“From now on, to me you’ll just be the vaguely racist, misogynistic, hard of hearing uncle everyone avoids engaging with at Thanksgiving.”
“And you are nothing more than Naomi and Lina’s annoying invisible friend I pretend to acknowledge when they insist on setting a place at the table for you,” I said.
Sloane stepped away from the railing and held out her hand. “Deal?”
I covered her hand with mine. It was so small, and delicate in my grip. “Deal.”
It would be so easy to break something so fragile. It had been so easy to break. I hated that we both had that knowledge.
Snap.
Her red lips curved wickedly as we shook. “I’d say it was nice knowing you, but we both know that’s a lie.”
I dropped her hand and turned my back on her, willing her and the sound that haunted me to disappear.
I waited until I heard the door open and close, leaving me alone in the dark on the deck, before I took a long drag on my cigarette.
14
Red Flags
Sloane
Did you at least hide the body, Sloaney?” Nash asked when I entered the kitchen. He was rubbing Lina’s shoulders while she topped off glasses of wine.
“He’s still breathing. I see you two made up,” I said to Knox, who had Naomi caged between the counter and his chest. His hands were tucked into the back pockets of her jeans, an expression of wolfish anticipation on his handsome face.
“I’m impossible to stay mad at,” Knox said.
“All it takes is for him to load the dishwasher the right way and I’m a puddle of forgiveness,” Naomi said. Her engagement ring and wedding band winked in the light.
“Do you two have a minute to talk about something?” I asked Naomi and Lina.
Both women extracted themselves from their men and followed me into the living room on the other side of the kitchen.
“I don’t like the sound of this,” Knox grumbled as we left.
“They’re absolutely going to eavesdrop on us,” Lina warned, dropping into a chair and swinging her legs over the arm.
Naomi perched on the couch and patted the cushion next to her. “Is this about the mercurial pain in your ass?”
Lina choked on her wine.
I shook my head. “We’ve called a truce, and no, before you ask, I don’t wish to discuss the terms of said truce.” I heard the back door open and close, followed by the low rumble of male conversation. “This is about what we were talking about regarding legal aid. I wanted to run something by you two.”
I gave them the bare bones of the Mary Louise case.
“I think Allen did something stupid or got caught up in the wrong crowd and his mom protected him. And no one deserves twenty years for protecting their kid. Obviously, I wouldn’t just go and commit your money to anything without discussing it with you first. It might not be the right fit for what we want to do, but I’d at least like to go talk to her and get some more details about her case and her sentencing.” I took a breath and scrubbed my hands over my knees. “So what do you think?”
“I think this is an amazing idea and your dad would be so proud,” Naomi said, squeezing my hand.
“Agreed,” Lina said.
“It could cost a lot. Like more than we have. There wouldn’t be anything leftover for anyone else,” I warned.
“It’s a woman’s life,” Naomi said. “Of course it’s worth it.”
“If you’re sure, then I’d like to meet with her and hear her side of the story if she’s willing to share it.”
“Where is she incarcerated? I’ll go with you,” Lina volunteered.
“Me too,” Naomi agreed. “I’d like to meet her.”
“The fuck you three are.” Knox stomped into the room followed by Nash. Lucian lingered in the doorway.
“Now, Viking—” Naomi began.
“Don’t you, ‘now, Viking’ me, Daze,” her husband shot back. “You’re not going to prison, even if it is just to have a chat.”
Nash had his arms crossed over his chest and his gaze locked on Lina. She shook a finger at him. “Don’t you even try the bossy-pants, alpha-male routine, hotshot. I’ve interviewed prisoners before.”
“Oh, I’m not siding with my dumbass brother. But if you’re goin’, I’m goin’, Angel,” Nash said amicably.
“How about I save everyone a whole lot of marital strife? I’ll go by myself and—”
There was a resounding “No!” From everyone. Everyone including Lucian.
A flare of temper winked into existence. “To be fair, none of you have any right to tell me what I can and can’t do. I understand the intricacies of relationships, and you all can deal with that yourselves. But I don’t owe that consideration to any of you.”
“You’re not going,” Lucian said as if he had any right whatsoever to make such a decree.
“Can I speak to you outside?” I said through clenched teeth.
“I’ll go with you,” Nash interrupted.
“Well, if you two are going, I’m definitely going,” Lina argued.
“Ahem! This is our money for our initiative,” Naomi reminded the men. “Ergo, we are the ones who get to make the decisions.”
Knox held up a finger like he was about to start yelling and then left the room instead.
His booted footsteps echoed through the house as he stomped away and then back again.
He returned with a checkbook and a pen in hand, Waylon and Piper dancing at his heels.
Knox scrawled ink violently across a check, then ripped it free. “Here. Now I get a say, and you’re not going.”
“You can’t just throw money at everything, Knox,” Naomi pointed out, getting to her feet. “This woman deserves a real second chance.”
“She probably does,” Knox agreed aggressively.
I held up a finger. “Wait. I’m confused.”
“No one’s arguin’ that this isn’t a good cause. But I don’t want to deal with the fallout of you three going in there and getting your hearts broken over some sad story about how life ain’t fair.”
Knox Morgan couldn’t stand tears and brokenhearted females. They were his kryptonite.
“You don’t want us to try to do something good because you’ll be inconvenienced by our feelings?” Naomi looked as if she’d forgotten all about Knox’s dishwasher-loading prowess.
“That’s not what I said, Daze.”
“Actually,” Lina interjected, “it kind of is.”
“Not helping, Solavita,” Knox said under his breath.
“Don’t take a tone with her, or I’ll kick your ass and then arrest it,” Nash warned his brother.
I stood up on the ottoman and whistled. “Everyone shut up!”
They all shut their mouths and looked at me.
“Obviously, this is a hot-button issue. Let me do a little more research, and then we can discuss this like rational adults.”
There was a grumbling chorus of “fines” and “okays.”
“Hey, what do you guys like to take for cramps?” Lina asked me suddenly.
Knox and Lucian vanished from the room like someone had just suggested we form a trust circle.
Nash ran his hands over Lina’s hips. “You okay, Angel?”
She winked at him. “Yeah. I just wanted to get the testosterone out of here so I can interrogate Sloane about her dating app.”
“On that note, I’m out.” But he didn’t leave before planting a steamy kiss on his fiancée.
“Wow,” I said, fanning myself.
“Yeah. Wow,” Lina said dreamily as we all watched Nash leave. He really did have a butt that didn’t quit.
The haze disappeared when Nash’s ass did. I flopped back down on the couch. Waylon the basset hound hurled himself into my lap, pinning me to the cushion. He let out a snorty sigh as I played with his silky ears.
“So how’s the app going? How many men are you talking to? Any dates lined up?” Lina asked.
“I think I might not have completed the profile correctly. I haven’t matched with anyone. No messages, no matches, no unsolicited dick pics.”
“You must have just missed a step in the setup process,” Naomi said loyally.
“Lemme see,” Lina said.
I opened the app and tossed my phone to her.
Lina’s eyebrows arched. “I’m sorry. Are you trying not to get laid?” she asked.