Page 106 of Fighting the Odds

“He seemed reluctant for Arizona to come,” Bash states once Colin leaves the room.

“Yeah, it took an act of congress to get him to agree,” I tell him, leaning back in my chair, clasping my hands together behind my head.

“Ya think he’ll still try to do somethin’ with her there? Maybe we should send Sierra on her own to guarantee the fucker does it.”

My hands slam down on the counter, anger coursing through me.

“Calm down, it was just a suggestion.” The fucker smirks.

I know he means well, but no way in hell is that happening. I don’t even like her going with Arizona. It’s putting both of them at risk. Anything could happen, and if Sierra gets hurt, it will kill me.

“Ricochet, we’re not going to let anything happen to your niece or my woman. But if her goin’ alone lures the fucker into some sense of false security, why not do it?”

“It’s fine, he’s agreed to Arizona being there already. Now, what are we going to do about the girl at school who shared the video to begin with and the cunt aunt?

“The aunt I haven’t been able to locate. The girl, though? Let’s just say she’ll be gettin’ a visit once the record of all the numbers she shared the video to, along with the IP confirmin’ it came from her phone, hits the Crimes Against Children task force desk. Draco has a connection with the office and is makin’ sure this gets put to the front of all cases with swift punishment.”

That puts a smile on my face. She deserves to rot in a jail cell for the rest of her life. I’d say a harsher punishment, but the little voice in the back of my head reminds me we don’t kill children.

“The aunt has proven to be a pain in the ass. She’s not comin’ up on our radars anywhere. She’s not leavin’ any type of paper trail. No hotel rooms in her name. No credit cards bein’ used.”

“Fuck!”

“She’ll fuck up, brother. They always do and when she does, we’ll have her. We’re not givin’ up. This is just a minor roadblock.”

“I still hate it. She needs to fucking die for what she did to my niece. What she let people do to her.”

Bash sets his laptop on my desk and stands.

“Come on, Ricochet, let’s get a drink. My girl is waitin’ for me back at the hotel and I’m wantin’ to get back to her. And you get to break it to your niece that she has to face her rapist tomorrow. Only one of us is goin’ to be havin’ fun tonight.”

I stand, needing the drink.

I’m jealous of Bash. He’s got a woman, and he’s settling down. Maybe it’s time I did too. I just have to find someone to do it with.

Sierra

When we get home from work tonight, I’ve got to do something special for Cyrus. He’s stayed at his dorm, allowing the guys to all have their private time with me this week so that we could get closer to each other. He says it’s because our relationship is already solid. And I can’t argue with that.

He picked me up at seven-thirty after Colton and I had the best nap. Then, while I was taking a shower, he made us some grilled cheese sandwiches. They were amazing.

When it was time to leave, he kissed me so deeply, right in front of Cyrus. I thought I’d feel weird, but I didn’t. Guess Cyrus walking in on me making out on the couch with Zander got rid of that insecurity right off the bat.

“Cyrus.”

“Yeah baby?” he says as we turn into the club parking lot and pulls into a spot at the end of the building under a light.

“Umm…” I shift in my seat so I can face him. “I was wondering, and you don’t have to say yes. I know it’s sudden. But what do you think about moving in with me? You’re there all the time, well except the last few days with the guys, but I don’t want you to think you have to stay away when they’re around. Part of this is learning to be together as a group. Right?”

“Wow, that was a mouthful. First, I would love to move in with you. I just didn’t want to pressure you and I can keep my dorm just in case you change your mind. As far as the guys, yes, we need to learn to function in a group dynamic but also have our individual time. I just happen to be lucky and can be with you all the time.”

He reaches into the back seat and picks up my baseball cap, placing it on my head, tucking all of my blonde hair underneath it carefully.

“Ready to head inside? I’m ready for this night to be over so I can go home with you.”

“Yes. Me too, you should see how beautiful my toes look after Colton gave me a pretty wicked pedicure.” I wink but then remember what happened before that and a weight drops in my stomach.

Should I tell him what Colton did? Do I keep important secrets like that in a relationship? Did he tell his brothers?

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