Page 36 of Stone Cold Savage

“Helpful.” Coy deadpanned. “You gave us a good description. It could help.”

“Yeah, well, now I can’t unsee his damn face.”

“I’m sorry, Nash,” Kenzie said. “It wasn’t supposed to frighten you.”

“I’m not scared. It just makes me want to hit the son of a bitch one more time.” Nash admitted. “Can we get out of here?”

When they turned to leave, the sound of broken glass under footsteps stilled them.

“Don’t you fuckin’ move.” Came a voice from just outside the window as he stepped over the wide-open windowsill and a gun with a red laser fixed right on Nash. “Well, well, well. Nash Stone. I’ve been waiting a long time for a reason to shoot you.”

10

“Daddy, it ain’t funny,” Charlotte said. “You’re lucky you didn’t get shot.”

“Oh, I knew what I was doing, honey. Their arms were lame, weapons hanging at their sides.” Owen Bridges chuckled from behind his desk, trying to make sense of the piles of mess left from the earlier debacle.

“All due respect, sir, your daughter’s right.” Coy chimed in. “We were all a bit amped, hypervigilant, and a little trigger-happy if I do say so myself.”

“Nah. I’d been standing outside a solid few minutes listening to y’all before I even let my presence be known.” The older man admitted. “I wanted to hear the description of the unwelcomed asshole who made this mess… he owes me a God damned window.”

“Know him?” Nash asked while taking jabs. “Seems your type.”

“Now, son, that’s about the ballsiest thing you’ve said since I met ya. I respect that.” Owen said, earning a satisfied grin from Nash, “Wipe that shit-eating grin off your face, and don’t ever talk to me like that again.”

Nash bobbed his head, his suddenly a grimace, “Sorry… Sir.”

“Are you really that weak and easy to rile up?” Owen shook his head. “You come here, guns a blazing to save my daughter, but sound a little like a pansy right now, if ya ask me. Toughen up.”

“Yes. Right… Sir.” Nash replied.

Coy shook his head and chuckled, “Ellis Steele. What do you know about him?”

“A lot.” Owen shared. “But not nearly enough?”

“Which means what, Dad?”

“It means I’ve had my eye on that prick since he came to town and can’t seem to find anything dirty on him.”

“You’re not friends?” Charlotte asked.

“Not even a little bit.”

“There’s pictures… of you… all over the guy’s office. Sounds like you’re pretty friendly to me.” She shared with her father.

“Ever heard the phrase, keep your enemies closer? He’s public enemy number one.”

Kenzie took an ice pack Owen had given her off her head and tossed it in the trash. “Care to elaborate?”

“Not really,” Owen said matter of factly. “But I’ll tell ya this. He’s squeaky clean. Too clean. I’ve had a bad feeling about that asshole since he arrived in town, but I can’t find a damn thing on him. Someone owns him. Someone with money and reach so they can keep his dealings nice and private.”

“Someone with authority and resources,” Coy said.

“One hundred percent. He’s more of a politician than a lawyer. I don’t like the riffraff he hangs around.”

“You mean, like the Governor?”

“No, the others. Everyone thinks he’s great. He’s invited to everything like a damn socialite making his rounds.”

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