AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“How is Casper?” Cowboy asked when I returned to the table where we’d previously been.
My eyes scrunched. “She’s fine. Why do you ask?” I’d gotten the impression from Shredder that Winslow didn’t particularly care for Calla. That, coupled with the fact he’d been pretty pissed off the morning he showed up and found Calla in his bed on Canada lake, made me suspicious of his concern.
He shrugged. “Just wondering.” He and Winslow left the table at the same time Buster approached.
“How’s it goin’, Spider?”
“Okay. Listen, Cowboy just asked me if Calla, err, Casper, was okay. There was something cryptic about it.”
Buster motioned with his head at McTiernan, who was seated at a nearby table. “I heard Rile and Decker say he had something for her. Something from Beau.” Buster leaned in closer. “I also heard them say they think it might’ve been an anniversary present. Money must not have given it to her yet.”
It was as though I could feel the combined rush of cortisol and adrenaline flood my body in what could only be described as fear.McTiernan had something for Calla from Beau.I knew, deep in my gut, that whatever it was would make her retrace every step she’d made in my direction.
I stood, paralyzed, as I watched Smoke lead her from the dance floor to the high-top table where McTiernan waited. He pulled out a stool for her, she sat, and he handed her a small wooden box. She looked down at it, fingering the top.
“The wife of another agent who lost his life the night Beau did, found it when she was going through a box of his belongings she forgot she had. It somehow ended up there. I’m sorry, Casper,” I heard him say.
She raised her head but didn’t speak.
“I wish you the best of luck. Whichever team you end up on, they’ll be lucky to have you.”
When he stood to leave, Calla turned toward me. I stood too and took two steps over to her, but stopped when she shook her head and got up from the table. She clutched the wooden box next to her body as she bolted away in the opposite direction. I knew better than to follow.
10
CASPER
Ihad no idea where I was running to, only that I had to run from Spider. The look in his eyes broke my heart, yet what I held in my hands was fromBeau. My beloved husband. The love of my life. I knew whatever this box held was something I couldn’t share withanyone, especially not Spider.
“Come with me,” I heard Maeve say as she raced up and put her arm through mine. “I told myeejitbrother this was a bloody bad idea.”
I let her lead me into the office and sat in the chair she pointed to. “I’m sorry,” I whispered, wiping the tears that ran down my cheeks.
“Oh, no, you’re not. Kellen never should’ve given that to you here, now, in the middle of a fucking Christmas party.”
I froze when there was a knock at the door. God, if Spider had followed me…I just…couldn’t.
“No worries. I’ll get rid of whoever it is. In fact, I can leave as well if you’d rather.”
I set the box on the desk in front of me, afraid I’d drop it with the way my hands trembled. “Can you stay?” I asked in an equally shaky voice.
“Of course.” Maeve approached the door but didn’t open it. “Whoever’s out there, go away.”
“It’s me,” I heard Hammer say. “Is everything okay?”
“No!” Maeve shouted. “Everythin’ is not okay. You go find my brother and kick his bloody ass all the way back to DC.” She rolled her shoulders, smoothed her gown, and faced me. “Sorry. I’m sure that didn’t help at all. I’m just a wee bitangrywith Kellen, if you couldn’t tell.”
“It’s fine,” I said, smiling through my tears. I loved how straightforward and to the point Maeve always was. There was a strange comfort in it.
“That’s from your dead husband,” she said, motioning toward the box with her chin. “Are you gonna open it now, or would you rather I make arrangements for someone to drive us back to the ranch?”
I couldn’t go to the ranch. Not yet. Eventually, Spider would show up there, if he hadn’t left already, and there was no way I could face him. “I can’t.”
“Which, Casper?”
“I can’t go to King-Alexander.”
“What about the Hammered Dubliner? Would you rather go there?”
