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I waved him off, pulling out my cell. “I’m not worried about that; Silas will make sure no one steps foot in Rose Ridge that day.”
Brooks glanced quickly at Killian, raising his brow before settling his curious gaze on me again.
These fuckers all looked to him as the second, it should have been him. I had no fucking clue what I was doing wearing the patch of president. It wasn’t something I ever wanted, and while the men liked me just fine, they didn’t respect me the way they did Killian.
“I’m trying to draw someone out, see if I can pull on a loose thread.” I explained, trying to help them without forcing them to ask it. Questioning the president wasn’t admired in clubs like ours.
Silas agreed to meet with me, so I waved everyone off. “Try not to die out there, keep Killian appraised of what you’re doing.”
Everyone filed out of the room except Killian, which is how every meeting ended. Even if he wasn’t wearing the patch of president right now, he was still my second in command, and my best friend.
“Laura,” Killian muttered, inspecting his nail, digging at some grease on the tip of it.
“What?”
His green eyes landed on me, and like so many of his expressions, it made me uneasy. Killian had this way about him that reminded me of a wolf. In fact, he wore a wolf patch on his cut, like I had the small fox for Callie. Simon was always calling Killian “the wolf.” His gaze on me reminded me of his moniker, forcing my spine to stiffen.
“You keep saying, ‘the friend, the girls,’ I even heard you call herthe blonde one,once. Her name is Laura.”
He had never once corrected me on someone’s name. Not ever. Not when I called Natty, the kitchen hand, Nadine, for three months. Not when I called Giles, Garth. Not when I called the mailman Gene when his name was Jason. Killian had been there, hearing me say all these names wrong, because I’m shit with names, but he had never once said a word.
I let out a frustrated groan while sagging back into my chair.
“Kill, you can’t fucking fall for her. Please promise me. It will only complicate shit.”
He smirked, shaking his head.
“First of all, I’m not fuckin’ falling for anyone, but complicate shit for who?” He leaned back, dragging that nail across his shirt.
I glared at my friend, squinting just to see if I could see his facade crack.
Killian remained casual, focusing on his nail.
“They’re going back. I’m only keeping her long enough to ensure she won’t sell, once she does, which she will, she’ll pack those bags, Laura too. Then they’ll take that horse and drive back to DC. She was never going to stay here.”
My mind flung the image of her in my tattoo shop back at me. She’d seemed eager, excited almost, at the prospect of working there. She was about to accept an application for the seat before I had walked in.
Killian rolled his eyes then let out a sigh.
“You’re in quite the mood since she got back, and honestly, I thought maybe it was good because you’ve been a shell since she left. But this…this depressed, glass half full bullshit is ten times worse.”
He was right, and I hated that he was. But what was I supposed to do, just turn off my feelings for her? Forget. Move on…
Fuck. Yeah maybe it was time I did. It would do some irrevocable shit to me to see her go, but there was no question in my mind at all that she would. She didn’t want this life, and regardless of how temporary it might be for me, she’d never stick around long enough to find out that I had made my own plans.
“Tell you what. Once I’m done, I’ll go on a date that I set up, not Red or Brooks, and I’ll actually give the girl a shot.”
Killian watched me with a careful tension, as though he was waiting for me to break. There was no doubt that I would break; it was just a matter of time now.
“I have to go meet Silas.” I stood from my chair and took two long steps toward the door, but right before I pulled on the handle I paused.
“I’ll stay with her until you get back,” Killian said softly.
With my back to him, I let out a small sigh of relief and exited the room.
SIXTEEN
WES
