“You can have your life! I never wanted it. Everything I’ve done, I’ve done for him. Don’t think you’re the only one who’s suffered, Nash.”
We stare each other down. We’re at an impasse. I’d never admit it, but now I can see why he’d be angry. We’ve both suffered, both paid for mistakes that weren’t ours. But maybe the end is in sight. Maybe it’s finally time to be free of the past. Finally.
“I know you boys have a lot to talk about, but it has to wait. We’ve only got a few hours to get a plan together. What do you say we put the bullshit aside and get down to business?”
I look to Gavin. His expression hasn’t changed from the pleasant one that he always wears. Sometimes it’s hard to believe he’s deadly. But he is. He just hides it well. That probably makes him even more dangerous.
“You’re right. We don’t have time for this.” I glance at the clock on the wall. “It’ll be time to close soon. I’ll have to bring Olivia back and fill her in on some of what’s going on.”
“Do you think that’s really the smart thing to do?” Nash snaps.
“Yes, as a matter of fact I do. She needs to know. She has a right to know. Her life is in danger because of me. Because of us. Hell yeah, I think it’s the smart thing. The more cooperative she is, the better.”
Nash rolls his eyes and shakes his head. Obviously he disagrees. But, again, I couldn’t care less. He doesn’t have to agree with me; he just has to give me what I need to make sure Olivia’s safe. Permanently. Then I don’t give a rat’s ass what he does.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN- Olivia
Strange huge men keep disappearing into Cash’s office, so when the bar closes, I’m a little nervous about going back there. But I go. I don’t really have much of a choice. I’m in way over my head.
As I reach beneath the bar and grab my purse, I hear the door to the office open. A sliver of light pours out onto the floor and I hear voices. Low, deep voices. My stomach curls into a tight knot.
The door opens further and Cash’s big body blocks most of the light. His eyes lock onto mine immediately. “Are you done?”
I nod.
He turns back and speaks to someone behind him then emerges to walk across the room and lock the front doors. I watch him, afraid to move. Without my work and all the customers in the bar, the tension is sliceable.
How did I get myself into this mess?
Before I can formulate some kind of answer, Cash is walking toward me, his face hard and intense. “Let’s go back to my office. There are some things I need to tell you.”
My pulse picks up and dread runs through my veins like ice water. Cash meets me at the cut-out at the end of the bar. When I step out in front of him, he puts his hand at the small of my back and guides me to his office. I can feel the warmth of his palm through my shirt and it comforts me.
I ease through the door to find Gavin in Cash’s chair behind the desk and the tall stranger with the pony tail sitting in the chair across from him, his back to me. Gavin looks up and smiles.
“There she is.”
I smile in return, although I’m sure it’s tight. My face feels like it might crack from the tension. In just a few short hours, Cash will be going to get Marissa. Who knows what will happen then?
Acid sloshes in my belly and saliva pours into my mouth. I close my eyes and take a slow, deep breath.
When I open them, the stranger is standing to his feet. He turns toward me, leaning back against the desk and crossing his arms over his wide chest. He’s taken his glasses off. And it makes all the difference in the world.
My heart skips a beat as I look into the familiar black-brown of Cash’s eyes. Only they’re not on Cash. Not exactly.
Cash steps around in front of me to stand beside the stranger. As I look from one to the other, I don’t need to ask who the stranger is, but I do need someone to explain to me how he’s here, how he’s standing in front of me when he’s supposed to be dead.
Sweet hell! This is even worse than I thought!
“Nash,” I say quietly, trying to sound calm when I feel anything but.
He smiles, a gesture that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “Very good.” He looks to Cash. “At least this one has a brain.”
I don’t know what that’s supposed to mean, but I can’t worry about it right now. I just want to find out what’s going on, what’s expected of me and how we can all get safely out of this crazy and surprisingly dangerous dilemma. Everything else will just have to wait.
“You look pretty good for a dead guy.”
“My brother’s done a great job of keeping me alive, don’t you think?”