Page 52 of First Touch

Is he threatening to cause harm to a law enforcement officer? I can’t stand by and let anything like that happen, but I stay quiet, trying to remain unbothered.

I can’t even recall who the current Sheriff is since the last one met an overdue demise in a hunting cabin outside of Whitewater last year. The name has to be on a list in the stack of information I have about the area, but my brain is fried. I’m still so tired.

“Who’s the Sheriff?” I ask Curtis quietly, while the others shuffle about unloading pallets full of extension cords, barbed wire, and metal fencing.

“Uh, some young guy. McDonald, maybe? He was a state trooper. I’ve heard Jameson complain about him quite a bit, some personal family beef I guess.”

A trooper named McDonald… Why does that ping a transmission in my brain somewhere? Malec.

“Any chance that his name is Malec?” I ask, remembering the trooper who helped Nathan and Callie last year after she was attacked. He had a clean history. I didn’t have any concerns that he’d turn around and backstab them like Sheriff Donahue had. Hopefully, whatever beef he has with Jameson isn’t a sign that he’s involved in any of this.

“Yeah, that’s it,” Curtis answers absently, nodding to Derrick and Mitch who are standing a few feet away.

“What happened, man?” Derrick asks Jameson. The only one seemingly brave enough to speak to him directly.

“The neighbor has been nosing in my business, sending complaints to the Sheriff and giving him a reason to snoop. So, we’re locking shit down. Tonight.” He walks off without another word, leaving us to work.

The rest of the night is spent securing the five-acre property. Where there was fencing, we added barbed wire. Where there were holes in the chain link, we repaired them. Spotlights and cameras were added to every corner and covered every building on the property. Last but not least, a delivery of sandbags was set up to form a makeshift barricade about twenty yards from the bomb test site that I witnessed Sunday night.

They plan to test more bombs. This place needs to be shut down now, whether they have a master plan or not.

By the time we get to leave, the sun has been up for hours. Curtis is dragging his feet more than I am but still has to take me back into town. I decide to use this opportunity to get more information out of him while he’s tired, maybe his defenses will be down.

“Did you know they were planning to make bombs?” I watch his reaction out of the corner of my eye.

“No, I didn’t know. Jameson was in the military ya know, maybe that stuff excites him,” Curtis explains away, but even I can tell he doesn’t really believe that.

“Do you think he wants to hurt people?” I take a risk with that question, hoping it doesn’t make him defensive of his friend and shut down on me. He doesn’t answer me for a long time, only focusing on the road, making me think I blew it.

“What do we do if he does? I don’t want to hurt people, Jay. I thought these guys were just pissed off and wanted an excuse to party. I’m not so sure about it anymore.” He runs his free hand through his hair aggressively. He’s torn up about this and I’m fucking relieved. He’s so young, the last thing he needs is to be mixed up with this.

“We’ll lay low. Keep an eye on them. Maybe they’re all talk. Jameson might just like the power trip.” I try to ease his worry, but I don’t think they’re going to stop at just a few test bombs on private property. I think this is the real deal.

We pull up to the library where my truck is, but before I can get out, Curtis speaks up. “I just wanted to belong somewhere. The army was supposed to be my ticket, but then it felt like they betrayed me when they wouldn’t let me come home for my grandma’s funeral. I thought this was it, too. I’m sorry that I even introduced you to them, Jay.”

I feel bad, knowing how much I’ve manipulated this kid. I’m not his friend, but I don’t think he deserves it as much as I did when I first started this operation. When it’s all said and done, I’ll make sure he gets help. If he manages to stay out of prison, I’ll hook him up with resources to get a fresh start. It’s the least I can do.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Thea

Usually, I stay well past closing time when I have the late shift, but not today. I can’t wait to get home knowing that Jesse’s there. I’m practically skipping up the sidewalk after I get out of my car.

The house is silent when I enter, so I quietly remove my shoes before tiptoeing up the stairs. The fading light outside dims my room but it doesn’t stop my eyes from focusing on the man I’ve been dying to get home to.

It’s a surreal experience, him laying on my bed with no shirt, face buried in my pillow. I creep over, staring at him like a pervert. I can’t get enough. He’s here. Half naked in my bed. It makes me giddy.

Could I lay with him? There’s plenty of room and I can’t resist. If he starts to wake up, I’ll move so he doesn’t accidentally touch me. Is that weird?

Would he want to know first before sharing a bed with me? No.

He told me yesterday he would be my guinea pig. I change into comfy clothes and then slowly slide myself onto the bed above the covers.

Deep breath. I’m okay, this is good.

He shifts slightly in his sleep and my body locks up until I realize he’s only grasping my pillow harder, clutching it to his face. Being a stomach sleeper wasn’t something I ever wondered about him, but now I’m thrilled to know. I put one of my extra pillows between us as a buffer before getting comfortable next to him.

Feeling safe enough to do this always seemed out of reach. I never imagined that meeting Jesse would lead me here. It’s comforting being able to lay in the same bed with a man that I trust. A man that I’ve completely fallen for.

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