension gathers between my shoulder blades as I clutch my phone and keys tightly, the keychain jingling as I make my way up the front steps of the house. The sooner I get inside, the better I will feel.
“Avery.”
A woman’s voice startles me, prompting me to stop and spin on my heels as she approaches. I don’t even recognize her at first, but then it dawns on me. The red hair, the bold blue eyes, the crimson lipstick, the tall and thin physique. “Charlene,” I breathe, my heart skipping a beat. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m so sorry,” she says, her shoulders dropping underneath her brown leather coat. Only then do I see the gift basket she’s holding filled with French tarts, a bottle of French wine, and a selection of hors d’oeuvres in fancy packaging. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“It’s okay. I just wasn’t expecting you.”
“I know, and it doesn’t help that I came out of nowhere,” Charlene laughs nervously. “My car is parked down the street. I wasn’t sure you even wanted to see me.”
“Why wouldn’t I want to see you?”
She shrugs and hands me the basket. “Please, accept this token of my gratitude and appreciation, Avery. You deserve it and much, much more.”
“Oh, Charlene, you shouldn’t have,” I reply, my cheeks flushed as I take the gift basket and set it on the porch. “What’s going on?”
Charlene comes closer, a shy smile resting on her pretty face. My stomach tightens in her presence, which is something that has never happened before. But ever since Kellan’s incident, I’ve had an increasingly harder time trusting people—especially her—whom my men have already and persistently labeled as potentially dangerous. I can only roll with the punches and be cautious.
“Avery, I think we got off on the wrong foot,” Charlene says. “Or, on a foot neither of us knew was there. Thing is, I didn’t know who you were when I approached you for the remodeling project. And my business with Kellan, Fallon, and Luke ended years ago in every sense. I need you to understand that. I would never do anything to cause you or the guys any sort of trouble or discomfort.”
“Thank you for saying that” I reply, my gaze never leaving hers.
“I also needed to clarify something. Yes, I have a criminal record. And yes, I served time in prison, but I promise none of my wrongdoings were of a violent nature,” she says, frowning slightly. “I had nothing to do with what happened to Kellan. I didn’t have any reason to do such a horrendous thing in the first place. I know they suspect me, but I can’t live another day like this. Another day with you thinking the worst about me.”
“Charlene, I don’t think anybody suspects you, per se,” I try to appease her. “I think it’s more about looking at everybody with a criminal record who might have a bone to pick with Kellan. In your case, he did help put you away.”
“That he most certainly did. I had it coming, though. Avery, I was out of control. Selfish, unkind, greedy, ruthless. I got in with the wrong people, and I did terrible things just to fill my bank accounts with money I didn’t even need,” she says, lowering hergaze. I’m sure it’s genuine shame that I see in her eyes, and I can’t ignore the tinge of sorrow currently staining my soul, either. I feel for Charlene, for the reformed criminal who seems sincere in her regrets. How painful it must be to see yourself in the mirror and realize how many people you’ve hurt with your actions, with your selfishness. “I did wrong, Avery. And I didn’t care who got in the way until I met Kellan and his brother. Luke, too. They must’ve told you awful things about me.”
“Nothing that can’t be verified,” I reply bluntly.
“Yes, well, they have other suspicions, too. Things I can’t prove that I didn’t do, things they can’t prove that Idid. But at the end of the day, I need you to understand something, Avery. I’m not a bad person. I’ve done some bad things, yes, but I am trying to do better, to rebuild my life and to make a decent living. My criminal record does not, and should not define me, and I would really like to keep working with you.”
“Toby spoke to me about that. I apologize for not getting back to you yet. There’s just been so much going on and—”
“That’s okay, I get it. What if I sweeten the deal and double what we agreed upon?” Charlene cuts me off. “You’ve got two beautiful little girls to raise, rent to pay, and I know how hard it can be for a single woman to carve her own path through this difficult world.”
“I’ll be honest, Charlene. Despite everything that has happened, you’ve never personally done me wrong. So there really isn’t any reason for me to turn you down,” I say. “I’ve been trying to make a decision while also being respectful of Kellan and the guys’ wishes, of their history with you, and their feelings regarding this entire dynamic. I’ve weighed everything over and over, and I think it’s best if we part ways and move on with our lives. Pleaseknow that my decision is not a reflection of your character or your past, but rather of my needs and my feelings.”
She checks her phone, then slips it back into her coat pocket. A shadow flutters across her face, but then she looks up at me and smiles, eager to conceal whatever must’ve caused her to change her expression. “Avery, I’m going to keep the offer on the table for sixty days. If you decide you want to come back and work on my house, I will double your fee. But in the meantime, please know that I won’t hold this against you, nor will I demand a refund on that advance. I know there was always good faith here. Please at least consider finishing the project.”
“I promise I will,” I say, offering a soft, warm smile.
Charlene nods once before turning and heading back to her car. Oddly enough, as soon as she is gone, I feel like I can truly breathe again. The darkness of the late evening envelops my surroundings, yet I take comfort in it. The pressure I’d felt gathering in the pit of my stomach earlier is starting to slowly dissolve. Perhaps it’s the resolution on the remodeling project and the tone of the conversation that has eased my senses somewhat. Yet I still get a nagging sensation of danger when it comes to her.
I don’t like the feeling, and something tells me I need to continue to be vigilant and careful.
22
Luke
Everyone at Wolfhound Security is on edge, and they have more than enough reason. If the attempt on Kellan’s life seemed like something random and unrelated, the attack on Fallon changed the gameboard altogether. We’re on high alert—we’ve doubled our security detail around the mansion, and I’ve got people watching Avery and the girls, twenty-four-seven. I’ve got eyes on Charlene, too. Toby is a slippery bastard, though, and I’ve yet to pick up his trail. He’s hiding something and I don’t like him.
He's way too good at keeping people off his back. Particularly my people, who are trained to shadow suspects and dig up sensitive information without anyone noticing. Yet they’re having trouble pinning him down, figuring him out. I’ll know everything there is to know about him, eventually. Nobody can elude me forever. Not when there’s so much at stake.
“My boys are telling me that Fallon will be staying late at the shop tonight,” Marcus says as we walk out of the house together. We’ve spent the whole day scouring government databases for more information on Toby and Charlene, as well as whateverdetails we could find about the stash house’s previous owners. There’s got to be a connection somewhere, but we have yet to yield anything useful. “And Kellan is with his deputies, preparing a raid on a suspected gang in Brady,” he adds. “He’s hoping they’ll point him in the right direction once he’s got them cuffed in the interrogation rooms back at his office.”
