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"You're a shit liar, baby sister," Connor says. "You on the rag again or somethin'?"
"Jesus, Connor," I say, rolling my eyes. "I know it's hard for your pea brain to comprehend this but try to keep up for once, okay? Not every emotion a woman has is tied to her menstrual cycle."
"Watch your smart mouth," he growls.
I roll my eyes at him again. I'm not afraid of him. He may be gruff and crude and a million other things, but he's never raised a hand against me. Honestly, he treats me like I'm untouchable most of the time. He's annoyingly overprotective. It drives me crazy.
I can go anywhere I want in this town and do anything I want in this town. No one really bothers me because they're afraid of him. The only problem is that there is nothing to do here. Every dream I have involves getting out of Copper Creek. And that's the one thing he won't let me do. He wants me right where I am so he can keep an eye on me. He says it's for my safety.
In his eyes, I'm sure it is. But I feel like I'm living in a prison.
"I'll watch my mouth if you stop being misogynistic."
"There you go with that shit again," he mutters, taking a drink of his beer.
"If the shoe fits," I say, batting my lashes at him.
"I love women," he protests.
I hesitate for a long moment, my stomach churning. "Is that why you ordered the Vipers to attack one a few months ago?" I finally ask, my voice soft.
He pauses with his beer halfway to his mouth. "Who the fuck told you that?"
"Were they lying?"
"Who told you, Catriona?"
My heart sinks all the way into my soles. Andreas wasn't lying. They really did attack an innocent woman, and Connor knew it. He was involved. Anger and disappointment swell in my chest, tears stinging my eyes.
"Connor," I whisper.
"Don't say my name like that," he says, setting his beer down on the table. He avoids my gaze, his jaw clenched. "This doesn't concern you, Catriona. Tell me who told you so I can handle the problem."
"You guys attacked an innocent woman and all you have to say for yourself is that it doesn't concern me?" I gape at him. "Are you freaking kidding me right now? God, Connor, listen to yourself! What is wrong with you?"
"Nothing," he snaps. "There's nothing wrong with me."
"There is if you think any of this is okay," I snap right back at him, jumping to my feet. "Good grief. Whathappenedto you? You aren't even someone I recognize anymore. You definitely aren't someone mom or dad would recognize."
Connor flinches. "Don't even go there."
"It's true," I yell.
He lurches to his feet, knocking his beer over in the process. His face is a thundercloud, his green eyes full of anger and pain. A tiny part of me feels badly for hurting him. The rest of me is too damn mad to feel guilty about it. He needs to hear the truth. He's strayed so far off the path, he's fifty miles into the forest at this point.
"What happens when it catches up with you, Connor?" I ask, trying not to yell this time. "What happens when you guys go too far and kill someone? Because that's where this road leads. The further you drift, the closer you get to the day you take someone's life. Is that really what you want?"
"I'm not a fucking murderer," he says.
"And a few months ago, you didn't attack innocent women either," I say quietly. "A few months before that, you didn't traffic drugs. Two years ago, your pawnshop wasn't filled with stolen property. Five years ago, you didn't doanyof this."
"You don't know what you're talkin' about," he says.
"Yes, I do!" I cry. "They're turning you into someone else. You're a freaking criminal, Connor. You steal and sell drugs and beat people up. Now, you beat up innocent women too." I shake my head, tears of frustration burning at my eyes. "It has to stop."
"I've got shit to do," he mutters, grabbing his hat off the table. "I'm out of here."
I sigh in frustration, but don't try to stop him when he heads for the door. He's not going to listen to me. I think Andreas was right. Connor is in serious trouble. And I don't think I can save him this time. I don't think hewantsto be saved.
