I glance at Addy before I look toward the doorway where my friend John will be entering. Addy’s beautiful hazel eyes are wide, and she has no idea how to handle the situation that just happened. It's my fault, which means it's my job to take control and fix this to protect her.
“Hey John, I stopped by because I need to talk to you about something. Addy and I were catching up and talking in the kitchen while we waited for you. Since there are still a few minutes before dinner, can we pop into your office real quick?” I ask, throwing a wink over my shoulder at Addy as I exit the kitchen and meet John in the living room.
“Yeah, you know where it's at. I'll be there in a minute,” he says, removing his jacket and gun belt.
I head to the office, sit down in the leather chair across from his desk, and wait. Moments later, he's in there with me, closing the door behind him.
“So, what's going on?” he asks, pouring both of us a glass of whiskey. Taking it from him, I nod my thanks, taking my first sip before I speak.
“Why is Howler out of jail?” I ask right to the point. John and I don't bullshit each other, as that was never our style.
I'm expecting some epic answer, but what I don't expect is for my friend to look so uncomfortable. He's tense, and the more I look at him, the more I realize that he doesn't look like he's been sleeping. He's lost weight, and also some of his hair. If I had to guess, maybe stress is eating at him.
“John, what's going on? You know you can trust me,” I tell him, trying to get him to open up because suddenly, I'm worried that maybe he's sick and hasn't said anything.
“I didn't know,” he says, and I swear his eyes get glassy.
Never have I seen this man cry, not even at his mother's funeral.
“What didn't you know? Whatever it is, we'll figure it out together,” I tell him, trying to let him know that he's not alone in whatever is going on.
“That's just it. It's too late. When I was up in Whitefish, I went to a friend’s bachelor party. What I didn't realize was that it was hosted by Savage Bones. They had some cards games going on, and I lost a lot of money, more money than I can hope to pay back. Even though I know they cheated, I can't prove it. Not that it would do any good. Been trying to keep them at bay, but they're demanding my loyalty, which is why Howler is out,” he says.
Then it all starts to sink in. The sheriff is not on our side. My best friend is no longer acting in the best interest of Mustang Mountain. My heart sinks and my mind starts racing.
“Okay, well, let me talk to the guys. We will find a way to get you out of this.” I know that the Riders and I can protect him.
“I'm in too deep now, but you need to protect Addy. Get her out of here, get her away from me, and keep her safe. I’m terrified they're going to go after her if they think for one second, I'm not completely on their side,” he says begging me. He’s pleading in such a broken way, in the way only a truly broken man can plead with the last ounce of hope he has.
“Have they threatened her?” I ask. His hesitation tells me I'm not going to like the answer.
“Not directly. Though it might have been indirect, there was no mistaking their threat. You are the only one that I trust with her. Please, please protect her. She can hate me all she wants, but I need her safe. You can hate me too, for that matter.” He says the last part almost under his breath, but I hear every word.
I know he's already made up his mind. He's going to cooperate with the enemy, and he needs his daughter out of the way to do so. While I don't know what I would do in his situation, but the fact that he hasn't come to me for help pisses me off.
Furthermore, that a man of the law is giving in to Savage Bones, knowing what they do, pisses me off. And that he doesn’t trust me to help him makes me even angrier. Right now, it’s taking everything in me not to let it boil over.
“Give me a day to get something set up and make sure that she's okay. Will she be fine until then?” I ask.
He nods. “I'll make sure of it. I'll tell her that I'm working on a dangerous case, which is true. You can tell her however much or little after that you want, or think is best.”
The fucker was going to put it all on me to tell his daughter that he had flipped sides.
“Apologize to her that I'm not able to stay for dinner. Enjoy the last day with her and make your goodbye good. I will protect her from anyone who tries to hurt her. You included,” I tell him as I stand up to leave without so much as a goodbye. I have plans to make because I'm going to make good on my promise to protect her from everyone… except me.
* * *
Addy
I'm just pulling dinner out of the oven when the front door slams shut, and a moment later, my dad joins me in the kitchen with a sad smile.
“Is everything okay? I thought he was staying for dinner,” I say, setting the food on the table.
“Something came up, sweet pea. He's not going to be able to stay.”
I turn my back to my dad and open the refrigerator to hide my disappointment. Taking a deep breath, I turn around with a small smile on my face.
I can tell there's something more to what's going on based on the look on my dad's face as we sit down to eat.
“Dad, what's going on? I'm not a kid anymore,” I have to remind him more and more lately.
“I know you're not, but that doesn't mean it's not my job to protect you.”
“Dad, I...”
“No, listen. I'm working on a pretty dangerous case right now, and I can't talk about it. But I need you to go with Stone and let him protect you. It's not safe for you to be here or around me.”
I can feel all the blood leave my face, and I feel like I'm about to pass out. One of the reasons I came home to Mustang Mountain after college was because of how safe it was. I hated living in a college town, in the city, not knowing my neighbors, sirens constantly, and all sorts of crime at my doorstep.
What kind of case could he be working in Mustang Mountain that is so high-risk? So dangerous that he has to send me to live with his best friend to protect me. His best friend who happens to be part of the Mustang Mountain Riders, and who are known for protecting the town.
“If it's not safe for me to be around, then it's not safe for you to be working this kind of a case. You're the only family I have left,” I say as tears threaten to fall stinging my eyes and increasing the ache in my throat.
My dad squeezes his eyes shut, and I can see the torment all over his face.
“I know I am, baby, and you are the last bit of family I have left, which is why I'm going to protect you. But I also have a sworn duty to protect this town, and that's what I need to do. Sending you with Stone will keep you safe,” he says, but the tone of his voice is off like he's not telling me something. I hate to think that my dad's lying to me, but if he is, it's for a good reason, right?
“Right now I have a few phone calls left to get things in order for you to be safe. I need you to pack a bag of everything that you will need for a while. I don't know how long this is going to take, but let's assume it's going to take weeks. But then I need you to go about your business as if everything is normal and do not tell anybody about this until Stone gets you out of here, do you promise?” he says, and fear starts creeping in.
“Daddy, you're scaring me,” I tell him.
Instead of the soft and comforting face I am used to getting when I was scared as a child, his face is hard and almost mean.
“Fear will keep you alive. Please do as I say.” He finishes his dinner and then heads to his office after setting the alarm on the house.
I've heard rumors about what's going on in Mustang Mountain. The mayor's niece being kidnapped, one of the Mustang Mountain Riders hits a girl with this truck.
What is going on around here?