That announcement dropped like a bomb in the quiet room.
“I need to call Trance. And we need to get Sam in here,” Michael announced.
Trance was a police officer for Benton, Louisiana. And Sam was an ex-Army Ranger who lived in Kilgore with the rest of us. He was a badass, as was Trance. I couldn’t figure out why they needed to be here, though.
“How about you tell us how they’re killing our women, and then we’ll go from there?” Downy asked shortly, curling Memphis into his body.
I sighed and took a seat.
I was sort of interested in hearing what Michael had to say.
I’d gotten bits and pieces, but I still wasn’t fully up to par with what Michael knew.
And apparently, the boys in front of me weren’t either.
Which pissed them off.
Greatly.
Michael started talking, and by the time he was done, not just Downy was fuming.
They all were.
“What the fuck, man? My woman works there!” Downy roared.
I reeled back.
Downy was normally such a good natured man that it was a complete and utter surprise to see him get so worked up.
It shouldn’t have surprised me, though.
Memphis was Downy’s world.
Anything that put her into danger would be a bad thing in his book.
Downy shook his head. “We’re not even sure that’s where the threat is coming from. We only know that there is one. And that the connection is the women. I didn’t know until today, though, that that was where Memphis worked.”
Downy calmed down slightly, taking a deep breath before he said, “Fuck me.”
“Not now, darling. We’ll get to that later. After you rub my feet and brush my hair like the princess that I am,” Memphis said soothingly, rubbing Downy’s belly like she was coaxing a big beast into sleep.
I snorted out a laugh, then turned in my chair to face my brother.
He’d been awfully quiet, his face a mask of shadows as he studied the wall behind Michael’s head.
Then my eyes narrowed on the awful, heartless man and my mouth opened so I could roar at him in outrage.
“You didn’t tell me!” I yelled loudly. “Why wouldn’t she tell me? I’m her best friend, and you’re my favorite brother!”
Nico didn’t even flinch as he turned his eyes to me.
“It’s been rough. She wasn’t sure she was pregnant at first,” he said simply, shrugging in indifference. “Still not sure.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “I can’t believe you wouldn’t tell me. I tell you everything!”
He gave me a droll look.
“You tell me nothing,” he retorted.
“I tell you what you need to know! You’re delicate!” I countered.
He laughed, which was what I’d been trying to accomplish.
Turning back to the room at large, I realized my mistake.
These men didn’t find me and my mouth as funny as my brother did, and I could tell by the looks of annoyance on a few of their faces.
I closed my mouth and inadvertently scooted closer to Nico, because mean, lying, betraying brother or not, he’d always have my back.
Which he proved in the next moment by wrapping his arm around my shoulder and kissing the top of my head.
Have I mentioned I love the hell out of my brother?
“Alright, well how many of you have used this particular doctor’s office?” Luke asked, pinching the brow of his nose.
“All of them,” I muttered under my breath. “It’s the only one in Kilgore.”
Silence.
I closed my eyes when I realized the silence was back and they were all staring at me.
Shit!
I pulled out my phone and kept my eyes glued to it, leaning my head against Nico’s shoulder as I listened to them talk, trying my hardest not to butt in where I wasn’t wanted.
A text from my sister, Noel, came in while I was in my latest level of Candy Crush.
Noel: I got a really weird call from your mother.
Me: She’s your mother unless it was something awesome. Then she’s my mother.
Noel: She wants to know why you aren’t paying your doctor’s bills.
My brows furrowed.
Nico’s phone buzzed, and I looked over at him to see his eyes furrow.