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Too late, I hear someone call out my name in warning. Deacon is too far away, though, to stop what is going to happen next.
I grab the wrist that is currently digging into my shoulder and twist it so hard an audible popping sound fills the air. “You made a mistake, Leroy.” He drops to the ground, the pressure I applied to his wrist too much for him to keep standing.
Normally, I’d just drop his hand and walk away. I hate being touched. Literally, every person in my life knows it. My brother has told the members of his club not to touch me.
“You laid your hands on me.”
Leroy’s eyes dart in the direction that Deacon had been standing with Karen. Clearly, he isn’t concerned with me, but with what Deacon will do to him for touching me.
“Not only that, Leroy. My brother isn’t the one you should be afraid of. I am.” I lean down into his face, noting that he might actually be attractive if his eyes weren’t filling up with unshed tears. “You shouldn’t ever touch a woman without her permission.”
I drop his wrist and turn away, ready to lay into my brother for bringing that hussy to his son’s birthday party.
Unfortunately, the brick wall I ran into wasn’t wearing a leather jacket. He is wearing a badge and the handcuffs in his hands aren’t fuzzy or fake-looking in the slightest. When I look up into a pair of the most intense eyes I’ve ever seen, I almost pass out.
I open my mouth, ready to apologize to the god of a man standing in front of me, but that’s not what comes out.
“The vodka made me do it.”
2
CARTER
For the second time in five minutes, I am ready to murder the officer standing at my side as I shoo away another kid who asks about playing with my weapon.
“I’m going to murder you. And bury your body in the woods. And no one is going to miss you either.” I mean it, too. We are standing in a crowded camp driveway, but I think I can take him. Even if he has been in the military while I’ve been playing football in college.
“Just give the kid your gun like he wants,” Remy snorts, stepping around a little girl who is trying to get his attention. “I’ll videotape it and we’ll be internet famous for about thirty seconds until we’re both fired. Better yet, we can say it was Keegan’s fault. No one would know the difference between the two of you.”
Jeremy Townsend, better known as Remy, is my training officer at the Birch Police Department. For another two hours, at least. Once this shift ends, I will no longer be on my two-week probationary period.
“Suck a dick, Remy,” I bite out with a grimace, and expertly distract the child that won’t leave me alone by pointing toward the cake and treats in the distance.
“Miss California and your cushy job as a detective out west where everyone knows you used to be in the NFL, Matthews?” He elbows me and walks further into the crowd, looking for the reason we’ve driven out to the border of our patrol area. “Just give me a minute. Once I make sure Parker’s all right, we can go.”
I roll my eyes heavenward and try to get a grip on my annoyance. Even being back in Birch County for the last month, I still don’t understand the ins and outs of Remy’s relationship with Parker Hayes.
“It’s weird, right?” a redhead says next to me.
There is no stopping the huge smile that overtakes my face. “Kennedy?”
She leans into my shoulder, keeping her eyes locked on a kid in the crowd.
“If it isn’t Carter Matthews, football star and all-around golden boy. I didn’t know you were back in town. I’m gonna have to murder Remy for that one.”
I laugh, unable to help it. Then I scratch my chin and give her my undivided attention. “I just told your brother the exact same thing. You’ve grown up, Kenny.”
She shoots daggers in my direction before turning back to the child in the distance. With the cup in her hand she motions to him. “Have you met Parker and Danny’s son? She named him Nox.” Kennedy snorts. “Bitch stole the name I wanted for my first kid.”
“I haven’t, yet. Remy wanted to check on her for some unknown reason.”
Kennedy rolls her eyes and finishes her drink before turning away from the crowd of children. “He’s stalking her. Man won’t even talk to her at all. It’s pathetic.”
Chuckling because there isn’t any other response to that, I agree with her. “He’ll get over himself eventually.”
I watch Remy move through the crowd; he is doing a damn good job of staying off Parker’s radar. At least, in my opinion. The small brunette woman I’d watched break his heart in high school is staring at a little boy that looks exactly like his father had.
“Shit.” I groan. “It’s like looking at a carbon copy of Danny and Lincoln.”
